Sport

The Irish News Archive - Oct 9 1998: Another bite for Cavan long shots against Crossmaglen

POSITIVE APPROACH...Mullahoran player/coach Damien O’Reilly is seen here in his on-field heyday clearing his lines much to the annoyance of Donegal’s Martin McHugh
POSITIVE APPROACH...Mullahoran player/coach Damien O’Reilly is seen here in his on-field heyday clearing his lines much to the annoyance of Donegal’s Martin McHugh POSITIVE APPROACH...Mullahoran player/coach Damien O’Reilly is seen here in his on-field heyday clearing his lines much to the annoyance of Donegal’s Martin McHugh

AIB Ulster Club Championship quarter-final replay: Mullahoran v Crossmaglen

CAVAN long-shots Mullahoran have a second chance to beat the odds on Sunday against former All-Ireland champions Crossmaglen.

Anthony Cunningham denied them a stunning upset last weekend with a saving point two minutes into priceless time added on for Cross.

It was quite a baptism for the rustic rookies, competing in the provincial club play-offs for the first occasion in their illustrious history.

Damien O’Reilly, Mullahoran’s player-coach, says the progress they have made this year is rooted in a more professional approach to the demands of the modern game.

Without any major domestic success for 35 years, O’Reilly reckons Mullahoran are now reaping the benefits of collective commitment.

“We would be much more organised than we were, a bit more professional in our approach, though until we won the Cavan Championship we never had any thoughts as such about the Ulster Club or what it was about,” he said.

A few days ago they soaked up the atmosphere, the pressure and the prestige of playing in the AIB series.

The luck, or otherwise, of the draw had pitched the championship novices in with a club which, in 1997, had scaled the heights to become the first Armagh outfit to win the All-Ireland title.

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WHILE all eyes where focused on championship activity at the weekend, one Antrim club had their mind very much set on league activity.

St Paul’s, going through a lean enough year by their high standards, were involved in a Bushmills Division Two Hurling League tie of great importance.

At home to Sarsfields victory would give the hoops the league title and a 2-22 to 3-9 success ensured just that.

Undefeated in the competition, having dropped just one point, Adrian Gallagher and Declan Gamble picked up the goals with Paul McStravick and Paul Donnelly sharing 15 points between them.

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THE Down county board have launched a major redevelopment scheme for the county ground at Pairc an Iuir.

When completed the capacity of the Newry ground will be increased from 8,500 to 22,000 thus enabling Down to play Ulster Championship games at a home venue.

Also announced as part of the package was the purchase of land at Derrylackagh and Kilclief to be developed as training grounds for county teams.

History was made on the playing fields on Sunday when the Owen Roe club Kilcoo – founded way back in 1906 – appeared in their first ever county minor football final against reigning champions and hot favourites, Mayobridge.

The holders had five of the team which was beaten in the senior final a fortnight ago in their line-up, but they had no answer to the hungrier Kilcoo side.

Team captain Anthony Devlin had an outstanding hour and was the man of the match as he led the Magpies to a 1-16 to 1-8 victory.