McGrath: Guinness and McGeough fit for Clonduff clash

By Shaun Casey

DOWN stars Daniel Guiness and John McGeough both missed out on Carryduff’s comfortable victory over Saul last weekend, but manager Hugh McGrath expects the pair to be available for next week’s Senior Football Championship semi-final clash with Clonduff.

McGrath’s side cruised to a 0-18 to 0-7 triumph to book their spot in the last four for the third consecutive season. They reached the decider in 2025 but came up short against Kilcoo on the day.

Carryduff, who have never won the Frank O’Hare Cup, recorded a round-two triumph over the Magpies just a few weeks ago and will be aiming to compete in the final for the third time in six years.

“It was just precautionary,” McGrath said of Guinness and McGeough’s absencees on Saturday afternoon. “We felt we had a reasonable chance with the personnel that we had so we didn’t risk them.

“John was out completely, we knew we definitely didn’t want to risk him. Dan was available if he had of been needed so it was just a case of trying to manage their load.

“They’ve come back from the county season and they’ve had no real rest, and it’s been a bit of a slog for them, so it was just to try and give them that bit of rest and bit of freshness. We’ll have them for next week; there’s no issue there.”

James Guinness is another key player that is currently sidelined, although his is a long-term absence. Guinness suffered the dreaded ACL injury at the start of season, for a second time, but is a member of McGrath’s coaching ticket in Carryduff.

“James is one of the coaches there and he no real date for a return to play, it’s not on his radar at the minute,” McGrath, who led Steelstown to All-Ireland Intermediate success back in 2021, said.

“It’s a fairly difficult injury he has with the ACL and a couple of other bits and bobs. It’s not his first time doing it so he’s just trying to manage himself and give himself the best chance of playing at some point in 2027.”

On adapting to the coaching side of the white line, McGrath has been pleased with Guinness’ input. “He took over after the group parted ways with their management team two games in.

“He’d been looking after everything, him and a few other club men, up until five or six league games to go when I came in after Derry’s season was over.

“He’s adapted really well. He knows football inside out; he’s a very good coach. The players, some of them get a bit of jip from him because he’s close enough to do that but they’ve all reacted really well to him.

“From my perspective coming in, he’s first class. He’s taken to it like a duck to water. It would have been very easy for him to put the head down and mope around but he’s a real good clubman and a real good coach.”