Granemore boss Cusack plotting Carrickcruppen downfall

EVERYTHING is on the line this weekend as the Armagh Senior Championship reaches the play-off stage and Granemore boss Stephen Cusask his hoping his side can do enough to overcome Carrickcruppen and earn a place in the final eight.

Cusack, a two-time championship winner with Maghery, is now in his second season in charge of the St Mary’s outfit, who just missed out on promotion to Division 1A in the league, finishing third in the table.

Granemore defeated St Peter’s in the final round of the championship group stages to guarantee a place in the play-offs despite suffering two defeats in their opening outings against Crossmaglen and Silverbridge.

“I’d say if you’d given both teams the opportunity to play each other in a knockout game to get to a quarter-final after both securing their Division 1B status, they’d have both taken it. Both teams are relatively happy with the draw,” said Cusack.

In the league, both teams earned fairly convincing victories over the other. Carrickcruppen demolished Granemore on home turf in round four, winning 3-18 to 1-9, while Granemore triumphed in the reverse fixture, 0-13 to 0-6.

“We got Carrickcruppen on a really good night the first time,” Cusack added.

“I think they got off 35 shots in that match and they scored 3-18. They really dominated us, and their shooters just had one of those nights where they kicked everything.

“Going by some of their results this year they are a very high scoring team and, on their night, that is in them, they can kick 3-18 on a night. But when they came to Granemore, I think they only kicked one point from play.

“They’re a very good side and have a lot of firepower but in Granemore that night, the conditions suited the way we play and that was probably one of their bad nights. It depends on what Carrickcruppen shows up and we’re hoping it’s the one that showed up in Granemore.”

Cusack will have a full deck to pick from, with the likes of former Armagh defender Ross Finn returning to championship action after a few years away and Cusack believes they have no excuse for not performing on Saturday.

“We have a fully fit squad; we did have a few injuries all year but luckily enough everyone has got themselves right for the championship.

“We have a few boys that are working abroad throughout Europe, so we don’t have everyone to train during the week.

“But come Saturday evening in Silverbridge we’ll have a squad of 21 players, we have a small squad, but everyone will be fit so we’ll have no excuses on the night and we’re giving ourselves the best opportunity to progress.

“The winner will end up in a quarter-final and anything can happen when you reach that stage but there will be no excuses on our side no matter what way it goes and we’re in the best place hopefully to get one over Carrickcruppen this weekend.”