Quinn’s Killanny set for quick reset

By Shaun Casey

INCLUDING their Intermediate League final, Killanny will be on to go for four consecutive weeks as the championship season gets up and running, so focus is always on the next game, says boss Fergal Quinn.

Killanny secured senior football for 2027 with a recent league final victory over Aughnamullen, but a short seven days later they lost their opening round championship tie to Donaghmoyne by nine points.

Now, all attention has turned towards Tyholland this weekend and getting their first points of the round robin series on the board, while they also face their league final opponents Aughnamullen and Clones in the coming weeks.

“The turnaround between the league final and the start of the championship was only a week so it was quick. We had to focus and reset for Donaghmoyne last Sunday,” said Quinn.

“We’ll have to be at the top of our game every week because we’re into three weekends on the bounce (four including the league final) and it’s going to be intense, so you have to get going again really quick after every match.”

On the season as a whole, things are fairly nip and tuck at intermediate level and that showed in the league.

Killanny qualified for the quarter-finals by finishing in sixth position in the table and ended up claiming the title.

“It’s been a tough season, we’ve had ups and downs and our thing all year has been trying to find consistency,” Quinn continued.

“The Intermediate league was a tough campaign, and we finished up in sixth place. It’s a really competitive league and the tough competition makes it hard for us to get that consistency.

“Once we got into the knockout stages of the league then we did go on a bit of a run and ended up winning it, but it’s been a tough campaign overall.”

On winning the league and securing promotion for next season, Quinn added, “We were absolutely delighted to win the league and to secure promotion, winning the league final was big.

“Aughnamullen are a really good outfit, a really good team and with (Micheál) Bannigan back, they were always going to be tough,” he added.

“They were coming off a big win against Ballybay as well in the semi-final. They were motoring well so we knew we had to be at the top of our game that day to perform and to ultimately win.

“We got over the line and it’s great to have got that promotion wrapped up and to be back playing senior football again in 2027, the lads are delighted with it.”