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[Old scores will be settled, battlelines will be defended and honour put on the line as Dromintee prepare to withstand an invasion from Ulster and afar in the much-anticipated Fight Night, which will take place in the Carrickdale Hotel on January 16. Top GAA personalities from Antrim, Derry, Down, Louth, Meath and Monaghan will travel to take on the south Armagh natives with a full house expected.]

http://www.ticketmaster.ie/event/18004372B04A3AC8?artistid=1018037&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=33

Old scores will be settled, battlelines will be defended and honour put on the line as Dromintee prepare to withstand an invasion from Ulster and afar in the much-anticipated Fight Night, which will take place in the Carrickdale Hotel on January 16. Top GAA personalities from Antrim, Derry, Down, Louth, Meath and Monaghan will travel to take on the south Armagh natives with a full house expected.

The bill is sure to keep all in attendance entertained with the top bout of new Dromintee manager Aidan O'Rourke and Derry's Paddy Bradley garnering the most attention. Bradley's Glenullin teammate Gerard O'Kane will have to be on his toes as he comes up against Kevin Dyas, who has two years weight-training behind him from his time with Collingwood in Australia.

The Armagh/Down rivalry has always been legendary and Micheal O'Rourke and Shane O'Neill will try and get one over their Mourne neighbours when they come up against Dan McCartan and Aidan Carr respectively.

Colm Coyle began his preparations for his fight 13 years ago in the 1996 All-Ireland final, Pat McEnaney, the referee on the day, wasn't overly impressed with his boxing skills that day and gave him the line. Now the Meath man will get his chance at revenge when he squares up against Ulster's top official.

Whether on the pitch or in the political arena, it seems that there are plenty of people looking to land a blow on Antrim's 'Mr Marmite' Kevin McGourty; now Dromintee and Armagh defender Barry Shannon will get just that chance.

Vincey Martin's Dromintee hardman reputation will also be on the line when he comes up against Louth player Paddy Keenan. There will also be a number of contests involving local fighters on the night.

Aidan O'Rourke, one of the chief organisers, is anticipating a great night of entertainment; 'There'll be no holding back knowing the boys involved, said the former Orchard County All Star. Everyone is taking it very seriously. I know the Ulster lads have been training away and are coming here to win. We are as well. Seamus McCormick and the Sacred Heart Club in Newry have been fantastic in giving up their time in attempting to teach us the ropes.'

Organisers are keen to stress that tickets are selling fast and are encouraging people to get their tickets before Christmas to avoid disappointment.

Tickets for the event cost £10 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ie

http://www.ticketmaster.ie/event/18004372B04A3AC8?artistid=1018037&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=33

Picture here:
http://www.hoganstand.com/Armagh/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=121289

Been very little talk about this, with the International Rules off you'd think there'd be more interest...

Ulster face Leinster at Crossmaglen on Saturday at 2.30pm
Munster and Connacht at the Gaelic Grounds later that evening.


Kernan keen for Ulster to show class

Oct 20, 2009
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Having got off the mark with Galway, Joe Kernan's attentions have returned to his native province as he gears up for Ulster's tilt at the Inter-Provincial championship, a campaign that gets underway with a semi-final against Leinster this Saturday.

Former Armagh boss Kernan - who saw over Galway's FBD League final win in New Yorl last week - takes charge of Ulster for the game and has been very pro-active in preparation as he looks to show the country that just because Ulster have won nothing at senor national level this year, that does no mean they have gone away.

Kernan is pleased that, although Munster kingpins Kerry and Cork dominated the All-Ireland football championship in 2009, there were still two All Stars handed out to Ulster men with Donegal's Karl Lacey and Tyrone's Stephen O'Neill receiving awards, while Tír Chonnaill front man Michael Murphy was named the Young Footballer of the year on the back of a fine season in which he scored 0-36 in six Championship outings.

"He is in my squad and he is showing massive potential," Kernan said of 20-year-old Murphy in the Belfast Telegraph.

"It's certainly great from an Ulster perspective that Karl Lacey, who has given the province fine service and Stephen O'Neill, another good ambassador, have won All Star awards.

"We want to go out on Saturday against Leinster and show that Ulster football is in a healthy state even though the Sam Maguire Cup is not in residence here at the moment."

And while he is without a number of instantly recognisable Ulster faces who are still involved in club competition, Kernan has been very impressed by the senior men who he has had at training, men like Down's Benny Coulter, Derry's Paddy Bradley and Tyrone pair Enda McGinley and Kevin Hughes, who he says have all been fist class in their application.

"In the challenge games and training sessions we have held there has been tremendous enthusiasm and commitment shown by the players." he said.

"This is most encouraging. Obviously several players have been involved with their clubs in county championships and others are injured so we have to go with the hand which we are dealt."

Ulster face Leinster at Crossmaglen on Saturday with the other semi-final taking place between Munster and Connacht at the Gaelic Grounds later that evening.