Ulster clubs doing us all proud, admits chief
County Championships thriving against odds
the most part, were in the fans’ own living rooms merely ensured t hat the phenomenal performances of Lee Brennan managh, Tyrone, Antrim and (Trillick) and Mark Bradley (KillMonaghan are at the semi-final yclogher) in particular reached a THE coronavirus pandemic stage and the Donegal, Down whole new audience across the which has held the entire island and Cavan semi-finalists will be island courtesy of TG4. in a vice-like grip since March known after this weekend, with With Killeavy having come has, to a large extent, wreaked Derry’s quarter-finalists set to close to putting one over red-hot havoc in a sporting context. be established over the course of Armagh favourites Crossmaglen
Yet when it was decided after Saturday and Sunday. Rangers on Sunday, Portglenone protracted deliberations that the Normally, Club Championship only managing to get the better GAA should assign its traditionties are staged in tandem with inof St Gall’s in yet another penalally peak period of the year to ter-county competitions, but this ty shoot-out in Antrim on Tuesclub action only, it was to prove year clubs have had the summer day night and Oisin Mcconan inspired step. stage to themselves — and how ville’s Inniskeen Grattans having
It is worth bearing in mind they have grabbed the opportustunned title holders Clontibret that up until mid-july doubts nity. to reach Sunday’s Monaghan remained that a ball would be Ulster Council spokesman Desemi-final against Ballybay, there kicked or a sloithar struck this clan Woods said: “Obviously the has been no shortage of hot topics.summer.ulstercouncilisverypleasedso
Yet here we are a matter of far. The fare on offer has been weeks down the line from then great and I have no doubt that and the closing stages of the varithe various county finals will still ous County Championships have be major sporting occasions debeen reached. spite the absence of fans, if that
While this in itself is somestill pertains.” thing of a feat within a sport Last weekend’s Tyrone quarblighted for so long by 11th-hour ter-final between reigning chammatch cancellations for the most pions Trillick and challengers tenuous of reasons, the fact that Killyclogher was arguably one of
Ulster clubs in particular have the best club matches witnessed soared to a new peak in terms of anywhere for a long time and, performance reinforces the nogoing to a penalty shoot-out as it tion that a new path in relation to did, fans were kept on the edge of the future has been laid. their seats until the final whistle
The county finalists in Arsounded. magh are known, while Fer- The fact that those seats, for
ut for all the endeavours of those teams nurturing hopes of entering a sporting paradise, it is worth noting that Slaughtneil remain in the mix to reclaim the Derry title, Derrygonnelly Harps are in hot pursuit of what would be a sixth successive Fermanagh crown, Kilcoo could yet make it nine Down trophies in 12 years and — wait for it — Crossmaglen Rangers have their sights set on what would be their 22nd Armagh triumph in 25 years.
You would have to say, indeed, that some things rarely ever change.
‘The Ulster Council is very pleased so far’