Ulster’s top brass aim to close out year in style
THE Ulster Council is pressing ahead with plans to ensure that Sunday’s provincial senior hurling championship final between Cushendall and Ballycran and the concluding stages of the club football championship help to end the season on a high despite the unsavoury events that marred last weekend’s club football quarter-final between Crossmaglen and Coalisland.
Cushendall manager Eamon Gillen and his Ballycran counterpart Gary Savage have their sides primed for what should be a fascinating battle at the Athletic Grounds with the latter aiming to bridge a 25-year gap by plotting what would be a first title since 1993 for Ballycran.
Following their outstanding win over reigning champions Slaughtneil at the semi-final stage, Ballycran have suddenly acquired fresh status but will be meeting a Cushendall side that is laced with experienced players and boasts a proud tradition in finals.
Ulster Council officials, though, are still known to be seriously disturbed by the physicality of the exchanges and the verbal abuse which blighted the Crossmaglen v Coalisland tie and are now prepared to conduct a detailed investigation of the entire game.
The report of referee Martin McNally has still to be considered by the Council’s Competitions Control Committee which it is understood will meet next week to debate its contents.
McNally dismissed Coalisland duo Eoghan Hampsey and Brian Toner in the first-half before sending off Crossmaglen Rangers pair Callum Cumiskey and Johnny Hanratty after the break.
An Ulster Council source has confirmed that the game has “not cast gaelic football in a good light” and that the necessary sanctions will now be imposed depending on the referee’s report.
“The Ulster club championships in both codes are very important competitions and the interest they generate is highlighted by the numbers which have been attending matches,” the Council source revealed.
“We are hoping that Sunday’s hurling final between Ballycran and Cushendall and the football semi-finals double bill at Healy Park, Omagh on Sunday week will reveal a healthy Ulster rivalry at club level and underline the appeal of the two codes within the province.
“The two football games in Omagh between Scotstown and Eoghan Rua, Coleraine and Crossmaglen Rangers and Gaoth Dobhiar form a hugely attractive programme and we are pressing ahead with our plans to make sure that it is a great day out for supporters.”
The Ulster Council’s optimism that 2018 can end on a high is well-founded despite the events of last weekend.
Five of the recent nine county football finals in Ulster were watched by some of the biggest crowds that flocked to similar games throughout the country.
The Cavan decider between Crosserlough and Castlerahan attracted 8,469 fans while the Tyrone final between Coalisland Fianna and Killyclogher pulled in 8,000 followers.
Not far behind came Armagh in which 7,136 supporters were at the Athletic Grounds to see Crossmaglen Rangers and Ballymacnab do battle while the Kilcoo v Burren showdown in the Mourne county pulled in 6,426 fans with 5,500 in Ballybofey to see Gaoth Dobhair and Glenfin in action in the Donegal final.
It’s such high-level fervour that the Ulster Council is keen to see maintained and this is the reason that disappointment was triggered when it was revealed that some supporters left last Saturday’s game early.
“There is no doubt that there is a great demand for our games but by the same token fans want to see them played in the right spirit,” the Council source added.
The Ulster Council has already reiterated its stance on violent play which was initially articulated at the formal launch of the provincial club championships in Slaughtneil a few weeks ago.
On that occasion, it was made clear that severe breaches of the disciplinary rules would evoke heavy penalties.
If the Competitions Control Committee decides that sanctions should be imposed on either or both Crossmaglen Rangers and Coalisland Fianna, then they will be proposed to the club(s) and are of course subject to appeal.
It all turns the focus to matters of discipline as the tournaments reach a climax.