Eamonn Rooney Coach Hire Down Senior Championship Final: Bredagh (holders) v Castlewellan (tomorrow, Kilcoo, 3pm)
DOWN champions Bredagh go in search of an historic fifth county title on the trot when they take on Castlewellan in tomorrow's senior championship decider at Kilcoo.
The holders are favourites to do just that, but they also know they cannot take their opposition for granted in what is a repeat of last year’s final.
Castlewellan, under two club stalwarts Liam and Paddy Hardy, have turned their season around after surviving a relegation scare in the Division One league. A crucial play-off win over Saval was the catalyst for a revival and since then they have not looked back on their way to back-to-back finals and a repeat meeting with the champions.
Last year on their way to an historic fourth consecutive Down titles, and a fifth overall, Bredagh came out convincing 7-9 to 0-6 winners, Viv McCormick with four goals and they went on to reach a first ever Ulster Senior Club final, losing out to queenpins Donaghmoyne but only after a replay.
Bredagh are unbeaten in league and championship so far in 2022 having secured the Division One title earlier. They averaged just over seven goals a game in their three round robin group wins over Kilcoo, Bryansford and RGU Downpatrick while they emerged 3-12 to 2-3 winners over Carryduff in the semi-final.
Castlewellan, who last won the county championship in 2015, have come through the championship unbeaten with group wins over Carryduff, Saval and St John Bosco while seeing off Bryansford 1-16 to 0-7 in the knockout stages last day out.
From that last county title seven years ago they still have a number of players who remain on the panel including Karen McMullan, Aoife Keown, Cara Cunningham, Mairead Hardy, Nicola McMcCabe, Catriona Caldwell, Kelly Duffin And Nolene Farry with Keown, Caldwell, Cunningham and Burns all Mourne inter-county players.
This year sisters Aine McDowell and Catherine Keown have come out of retirement after four years and are a massive boost to the squad with their experience and defensive skills while the return of Aine Rogan has been a welcome addition to the forward line. Niamh King has been one of Castlewellan’s main scoring threats while at the other end, Emma McLoughlin has been exceptional at the heart of defence.
For Bredagh, former Donegal player Eilish Ward has taken over the captain's role and while there have been a few changes in personnel, notably another Donegal native Kate Keaney, Ella Durkin and Christine Drain, another Duffy - Caoimhe - has stepped up to the senior ranks and joined her sister Emer, Laoise and Orla while Eireann Gallan has returned after a few years out. Niamh Edgar, Anna O'Keefe and Orla McCarville have all another year of senior football under their belt, however, they are without long-term injured midfielder Aoibheann McCarville.
It’s a big weekend for Bredagh, whose ‘B’ team are making back-to-back final appearances, hoping to follow up last year’s junior success with intermediate success with victory over Burren (1pm) in the curtain raiser to the senior final.
