Warrenpoint provide romance in Down

THE Down final this weekend involves a dash of romance.

Can Warrenpoint, taking part in their first final since 1978, produce something special to measure up to a Kilcoo side who have featured in the last seven county finals, losing their crown last year to Burren after putting together six consecutive triumphs.

Warrenpoint have been something of a surprise package for sure, but the way they demolished Ballyholland in the semi, and the bit of edge between them and Kilcoo this season, makes this a huge game.

In hurling, the Ulster club campaign gets under way in earnest this weekend.

Antrim champions St Enda’s, managed by Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton (right), took the county intermediate title a fortnight back with a final win over Carey in Cushendall, and have a tricky battle with Derry’s Banagher in Owenbeg tomorrow (throw-in 2.30pm).

The Derry club may feel that they are suffering a bit of a slump after losing a county football semi-final, but have capable hurlers in their group, not least Brian Óg McGilligan, and the high-scoring Tiernan McCloskey.

Donegal side Setanta are in the mix with a home tie against Armagh’s Keady, that game hosted in Letterkenny tomorrow, again with a 2.30pm throw-in.

Setanta won the Ulster Junior title two years ago by beating Na Magha of Derry city, and have now taken the step up. Some doubts surround Kevin Campbell, their veteran free-taker, but it is expected he will be available.

Keady did not win a county title, but with Middletown competing at senior level, with Slaughtneil in the Ulster semi-final on October 27, they enter the intermediate championship.

There is something of a local derby with Lisbellaw of Fermanagh facing Dungannon of Tyrone.

The ‘Blaw will be without Mark Slevin who is out for this one with illness, while Hogan Cup winning footballer Tom Keenan is injured for the Brewster Park clash at 7pm tonight.

Last year’s All-Ireland junior finalists Castleblayney face Bredagh of Down at their own grounds tonight at 7pm.

The Ulster Junior Club Hurling Championship also gets under way. Inniskeen of Monaghan have home advantage of sorts when they face Tyrone champions Naomh Colum Cille, that game tonight at Castleblayney as a curtain raiser, beginning at 5.15pm. Eoghan Rua of Coleraine face Cavan side Mullahoran.

The Derry side played an Ulster Intermediate final against St Brigid’s of Cloughmills in recent years and could be too strong, that game at Owenbeg tomorrow at 12.45pm.

Finally, Antrim champions Gort Na Mona travel to Letterkenny to face home side St Eunan’s tomorrow at 12.45pm. CLONDUFF camogie skipper Paula O’Hagan knows what it is like to bask in All-Ireland glory, but the enticing atmosphere of Croke Park will be somewhat removed today when she leads her side out against Tyrone representatives Eglish in the Ulster Intermediate Championship final at Pearse Og Park, Armagh (2pm).

Eglish will go into the game buoyed by a strong tradition, something of which O’Hagan is acutely aware.

“What we achieved last year does not count for anything now. Eglish are a good side no matter how you look at it and they will come at us strongly,” O’Hagan maintained.

Her Eglish counterpart Aisling Jordan acknowledges that her team have not had as many competitive matches under their belt as they would have liked but insists that this will not in any way inhibit their efforts to secure provincial glory.

“Over this past two months we have been able to get several more games and they will stand to us against Clonduff,” said Jordan.

“They are a very experienced team and we know we have to hit the ground running in this one,” she added.

In the Ulster Club Ladies Football Championship, new Fermanagh football manager Ryan McMenamin will send his St Macartan’s, Augher side into battle against Donegal outfit Termon while Donaghmoyne will take on Down title-holders Bredagh.

St Macartan’s had a facile 5-12 to 0-3 win over Cavan side Crosserlough at the quarter-final stage but are aware that Termon, captained by Emer Gallagher, will provide a much stiffer test.

Chloe McCaffrey (above), Cathy Donnelly, Paula Donnelly and Niamh McGirr form the backbone of a St Macartan’s lineup that clearly has the title in their sights.

McCaffrey is in particularly hot form just now and her penchant for snapping up goals is proving a decisive asset.

But she makes no bones about how she views her team’s mission.

“We have a good squad and everyone makes an important contribution,” she said.

“We will certainly need to be on our toes against what will be a fired-up Termon side,” McCaffrey added. Termon, who have home advantage, have certainly been showing good form to date and with captain Gallagher giving a lead they are capable of halting the progress of their Red Hand opponents in what should prove a thrilling tie.

Donaghmoyne, meanwhile, may not be quite as formidable as in recent years but they will nonetheless make life difficult for a Bredagh side that is keen to reach the decider.

The Belfast side has shot to the fore this year but face an acid test against their Monaghan opponents.