FERGAL Logan isn’t dismissing the long-shot. A last play of relegation-loaded dice tomorrow is the main thing on players’ minds, yet the Red Hand ace would really relish a shoot-out chance in April’s NFL sudden death series.
Tyrone and Cavan dust down their sometimes tempestuous rivalry for a critical clash at ‘Fortress Dungannon’, where both need the win, with the home county unbeaten in National League affairs at O’Neill Park for 11 years.
Cork felt the pinch two weeks ago. Unbeaten, top of Division One, their play-off place already secure, Cork came a cropper as Gerard Cavlan’s late strike condemned Cork to their first loss in six.
Dungannon’s talisman is again in play this weekend as the double Ulster champions attempt to avoid relegation with a win which would push Cavan back to Division Two football next season.
While it is expected to be a tense, pressurised, give no quarter ask for no points battle, a repeat of the fireworks of four years ago is to be avoided.
A play-off for promotion from Division Three, which resulted in a head-to-head a week later for a Croke Park showdown with Wexford, went the way of Tyrone, but not without a fight.
The original was explosive. Dungannon witnessed on-field flare-ups, prompted a GAC investigation, lengthy suspensions. Tyrone won the game, the rematch the following, and the final contest with Wexford.
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CATHAL O’Rourke can’t help reflecting on his university days at Queen’s when he sees names like Anthony Tohill, Eamon Burns [Derry], and Brian Burns [Down] in the paper.
Six years ago, the four were undergraduates taking their first tentative steps in the senior inter-county arena.
Six years on and Tohill and the two Burnses have All-Ireland medals to their name. Dromintee man O’Rourke, meanwhile, feels like a veteran at 24 and wonders whether the big breakthrough is ever going to arrive.
“I made my debut for Armagh seven years ago as a 17-year-old at the Abbey (Grammar School). The years start rolling on.
“You don’t want to just go on playing inter-county football for the sake of it. You want quality football. At the minute we’re just not competitive.
“It’s really been seven years of mediocre success. When you see Anthony Tohill, Eamon Burns, Brian Burns and even Gareth McGirr [Tyrone] mentioned you start asking questions of yourself.”
O’Rourke candidly admits the defeat by comparatively unrated Clare a fortnight ago was a “huge blow” to Armagh confidence.
After an unbeaten run of four league matches, a win would have put the county in with a glorious opportunity of earning promotion to Division One. As it is, Armagh to go Castlebar tomorrow knowing that another morale-sapping defeat could hasten relegation.
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Bill Cowan, a 29- year-old Belfast painter, shocked Olympian and reigning welterweight champion Francis Barrett in the semi-finals of the National Senior Boxing Championships at the National Stadium last night.
The Monkstown boxer hammered out a desperately close decision over strong favourite Barrett, the contest finishing 10-10, but when it went to the countback, Cowan took it 48-47.
Now he is poised for an historic title win but has to beat the experienced Neil Gough of Waterford in next Friday’s final.
A terrific Ulster title decider against Michael Blaney had been ideal preparation for Cowan. “I had no plan to box him (Barrett). I just waited for him to come at me and got home shots on the counter, it was my best win ever but it was a deal tougher against Blaney in the Ulster final.
In the bantamweight division, Holy Trinity’s Damaen Kelly scored a comprehensive victory over William Valentine of St Saviour’s, a champion in the weight two seasons ago.
