Ulster club SFC quarter-final: Kilcoo (Down) v Magherafelt (Derry) (tomorrow, Pairc Esler, 2.30pm)
ULSTER Championship veterans Kilcoo have made two finals since 2012 and lost to the eventual champions in their last three provincial campaigns.
With a little luck here and there, that elusive Seamus McFerran Cup could have taken pride of place in their clubhouse up in the Mourne Mountains and, given the Magpies’ efforts year after year, you could say that they deserve an Ulster title.
‘Deserves’ has got nothing to do with it of course but the experience of seven campaigns since 2009 should give the Down champions an edge over Ulster rookies Magherafelt tomorrow.
Then again, all of this is new to the O’Donovan Rossa club. Magherafelt hadn’t won a Derry title since 1978 and hadn’t made the final since 1983, but they still came from behind to deservedly beat Watty Graham’s of Glen a fortnight ago.
The Maghera men, in their first ever final, had led by 0-4 to 0-2 midway through the first half but with twin shooters Emmet McGuckin (0-3) and Shane Heavron (0-5) outstanding from distance and half-backs Conor Kearns and Fergal Duffin impressing too, Adrian Cush’s side progressed with a 0-12 to 0-11 victory at Celtic Park.
It had been just a tight in Newry the previous weekend. Kilcoo, who had avenged losing their county crown by beating Burren in a quarter-final replay, pitted themselves against a free-flowing Warrenpoint side striving to make a statement at senior level.
The ’Point had their chances but it’s taking them that counts and Dylan Ward’s goal saw the Magpies through at the finish. Down the years opponents have matched Kilcoo for skill, pace and even workrate at times but the will to win, the refusal to accept defeat, is what sets Kilcoo apart.
Well, that and the excellent managerial choices made by their club committee.
Predecessors Jim McCorry and Paul McIvor both delivered county three in-a-rows and current incumbent Mickey Moran has carried on that good work. Maghera native Moran, the man who guided Derry’s Slaughtneil to their maiden Ulster title in 2014 and added two more in 2016 and 2017, needs no introduction.
Success has followed him wherever he has gone and, after regaining the Frank O’Hare Cup following the 2018 blip, he will have hit the reset button and begun to plan a route through the familiar terrain of a provincial campaign.
Magherafelt’s victory in the Derry final meant he didn’t have to deal with the unwanted attention of having to face his home club (a la John McEntee whose Clontibret side meet Crossmaglen) and, having taken Slaughtneil for so long, he will certainly be familiar with tomorrow’s opponents.
Magherafelt cannot say the same but coach James Slater reported that the O’Donovan Rossa outfit have prepared diligently for tomorrow’s clash after celebrating their momentous win in Derry.
“41 years is a long time and the scenes at the end, with everybody on the pitch, will live long in the memory for Magherafelt,” former Irish League star Slater.
“It was brilliant for the club but we got the heads down and prepared for Kilcoo which is going to be a massive challenge.
“They have been unlucky in Ulster, they have won a lot of Down championships and they have been there or thereabouts in Ulster which is a hugely difficult championship to win when you consider the quality of teams that are in the competition every year.
“Yes, it is a big challenge for us and no doubt they are favourites and they have home advantage. But we’re going down to represent our club and the county properly and we will see how we go. We have got the heads down in training and I’m confident that we will be there or thereabouts on Sunday.”
Well set up defensively, Magherafelt should prove hard to break down tomorrow and it is difficult to crack their code around midfield. It will be a surprise if they don’t press up on the Kilcoo kick-outs with McGuckin, Danny Heavron and the towering Jared Monaghan – who doubles up as full-time sweeper – strung across the middle.
Antone McElhone and Cormac Murphy are mobile and determined up front and Shane Heavron, off his left foot, and McGuckin can do damage if given a yard of space.
Meanwhile, Kilcoo are the trickiest of customers. In the county final it was Ward who came up with the precious goal and another ‘major’ tomorrow could decide the game. The defence is backboned by veteran Aidan Branagan and his brothers while evergreen Conor Laverty runs the show for his side around the middle third. Kilcoo can be contained for spells but always have the ability to raise the tempo through the class and experience of the Johnston brothers, Jerome and Ryan, and Paul Devlin who is also a dependable free-taker.
Underdogs Magherafelt have nothing to lose and if they play like that and go for the Magpies’ jugular tomorrow, they have a chance of causing an upset. But with home advantage, proven quality and the knowhow of having been there and done that, dogged Kilcoo should have enough to make the semi-finals.
