Storylines aplenty in Ulster Club quarter-finals

2 years ago 28

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Coverage: Match reports of all four games on BBC Sport website; highlights of Ballybay v Kilcoo and Errigal Ciaran v Glen

The Ulster Club Football Championship didn't need long to spring into life.

With the county championships put to bed until next year, Monaghan kingpins Ballybay set the tone for an eagerly anticipated provincial series with an impressive 2-11 to 1-9 win over Crossmaglen in Saturday's preliminary round contest.

While Armagh champions Crossmaglen must wait at least another year to end their wait for a first Ulster title since 2015, eight teams still have dreams of lifting the Seamus McFerran Cup on 11 December.

BBC Sport looks at this weekend's four quarter-finals.

Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) v Gowna (Cavan)

This is a first Ulster campaign since 2006 and 2002 for Enniskillen and Gowna respectively with both clubs hoping to become their county's first provincial champions.

Derrygonnelly reached last year's Ulster decider. The challenge now for newly-crowned Fermanagh champions Enniskillen is to go one better.

Simon Bradley's side dethroned Derrygonnelly in the Fermanagh semi-final but the manner in which they overpowered Belleek in the decider will have done wonders for their confidence levels ahead of stepping onto the Ulster stage.

Led by experienced captain Richie O'Callaghan, Enniskillen's run through Fermanagh was powered by some fine attack-minded football, with 21-year-old Conor Love demonstrating his prowess as a finisher with two goals in the county final.

But their opponents have plenty of firepower, too. Cavan champions for the first time since 2002, Gowna can call upon a wealth of county talent spearheaded by Cian and Conor Madden.

Ballybay (Monaghan) v Kilcoo (Down)

A quarter-final brimming with sub-plot and intrigue as Crossmaglen's conquerors face the reigning All-Ireland champions.

The big question surrounding this game was answered on Tuesday, when Ballybay joint-manager Jerome Johnston told BBC Sport NI's Thomas Niblock that he will step aside for Sunday's quarter-final at Clones.

Johnston, a Kilcoo clubman, said he could not go through with the idea of managing against his three sons - Ryan, Jerome and Shealan - on the Magpies panel.

With Johnston not travelling to Clones on Sunday, Mark Doran will assume full control as Ballybay look to cause another major upset.

Emboldened by their first-ever Ulster win, the Monaghan champions will fancy their chances against a Kilcoo side who were twice taken to extra-time (and once to penalties) en route to sealing a 10th Down title in 11 years.

At 39, former Monaghan star Paul Finlay remains a key cog for Ballybay while Dessie Ward and the Wylie brothers Ryan and Drew possess considerable elite-level experience.

But this is a Kilcoo side loaded with talent. Now led by Conleith Gilligan following Mickey Moran's departure, in master craftsman Conor Laverty, Ceilum Doherty, Paul Devlin and the Branagan and Johnston clans they have an enviable pool of talent and will be considered favourites to succeed where Crossmaglen failed.

Cargin (Antrim) v Naomh Conaill (Donegal)

Highlights: Cargin win pulsating Antrim final after extra-time

Cargin and Naomh Conaill have been no strangers to Ulster campaigns in recent years. While the Glenties side have won three of the last four Donegal titles, Cargin are the pre-eminent force in Antrim football with six in the last eight.

But while you have to go back as far as 1999 for Cargin's last win in Ulster, the Erin's Own side have looked a tidy outfit under new boss Ronan Devlin, who replaced former Derry All-Ireland winner Damian Cassidy.

The experience of Kevin O'Boyle, James Laverty, Justin Crozier and McCann brothers Mick and Tomas has been complemented well by the younger members of the panel, with man-mountain Pat Shivers, standing at 6ft 6in, chief among them.

Naomh Conaill, meanwhile, return to Ulster for the first time since a heartbreaking two-point loss to Kilcoo in the 2019 final after knocking St Eunan's off the Donegal summit.

Martin Regan's side boast a resolute defence, and with seasoned county campaigner Ciaran Thompson's free-taking expertise likely to feature prominently on Sunday, Naomh Conaill appear well-equipped to follow in the footsteps of Donegal rivals Gaoth Dobhair's 2018 Ulster-winning side.

Glen (Derry) v Errigal Ciaran (Tyrone)

Watch: Errigal Ciaran end 10-year wait in Tyrone

A blockbuster quarter-final pits back-to-back Derry champions Glen against an Errigal Ciaran side fresh from conquering the ultra-competitive Tyrone championship.

Glen have unfinished business in Ulster. Last year, they took Kilcoo to extra-time in the semi-final. Leading by one, disaster struck for the Watty Graham's outfit when a loose kick-out led to Kilcoo scoring a decisive goal.

But having deservedly retained their Oak Leaf crown with a 1-12 to 0-7 win over Slaughtneil, Glen - who have Ulster Championship-winning Derry stars like Conor Glass, Ethan Doherty and Emmett Bradley in their panel - will be determined to account for Errigal Ciaran, back in Ulster for the first time since 2012.

Errigal also two famous Red Hand bloodlines pumping through their ranks.

When Errigal last won Ulster in 2002, Tyrone great Peter Canavan was the star of a team captained by his brother Pascal and managed by Mickey Harte.

Glen outclass Slaughtneil to win back-to-back Derry titles

Now, Canavan's sons Darragh and Ruairi grace the Ulster Club for the first time under the tutelage of Mark Harte, Mickey's son.

Darragh was the top scorer in this year's Tyrone championship, while Ruairi was the star of Tyrone's All-Ireland U20 triumph earlier this year.

Tommy Canavan, their cousin, is the club captain while Tyrone stalwart Peter Harte - Mickey's nephew - is looking to add an Ulster Club medal to his considerable trophy collection.

And if that wasn't enough, Glen boss Malachy O'Rourke is a former Errigal Ciaran player and manager.