By Shaun Casey

WHILE Darragh and Ruairi Canavan are the headline-grabbers in the Errigal Ciaran team and shared 0-11 of the side’s 0-14 tally in the semi-final victory over Clann Éireann, Kilcoo manager Karl Lacey insists the Tyrone champs aren’t just a two-man band.

Kilcoo are aiming to collect their first Ulster title since 2021 while Enda McGinley’s Errigal Ciaran haven’t won the crown since he was a player himself, back in 2002. So, everything is on the line this Sunday.

While the Canavans will of course take up much of Kilcoo’s plans and preparations ahead of the decider, Errigal Ciaran have a number of men that have blossomed on the inter-county scene and will require some close attention.

“Clann Éireann are a great team as well, so it wasn’t easy for them,” said the 2012 All-Ireland winner with Donegal on Errigal Ciaran’s performance in their one-point semi-final victory.

“Obviously, I was really impressed with the two Canavans. It is no hidden secret in regard to the danger those boys bring to it. It is also the experience that they had to grind that out. They probably weren’t in a great position at half time, then after the sending off things opened up.

“They had the experience to get the right man on the right ball at the right time and that says a lot about them. That never say die attitude – they never lie down, and they continued going until they got the win. It is going to bring danger on Sunday.”

On the rest of the Errigal Ciaran team, the Magpies manager added: “Any team that has had success over the last couple of years, it hasn’t just been down to one or two individuals.

“Obviously, they pose a threat but if you put all your focus on them, they have other capabilities.

“ Joe Oguz and Ben McDonnell are a really strong midfield partnership and are a real attacking threat coming from there.

“And they have a real attacking threat coming from the half-back line. They have huge experience, Pete Harte knocking around there as well, their full-back line is well experienced.

“I don’t know how many of that team have played county football for Tyrone, whether it’s senior or u-21 level. A lot of those boys have All-Ireland medals, so there’s huge experience there as well.

“They’re going to thrive on Ulster final days as well, that’s why our feet are very much on the ground. That’s why we’ll just look after our own house.

“We’ll just make sure in our preparations that every box is ticked and we’re fully sure in terms of what we need to do to deliver a performance and stop Errigal Ciaran and hopefully try and win the game.”

Kilcoo were in unbelievable form in their own semi-final win as they demolished a Scotstown side that actually began the game as the bookies’ favourites. However, the Magpies more or less had the game wrapped up by the half-time whistle.

Two goals before the break gave them a seven-point cushion at the interval and they added two further majors inside the opening five minutes of the second half to really put the game to bed.

But Lacey believes that his side, who have won six titles on the trot in the Mourne County, will face a different prospect against the 11-time Tyrone champions. Kilcoo will be keen to focus on themselves and prepare as best they can for the task at hand.

“We don’t control those things really, it’s hard to know what way they’re going to set up. I suppose it’s up to us to create that and exploit areas where we can and see if we can find other areas if teams are playing differently.

“That’s up to us on the day. Errigal Ciaran, they’re a really good footballing team. They’re brave in terms of their defensive structure, they’re brave in terms of their attacking structure, so we just need to keep working on our key elements that make us tick.”

Paul Devlin was an obvious absentee against Scotstown, and Lacey is unsure whether the experienced attacker will be fit to return to the starting line up for the Ulster final.

“It’s too early to call in relation to the game,” he added.

“But we’re just happy we didn’t take the chance given the result and we got over the line without him. It was a big call at the time but if he played, he could have set himself back and it could have been a longer-term thing.

“We’re just going to work and do everything we can and give Paul every chance. Obviously, he’s a big part of it for us and he’s a big leader and he’s trained really hard this year, so we’ll just give him every opportunity.”

Watch our special preview show ahead of Sunday’s Ulster final showdown