Difficult ask for Cross as they aim to rule Ulster once again
EIGHT teams are in the hunt for the Ulster Club Senior Football Championship title after the remaining six county finals were played over the weekend. Here, we look at who could win the Seamus McFerran Cup.
With a 0-5 to 0-4 win over Creggan in the county final, their style is well-flagged for a quarter-final against Gaoth Dobhair.
They have a number of experienced campaigners scattered throughout the team, notably the Johnston brothers, Kevin O’Boyle and Justin Crozier in defence and Micheal and Tomas McCann in attack, and they have some experience on the Ulster Club stage, albeit they have yet to take a significant scalp.
That game will be played at Corrigan Park, but it is unlikely they are going any further.
KEY PLAYERS: Kevin O’Boyle, Micheal McCann, Tomas McCann ODDS: 16/1
PREDICTION:
Quarter-final exit
They’re back, but not as you remember them.
Nowadays, Oisin and Rian O’Neill are the major players, but they are supported by an outrageously good half-back line of Aaron Kernan, James Morgan and Paul Hughes.
They play the traditional style of football you might expect of them, but imagine how much more dangerous they would have been had they been able to add Jamie Clarke to this mixture.
They should beat Coalisland, but might find that Gaoth Dobhair could shock them in the semi-final.
KEY PLAYERS: Aaron Kernan, Rian O’Neill, Kyle Carragher ODDS: 5/2
PREDICTION:
Semi-final exit
Won their first ever Cavan Club title on Sunday, beating Crosserlough in front of 8,469 people. They had lost three previous county finals — one by a point and another by two points after a replay.
In such a breakthrough year, the temptation is to feel they
Crossmaglen v Coalisland Saturday November 3, Athletic
Grounds, 7pm
Burren v Scotstown Sunday November 4, Newry,
2.30pm
Cargin v Gaoth Dobhair Sunday November 4, Corrigan
Park Belfast, 2.30pm
Castlerahan v Coleraine Sunday November 4, Kingscourt, 2.30pm
may not be entirely focused for an Ulster Club campaign, but they play a very open, attacking game which helped scrape back a six-point deficit in the Cavan final with 15 minutes to go.
A home draw against Coleraine will help.
KEY PLAYERS:
Cian Mackey, Sean Brady, Oisin McConnell ODDS: 25/1 PREDICTION:
Quarter-final exit
A remarkable group of individuals who are practically self-motivated and with absolutely no ego from long-serving manager Sean McGoldrick, when Coleraine win Derry Championships it’s as if they do so stealthily, coming up along the rails.
They have top quality players and a brilliant understanding of each other’s roles. With Niall Holly (right) fully fit this winter, they could do anything in this competition and should start with a win over Castlerahan.
However, they will meet their match when they come to play Scotstown.
KEY PLAYERS:
Sean Leo Mc- Goldrick, Niall Holly, Ruairi Mooney
ODDS: 9/2
PREDICTION:
Semi-final exit
Some years ago, a youth academy was set up in Gaoth Dobhair with the emphasis on pure enjoyment all the way up to Under-16 level, when the serious stuff would start.
That generation had an almost flawless record coming through and have now come of age with the Donegal title.
Bolstered by the experience of Kevin Cassidy and the McGee brothers Neil and Eamonn, along with the balletic Odhran MacNiallais, they could reach a final, but the semi-final against the winners of Crossmaglen/ Coalisland will tell us all we need to know about the scale of their title ambitions.
KEY PLAYERS: Odhran MacNiallais, Cian Mulligan, Kieran Gillespie
ODDS: 9/2
PREDICTION:
Runners-up
The Down county final carried a load of meaning for Burren as they stopped Kilcoo breaking their shared record of consecutive titles, halting them on six.
The influence of selector Stevie McDonnell has been immense on Donal O’Hare, who looks reborn, and they have a solid midfield, while Kevin McKernan has steadied up their fullback line.
However, they are meeting Scotstown who have just come past a team in Derrygonnelly who employ a remarkably similar system to Burren.
KEY PLAYERS: Donal O’Hare, Kevin McKernan, Cathal Murdock ODDS: 11/2 PREDICTION:
Quarter-final exit
Any team with Rory Beggan in goal, the Hughes brothers Darren and Kieran, along with the sheer class and balance of Conor McCarthy (above), are halfway to an Ulster Club title.
Add in the latter-day nous of manager Kieran Donnelly and the passion of selector Paraic Duffy and you sense that this team could be the Ulster champions in waiting.
A beautifully balanced team with the likes of Shane Carey and Donal Morgan offering great support, they have it all in every department.
KEY PLAYERS: Rory Beggan, Darren Hughes, Conor McCarthy ODDS: 10/3
PREDICTION:
Winners
Few would have thought after Coalisland lost their opening five league games in Tyrone, leading to the departure of their management team, that they were threatening to do anything in the county.
However, the return of Padraig Hampsey and Michael McKernan, along with a return to full duty by Paddy O’Farrell, galvanised the club and they showed serious mettle to beat Killyclogher in the final after a tough run there.
The problem for them is that they now face Crossmaglen in what will be a boisterous Athletic Grounds. It may be a bridge too far.
KEY PLAYERS: Padraig Hampsey, Michael McKernan, Paddy McNeice
ODDS: 10/1
PREDICTION:
Quarter-final exit