Three Hours of Sunlight Per Day Ulster Senior Football Club Championship 2013

[drici]

Cavan Senior Football Championship
Cavan Gaels 1-14  Kingscourt 1-11

[FermGael]

Fermanagh Senior Football Championship Semi Final
Belcoo 1-09 Derrygonnelly 0-09
Belcoo into the Final.

[drici]

Tyrone Senior Football Championship Replay
Ardboe O'Donovan Rossa 0-10  Trillick St Macartans 2-09

[drici]

Armagh Senior Football Championship

• Crossmaglen Rangers v Pearse Óg

The Armagh City side has annually been pinned as the main threat to the champion's ambitions and never more so than this year given the player plight of the title holders. In his second stint in charge "Big Joe" would never have envisaged going into Championship action without four of the mainstays of his squad absent. Oisin has retired; Jamie Clarke and David McKenna are stateside while James Morgan is out injured. That quartet all started against the Og's in the last Co Final with the city side also sporting numerous changes since that Championship encounter. Indeed only 8 Ciaran McKinney, Gerard Barton, Darnell Parkinson, Chris Rafferty, Conor Clarke, Paul Duffy, Marc Cullen and Sean Clarke from that beaten final team started in their 1-19 to 1-9 demolition of Dromintee in the last round.

Joe has also to contend with son Paul's absence from the full back position, an area of concern with Morgan missing also. But that will not phase Joe as he has plenty of ammunition to bolster his team with eldest son Stephen, Stephen Finnegan, Callum Cumiskey, Mel Boyce and Garvan Carragher all used as subs in their last Championship win over the Óg's. Throw in the mix the emerging Conor O'Neill and Kevin McShane coupled with the vast experience of Paul Hearty;  Paul Hughes, Paul McKeown; Aaron Kernan, Brendan McKeown, Martin Ahern, Johnny Hanratty, Kyle Carragher, Tony Kernan , Aaron Cunningham, Kyle Brennan, Cross still look serious opposition for any club side.

The red card for leading marksman Conor Clarke against Dromintee will be a major blow to the challengers leaving the scoring onus on Marc Cullen (1-7 v Dromintee), Paul Duffy, Sean and Ros Clarke. Midfielders Chris Rafferty and Sean Moore will be up against a new partner for Rangers Johnny Hanratty with the absence of last year's skipper and this sector could prove pivotal for either sides chances.

But it is at the business end of things the performances of the respective full back lines that will decide this contest. Paul Hughes has emerged as a rising star at corner back with Paul McKeown expected to fill the number 3 jersey, the other corner could be manned by Stephen Finnegan, who fit and focused, is as good as what's in the County. In front of them curbing the influence of Aaron Kernan will be of utmost importance for the Og's as his match winning contributions and influence on the game is immense. Kyle Carragher is in tremendous form and is available to play despite his dismissal against St Brigid's (different competition). Stephen and Tony Kernan are proven matchwinners with an injury free Aaron Cunningham the ace in the hold for the champions now ready to deliver on a more consistent basis. Óg's new full back line with the experienced Gerard Barton flanked by Sean Gribben and Lee McGinley will face a stiff examination from Kernan, Carragher and Cumiskey.

The verdict is that the champions may be missing a few marquee players but their fabulous record is built on a hard work ethic and playing as a team. Cross has still enough quality and leaders in the team to step up to the plate when the chips are down. Rangers carry more forward power and despite all the players missing have better bench options than the opposition. With the whole country watching and waiting the message from the Athletic Grounds will be that we have not gone away.

• St. Patrick's v Sarsfields

St Pat's will be the first ones to hold up their hands and say that they are lucky to still be in the Championship following their 2-7 t0 1-8 victory over Whitecross. In the Championship the only thing that counts is the result, regardless as to how the game went, your name in the hat for the next round is all that matters and now pitted against Sarsfields the Cullyhanna boys will be eying a place in the last four.

With the writing on the wall, no score for over a half hour, trailing 1-8 to 1-5 the big players Ciaran McKeever and Robbie Tasker stood up to the plate to get Pat's over the line. Niall McShane ended the scoring drought, Tasker pointed a free then set up Aidan Nugent for his second goal of the game before impressive half-back Colm Hoey doubled his tally with the final point for a dramatic 2-7 to 1-8 win.

Sarsfields got a bye in the first round but finished off a very good League campaign with 8 wins and 2 draws from their 15 games in the Senior League. The Highmoss side have evolved into a good side since prevailing with a youthful policy a few years back. Their full forward line of Johnny Reynolds, Paul McGeown and Thomas McAlinden prove a handful for any teams' defence. Midfielders Brian Lavery and Eamon McGeown are a formidable duo capable of matching the best and their battle with McKeever and McConville will be very interesting. Mark Reynolds, Peter Stevenson and Paul Magee are key defenders.

Pat's will have free taker Eugene Casey back in action to boost their chances.  Sarsfields will have generated their own confidence following their 1-11 to 1-9 League victory at Cullyhanna at the end of June. Having already used their get out of jail card a more focused St Pat's driven by the very talented Tasker to secure their place in the semis in what could be a bright, open, high scoring encounter.

• Ballymacnab v Granemore

Granemore caused the upset of the last round with a 1-13 to 1-6 victory over a fancied Armagh Harps outfit, with midfielders Kieran Toner and Brendan Boylan providing the platform for victory. Barry Toner top scored with unerring accuracy as he converted 7 frees and Caolan Rafferty rattled home a 22 minute goal which helped his team to a 10 point interval lead 1-9 to 0-2. Worrying for the winners will be their paltry 4 point second half return as the challengers reduced the deficit to 4 points before Granemore regained control culminating in a penalty save by keeper Kevin Kelly.

Ballymacnab saw a 9-4 half-time lead turned into 1-11 to 0-11 deficit with less than 10 minutes left on the clock in the last round against Culloville but a storming finish inspired by a Joe Gribben goal saw the 'Nab win through 1-17 to 1-11. Team Captain Brian McCone (0-7) was one of 5 forwards to score against Culloville with ironically Rory Grugan the odd man out. With substitutes Pauric Gribben and Brendan Toner able to add scores from the bench it is defensively that the question marks hang over Ballymacnab.

'Nab midfielders Gary and Tony McKee will have to get some change out of their exchanges with Toner and Boylan to curb the Rafferty's Ryan, Shane, Caolan, Declan Doyle and Chrissy O'Connor getting a run on their defence. The moving of Michael Began to the number 6 jersey has seen him blossom all year as a central defender with his other central partner Ruari Gribben solid as number 3

With both teams possessing good forwards this neighbourly encounter could provide us with the best contest of all four quarter finals. The key exchange for me is who will come out tops in the Tony McClelland, Brendan Doyle, Michael McKenna half-back line tilt with the lively 'Nab trio of Damian McGeown, Rory Grugan, Ryan Kennedy.

The strong physical stature of Granemore gives them a telling advantage which will be good enough to see them through to the last four in a very tight encounter with a draw worthy of a wee wager.


• Carrickcruppen v Maghery

Aidan, Stefan and Paul Forker the Maghery full forward line scored 1-7 of their 1-8 in overcoming Killeavy 1-8 to 0-9 in the last round. Center forward David Lavery got the winners other score as they led 1-3 to 0-5 at the short whistle. Conor Mackle, Stefan Cusack and Darragh McConville form a formidable Maghery half-back line who join the attack at will. Maghery are annually regarded as Championship contenders but fail to produce with in discipline their costly ally.

Carrickcruppen, given the talent at their disposal, are probably the biggest underachievers in the Senior ranks due to their very erratic form. On their day as proven in their last Championship outing a 1-16 to 3-7 semi-final loss to the champions 'Cruppen are capable of anything. At full strength and up to the task the Lowes Lane outfit are very strong down the middle from goalkeeper John McCullough, Barry Loughran, John Magill, Stephen Harold, BJ Padden, Paul Keenan, Declan Carville and Decky Monaghan not withstanding team captain halfback David Kelly, Conor Sloan and Seamus Kane.

This could be the fieriest of the four contests given the proven suspect temperaments of several of the participants. In the end it could boil down to the side that keeps the cooler head in the heat of battle. With their high profile League campaign in comparison to 'Cruppen's (although their League meeting saw the visitors record a one point 3-6 to 1-11 win over Maghery) the Loughshore men will be hotly fancied to reach the last four. I will go against the form book and plump for a 'Cruppen victory if they can garner any self-belief from their last Cßhampionship performance which showed that they are not that far off the mark.

[naka]

Cross giving og's a hiding
Looks like rumours of their demise are premature

[brokencrossbar1]

Cross giving og's a hiding
Looks like rumours of their demise are premature

Sure it's only September, there's no medals given out yet, Granemore fancy themselves this year.

[naka]

Never mind granemore
So do maghery, cruppen  and cullyhanna

[brokencrossbar1]

Never mind granemore
So do maghery, cruppen  and cullyhanna

And why wouldn't they.

[naka]

Bc1 you probably won't like this but in the words of keegan
'I would love it if they ( well cruppen)do'

[brokencrossbar1]

Bc1 you probably won't like this but in the words of keegan
'I would love it if they ( well cruppen)do'

Don't look too far ahead, the Lough Shore men aren't easy bate, it's the flies up there ye see, it makes them faster and nastier.

[ardchieftain]

Was talking to a Maghery man the other night and he was telling me the football team got cursed by a priest years ago but recently another priest lifted the curse. So, get your money on Maghery.

[armaghniac]

Cross were slow to start, some dirty diesel in the tank. But Pearse Ogs didn't really get going at all, Maghery would hope to do a lot better.

[drici]

Armagh Senior Football Championship Quarter Final
Crossmaglen Rangers 2-10  Pearse Óg 0-07
(made it 2-11 to 0-07 but scoreboard gave the above at the end)

Tyrone Senior Football Championship
Carrickmore St Colmcilles 0-11  Cookstown Fr Rocks 0-06

Down Senior Football Championship
Bryansford 0-10  Saval 1-10
(a wee bit unexpected)

Still haven't got to visit but Saval looks good.

[Throw ball]

In relation to the Cross game I think the referee missed a Cross point when a bit of a melee broke out at the other end of the pitch. A few Ogs fellas a bit frustrated about getting beat again!

[drici]

Cavan Senior Football Championship Replay
Killygarry 0-11  Lacken 1-08

Extra Time to be played (again)