2019 ULSTER CLUB FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
INTERMEDIATE SIDELINES
Kinawley v Glenn
(Sunday, November 3, Brewster Park, 12.30pm)
THE Corrigan brothers, Ruairi and Tomas, will spearhead Kinawley’s challenge as they try and get their Ulster campaign off to the perfect start against Down champions Glenn.
Ruairi was at his play-making best in the 1-17 to 3-3 Fermanagh final win over Belcoo while Tomas helped himself to 0-5 with three of those scores coming from play.
Mark Monaghan’s side are certainly no two-man team though with the likes of Sean Murphy, Conor Murphy, James Allen and Tom Keenan all impressing throughout the campaign.
Their quarter-final win over a hotly-tipped Enniskillen Gaels really set their season up, even if they needed two goes to get the job done.
They haven’t looked back since and home advantage is another reason why they will carry plenty of confidence into Sunday’s fixture.
Tony Bagnall’s Glenn have been more about the have-nots than the haves this season, and for that they deserve extra credit for coming out of Down.
Shay Millar, Ronan Millar and Denis Murtagh are three key men who have missed the season while Niall McParland may also be away despite having flown back from abroad for the county final win over Newry Shamrocks.
It was a real nip-and-tuck final with nerves seemingly playing their part. Bagnall’s men did enough in a dramatic finish with Cormac Clarke’s powerful finish late on helping them over the line.
Mattie Bagnall didn’t have the best of days in full-forward but he will be the man they look to in order to get past a difficult Kinawley challenge.
Magheracloone v Foreglen
(Sunday, November 3, Inniskeen, 2.30pm)
MAGHERACLOONE were relegated from the Monaghan Senior Championship last year but they responded in the right manner with an emphatic Intermediate success.
They posted a very healthy 2-17 in the Farney final win over Donaghmoyne with Paudie McMahon grabbing both their goals.
McMahon is part of an exciting forward line that also includes plenty of experience through Tommy Freeman and Gavin Doogan. Alan McCahey’s nine points, five coming from play, helped him to the Man of the Match award.
James Kieran’s side had to play and train away from home early in the season as sinkholes formed at their club grounds, but isn’t hasn’t knocked them off their stride.
Foreglen won’t mind going in as underdogs for this one. They were also written off in the Derry final against Claudy but left with the silverware after an excellent 0-15 to 0-9 win.
Damien O’Connor’s side did everything you’d want from a team, they established a decent lead and controlled the game from there on in. Moving Sean O’Connor back to help out the defence played a big role in that and they will need to be strong at the back to keep out a prolific Mitchell’s attack.
Key man Ciaran McFeely was unable to start the final due to a hand injury but he did come on for the final 20 minutes and he’ll likely be restored to the starting 15 in Inniskeen,
The Derry side defeated Armagh’s Madden in their last Ulster quarter-final six years ago but this is likely to be a much tougher challenge.
St James’ v St Naul’s
(Sunday, November 3, Corrigan Park, 2.30pm)
ST JAMES’ came through their Antrim Championship campaign with a combined winning margin of seven points and they’ll have to call on those battling qualities against a strong St Naul’s outfit.
Their closest match was the final itself when they defeated Moneyglass 1-13 to 2-9.
The Aldergrove men were seven points down in terrible weather conditions, but they never gave up and their reward was a first Intermediate crown in 42 years.
Brian McQuillan excelled in midfield while attackers Fergal Burke and Seamus McGarry, who managed 1-10 between them, were key to their revival.
Paddy Nugent will be hoping that those two get plenty of assistance at Corrigan Park as they welcome the Donegal champions.
Like St James’, St Naul’s had to show their battling qualities in the Tir Chonaill county as they fended off a couple of strong fightbacks along the way.
They beat Cloughaneely in the final thanks to Daniel Brennan’s goal while Stephen Griffin, Peadar Mogan and Stuart Connolly all chipped in with two points apiece in the 1-10 to 0-10 win.
Donegal sides haven’t fared too well in this competition with St Michael’s, in 2003, the last side from the county to win the trophy. Bundoran reached the 2015 final though and if St Naul’s can get out of here with a victory then they could have a big say in the competition.
Galbally v Laragh United
(Sunday, November 3, Healyr Park, 2.30pm)
GALBALLY made light work of Armagh champions Grange in the preliminary round as they earned a 0-16 to 1-5 win in Crossmaglen.
Fourteen of their scores came from play with Sean Murphy managing four of those while the attack also coughed up a series of brilliant goal opportunities.
There were also super performances from the likes of Daniel Kerr and Enda McGarrity on a day when the Tyrone champions just ran and ran.
The concession of a goal in the final stages was of little consequence, but it does give manager John Moylan the chance to remind his players that they must play for the full hour.
In truth, Grange’s challenge was meek so Laragh United should provide stiffer opposition in Omagh.
The Cavan side won their first Intermediate title in 25 years with a 2-16 to 1-9 final win over Belturbet with Pauric O’Reilly and Liam McKenna grabbing their goals.
Laragh entered the game as slight favourites but they were in control from start to finish and led by 10 points at the break with the likes of full-forward Patrick Rudden also standing out.
They are managed by former Meath footballer Jody Devine and they managed nine goals in their seven championship games in Cavan.
They have conceded some big tallies along the way too, including 2-16 in their semi-final win over Cuchulainn, so Devine’s side will need to sharpen up at the back against a Galbally side that is capable of posting big tallies.
JUNIOR SIDELINES
Blackhill v Killinkere
(Saturday, November 2, Athletic Grounds, 5pm)
MONAGHAN meets Cavan with Blackhill and Killinkere meeting in Armagh for a spot in the Ulster Junior final.
Both had comfortable enough quarter-final victories, even if Killinkere’s didn’t appear so on the scoreboard.
They were expected to get past Bright with few problems but they did have to endure a difficult opening 20 minutes against the wind before finding their feet.
Paddy Bates’s side conceded a goal in the opening moments and were 1-3 to 0-3 down after the opening quarter.
The turning point came late in the half when Peter McCabe bundled the ball home after Jamie Smith’s original effort had been saved.
That gave the Cavan outfit a one-point interval lead and scores from the likes of Neil McCabe, Kevin McCabe and Smith gave them the cushion they needed as they recorded a 1-15 to 1-10 win.
Killinkere are aiming to become the first Breffni side to reach the final since Swanlinar in 2010.
The Breffni side lost to Corduff by five points that day but were subsequently awarded the title after the Gaels were adjudged to have fielded an ineligible player.
Monaghan teams have fared much better though and Blackhill are actually aiming for their second final appearance in just four years.
They lost to Rock by a point after extra-time in 2016 and given that the Tyrone champions are involved in the other semi-final they could yet get their chance for revenge.
That’s a long way away yet and all focus for Aidan McCabe’s side will be this clash with Killinkere.
They possess a very dangerous and fleet-footed attack and they hit seven goals in their four Monaghan games including three in their final win over Drumhowan.
Philip Donnelly and Michael Geehan were amongst the goal-scorers on the day having both found the net earlier in the competition. Anthony Courtney also scored in the final with Hugh Byrne and Andrew Burns their other goals scorers in Monaghan.
It was Tommy Geehan who nabbed their three-pointer in their impressive Ulster opener against Maguiresbridge.
On paper it looked a very tricky assignment but McCabe’s men always looked in control in the 1-16 to 0-9 win in Inniskeen.
They really opened up in the final quarter when Blackhill lost a few men to red cards with team captain Byrne getting forward to kick a few fine points to bring his tally to 0-5. The listed full-forward line of Jason Finnegan, Ciaran Courtney and Michael Geehan all registered two points each as well.
Back in 2016 they got their balance spot on as they scored 0-32 and conceded just 0-14 against Clonmore and Downings. They kept Rock to 0-9 in normal time in the final before conceding 1-3 in extra-time.
They once again seem to have a nice balance and it could be another good day for Monaghan in this competition.
Buncrana v Rock
(Saturday, November 2, Celtic Park, 5pm)
ROCK are the masters of the Ulster Junior Championship and they will be hoping for victory against Buncrana to earn another chance at reinforcing that particular badge of honour.
The Tyrone side have won five county junior titles. The first, in 1982, was won when there was no provincial series but the three after all resulted in Ulster glory.
In 2007, they defeated Monaghan’s Aughnamullen before getting the better of Donegal outfit Urris in 2014. Extra-time was needed against Blackhill two years later, and it’s possible those two clubs could once again meet in the decider in a couple of weeks.
Rock certainly look intent on making it four from four after their destruction of Glack in the quarter-final.
The 2-15 to 0-6 win in Owenbeg told its own tale with the Red Hand side dominating from start to finish.
They hit 1-2 in the first three minutes, Conor McGarrity with the goal, and over the next 57 minutes Glack only managed one point more.
Rock continued to roll though with Aidan McGarrity (1-6) scoring heavily.
Youngster Shane Murphy has been one of the finds of the season and he impressed once again with Ciaran Gourley the perfect candidate to help these young players blend into the team.
Martin Hackett’s side didn’t get anything easy within Tyrone, winning three of their four matches by three points and the other by five, but they do seem to really open up in Ulster.
That should act as a warning to Buncrana but the Donegal side certainly aren’t going into the game as no-hopers.
Indeed Malachy McCann’s side should be feeling pretty good about themselves after dominating a strong Collegeland side in Armagh in the last round.
The game was viewed as the clichéd 50-50 contest, but Buncrana took control in the first half and never let it slip from there.
Oisin Doherty and Caolan McGonagle set the tone with early points and John Campbell’s goal gave them a four-point interval lead.
Doherty, from frees and play, kept the scores coming in the second half and when former Crusaders goalkeeper Harry Doherty made a good save, the gig was up for Collegeland.
It was a big difference from their county final win over Letterkenny Gaels when they needed a strong finish to power to the title having trailed by four points at the break.
Rock may enjoy a great record in this competition but Buncrana are attempting to keep up Donegal’s recent success.
The last two titles have gone to the county thanks to the success of Naomh Colmcille and Red Hugh’s.
They will need to be at their very best though to have a shot of making it three in-a-row for the Tir Chonaill county.
2019 ULSTER CLUB FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Preliminary round
Cargin (Antrim) 0-12 Derrygonnelly (Fermanagh) 2-10
(Sunday, October 20, Corrigan Park)
Quarter-finals
Crossmaglen (Armagh) v Clontibret (Monaghan)
(Saturday, November 2, Athletic Grounds, 7pm)
Castlerahan v Naomh Conaill/Gaoth Dobhair (Donegal)
(Sunday, November 3, Kingspan Breffni, 2.30pm)
Kilcoo (Down) v Magherafelt (Derry)
(Sunday, November 3, Pairc Esler, 2.30pm)
Derrygonnelly (Fermanagh) v Trillick (Tyrone)
(Sunday, November 3, Brewster Park, 2.30pm)
