Third time lucky as Butlersbridge return to Ulster

By Michael McMullan

BUTLERSBRIDGE knocked on the Cavan Intermediate door for three successive years and have finally managed to kick it down.

After losing the last two finals, they have stepped into the winners’ circle for a second time, adding to their 2021 success.

They now take on Armagh champions St Peter’s on Saturday in Kingspan Breffni in the quarter-finals of the Ulster Intermediate Championship.

Manager Keelan Melaniff knew they’d still have the ingredients for the championship in Cavan after a mixed league that saw them relegated from Division Two.

“The league was patchy to say the least,” he said. “We were missing quite a few, between guys representing Cavan and injuries.

“We’ve been very, very consistent in the Intermediate Championship in the last four or five years.

“We knew if we got everybody back, fit and well, we’d be in a position that we could go on another run.”

Butlersbridge lost the 2024 final to an Arva team that were beaten in the Ulster final by a Ballinderry team who went within a late Conor Loftus penalty of beating Crossmolina in Croke Park.

Then in 2025 they lost out in the Cavan final to a strong Cuchulainn’s team, who also made it to provincial final day. They too lost to Derry opposition with Glenullin also going all the way to the All-Ireland final.

“The last two years were disappointing,” Melaniff said. “Once we got everybody back onto the field, we knew we could go on a run again. That proved to be the case and thanks be to God we got over the line.”

After the high of winning the Cavan championship, the players deservingly celebrated before hitting the reset button.

For Melaniff, the gap between Cavan and Ulster has been perfect and he can now see what is coming down the tracks.

“It’s a higher level of competition,” he said at last week’s launch.

“We want to pit ourselves against the best teams in Ulster. You’re coming up against champions and there is a bit jeopardy involved.

“It’s knock out and finish on the day, which is different than Cavan where we have the four round robin games.

“We’re really looking forward to it and please God we can put our best foot forward.”

Aside from being champions, Melaniff is happy they’ve a full squad to pick from and is full of praise for his players.

“It’s really a player-led environment,” he said. “They really drive the energy and intensity.

“We’ve got fairly high standards and a competitive nature, I think that’s the most pleasing thing for our group.”

It stood to them in the end up in a hugely competitive Cavan Intermediate Championship.

“Anybody, on their day, is able to take points off the other team, so you can’t take your eye off any round,” he said.

“Teams that had done well and missed out on a quarter-final on four points, with teams getting through on four points and score difference.”

Butlersbridge were seventh in the group stages last year, leaving them playing one of the top teams in the quarter-final, yet they still made it all the way to the final.

In recent years, Ballyhaise have also reached an Ulster Intermediate final – losing narrowly to eventual All-Ireland champions Cullyhanna.

They’ve now joined Arva and Cuchulainn’s as established senior teams in the Breffni County.

“We just want to follow in their footsteps,” Melaniff added. “We’re very much looking after our own shop but we’re well aware of St Peter’s Lurgan

“They’re going to bring a certain challenge,” he said. “I was at the Armagh final and there was some atmosphere in the last 10 minutes.”