KILLYCLOGHER are the favourites, but the bookies’ don’t always get it right, warned Cargin manager John Brennan as he looked ahead to Sunday’s Ulster quarter-final clash.
Brennan says his Antrim champions will do all they can to win and predicts that the Erin’s Own side will have to “prove they can do it on the big occasion” to get past Tyrone’s representatives.
Experienced manager Brennan hopes to have Ciaran Close and Tomas McCann fit for the Healy Park clash and says his side want to go further than last year when they lost a nip-and-tuck last-eight showdown against eventual Ulster champions Crossmaglen.
“We were disappointed last year,” he said.
“We set out this year to retain the county title and we did that reasonably well. The players want to progress, they want to do better than last year and to be better than last year we have to perform better.
“I know Killyclogher are favourites according to the bookies and fair dues. But the bookies aren’t always right.”
Killyclogher’s 1/2 odds (Cargin are 2/1) are based on their runaway win in last Friday night’s replay against Coalisland in the Tyrone decider.
“They’re a very capable side,” said Brennan, who was in the crowd for the 14-point success.
“For whatever reason, Coalisland didn’t turn up for the replay… Killyclogher looked good, whether Coalisland made them look good is another thing, but they did look impressive.”
The former Derry manager will have done his homework on the St Mary’s side, but says: “All I’m concerned about is my own team.
“If I get my own team playing as they’re capable of and get them mentally right (we should do well). They should be physically right at this time of the year and, if they’re not, you have to ask questions.
“We had a tough battle last year with Crossmaglen last year but our players have learned from that and they’ve maybe reached a stage where they have to perform on a bigger stage.
“Last year Cross started a bit of carry on and they came out of it better. We had a man sent off (Gerard McCann), he was a very important player in midfield and we lost our way as a result of that. To me that was the turning point of the game.
“It’s a learning curve, we have to learn from it and no better time than the present to prove you can do it on the big occasion.
“These days it’s a 20-man game. Cargin have 20 very capable players and we know it’s going to take them all playing to their utmost to win on Sunday. We’ll be doing everything possible to do it.”
Neither of last year’s finalists are in the equation now. Crossmaglen lost their Armagh title to first-time winners Maghery, while Down’s Kilcoo beat Scotstown (Monaghan) in the preliminary round. That leaves Derry’s Slaughtneil as the only club in the competition that has previously won an Ulster title.
“The two teams with real championship form are Slaughtneil and Kilcoo,” said Brennan.
“But any team that wins a county championship is a good team – some of them want to progress further and some of them are happy enough winning their own championship.
“That’s what you’re up against, it’s very hard to predict. Those who want it most are usually the team that’ll go out and win it.”
