IT’S GALWAY AND Kildare who face off in the Cadbury’s All Ireland U21 football semi-final tomorrow.

Throw in at  O’Connor Park in Tullamore is at 2pm.

Here’s nine things to know about the clash between the Tribesmen and the Lilywhites.

1. Current Galway U21 captain Fionntan O Curraoin already has an All-Ireland medal in his back pocket.

He was midfield on the Galway side that defeated Cavan by 2-16 to 1-9 in the 2011 All-Ireland U21 final. His midfield partner that day, Athnery’s Tomas Flynn, came on as a substitute in the recent Connacht U21 final as he continues his recovery from a long-term injury.

2. Kildare are bidding to reach the county’s first All-Ireland U21 final since 2008. They lost that game to Kerry by 2-12 to 0-11 with current senior panellists Eoghan O’Flaherty and Alan Smith in action in that game. Gary White, centre-back on that Kildare team, played for the county senior side earlier this season in the league but has since withdrawn due to work commitments.

3. Galway were glad to have Shane Walsh available to them in the Connacht final as he struck 0-7, including three late points to tie that match in normal time and send the game to extra-time. The attacker had been selected to appear that day in Surrey in England for the European Legion squad, coached by Tadgh Kennelly, that faced an AFL Academy team in an exhibition game.

Shane Walsh (right)  at AFL International Combine trials in DCU in February.
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan

4. Three current Kildare U21 players – Sean Hurley, Daniel Flynn and Paddy Brophy – were also selected on that European Legion AFL squad. Johnstownbridge’s Paul Cribbin has first-hand experience of life in the AFL as he returned to county colours at the start of this season having been in action for Collingwood since the end of 2009.

5. Six players who lined out for Galway in the recent Connacht U21 final were part of the St Jarlath’s (Tuam) side that lost out to St Colman’s (Newry) in the 2011 Hogan Cup final. The Cortoon Shamrocks trio of Paul and Adrian Varley, and Cathal Mulryan along with the Corofin duo Liam Silke and Ian Burke, and Kilkerrin/Clonberne attacker Shane Walsh are the survivors from that colleges side.

6. Tommy Moolick captained Kildare to win the recent Leinster U21 final against Longford. The Leixlip clubman’s father PJ, who is originally from Clonguish, lined out at right corner-back for Longford against Kildare in the 1966 Leinster U21 football final.

Kildare’s Tommy Moolick, in action here for NUI Maynooth in the Sigerson Cup.
Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

7. You might recognise a familiar face in the Kildare backroom team. Former European Commissioner and Minister of Finance Charlie McCreevy is involved with the current crop of Kildare U21′s.

8. There’s mixed news on the injury front for Galway. Peadar Óg Ó Gríofa is out for the season with a torn cruciate ligament while Corofin’s Daithi Burke continues to be hampered by a hamstring injury. But big midfielder Tomas Flynn is on the mend and came on as a substitute in the Connacht final after a long layoff through injury.

9. One player Kildare are not able to call on for this game is Kevin Feely. The Athy native was midfield on the Kildare minor side that lost out in the 2010 Leinster semi-final against Longford and would have been eligible for this year’s U21 squad which already features clubmates David Hyland, Liam McGovern, Niall Kelly, Tony Gibbons and Hugh Mahon.

Feely is now focused on soccer and now plies his trade in the English Championship for Charlton Athletic after moving from Bohemians in January.

Kevin Feely leading Bohemians out.
Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Here’s how Cavan, Cork, Galway & Kildare reached the All-Ireland U21FC semi-finals