Syls in shape to defy 'nells

Niall Scully

EVENING HERALD DUBLIN SFC FOURTH ROUND

St Sylvester's v Parnells

(Lawless Park, Swords, Tomorrow, 3.45)

THEY have met on this year's championship road already.

Syls won by six points. It should be a lot closer this time.

It's a big day for Talts. He was the man on the bridge when Malahide welcomed home the heroes in '96.

He'll be asking his Parnell's lads to mark tightly. The last day Syls could afford to have 13 wides.

John Murtagh was popping them over from all over the shop against Raheny. He finished with nine points, four frees

The Coolock chief will need big shows from Andreas Doyle, Colm Begley, MJ Tierney, Darren Rooney, John Peyton and Niall Collins.

Syls will have to come up with something special to beat the Ireland captain, the Dublin Cat -- Stephen Cluxton.

Miceál McCarthy is one of the finest forwards in the city. And Syls boss, Gabriel Bannigan, has another ace in Darren Clarke.

Syls are the Division 1 champs. They have been edging ever closer to the big championship breakthrough and have put a mountain of preparation into their past few seasons.

Kian Cleere, Brian Sexton and Colm Hanratty are top of the class, while there's also much to recommend in the offerings of Ross Hazley, John Coughlan, Gary Sweeney, Eoin Fanning and Aidan Relihan.

It should be a dual to savour. A Sunday afternoon treat. And if Syls can curb the influence of Murtagh they would go a long way to booking their seat in the last-eight.

LAST YEAR -- St Sylvester's: Fourth round. Parnell's: Qualifiers.

LAST TIME SFC WINNERS -- St Sylvester's: 1996. Parnell's: 1988.

SFC 2011 -- St Sylvester's: Beat Ballymun. Beat Parnel'ls. Parnell's: Beat Whitehall. Lost to Sylvester's. Beat Raheny.

VERDICT: St Sylvester's