By Michael McMullan JIM McGuinness has only lost one Ulster Championship game as Donegal manager, their 2013 final against Sunday’s opponents Monaghan. After their opening-day round win over Derry, the Tir Chonaill County may be stronger still with some players possibly back in contention as they try and avoid the Farney hoodoo. Michael Langan just […]
Hughes: Monaghan must be “absolutely on it”
By Shaun Casey AT the end of last season, Monaghan’s obituary had been well and truly written. They dropped out of Division One for the first time in a decade and failed to reach the last eight in the race for Sam Maguire. That narrative only increased when arguably their greatest player of all time […]
Monaghan switch into championship mode
Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan has been impressed by the efforts of his squad and management team to date. He spoke with Michael McMullan ahead of Sunday’s clash with Donegal GABRIEL Bannigan has another Monaghan session in the bank. It’s time for home. Like all his interviews, there is positivity. You can sense a camp growing on […]
McQuade relishing return to Clones
By Jonathan Hogan THERE’S no shortage of motivation for Fermanagh captain Shannan McQuade heading into Sunday’s Lidl National Football League Division 4 final — but for the Tempo defender, it’s just as much about putting hard-earned lessons into action. McQuade was part of the Erne side that edged Antrim 2-8 to 1-10 in the 2019 […]
FEATURE: The last time Armagh ruled Ulster
Tony Kernan recalls the Orchard County’s provincial triumph of 2008 By Shaun Casey Armagh fans didn’t realise how good they had it. For a decade, the Orchard County had experienced more success than in any other era. Silverware was expected, and usually delivered, each and every season. From dominating the provincial scene, winning seven Ulster […]
Armagh chasing Anglo Celt dream
By Shaun Casey STANDING on the steps of the Hogan Stand last summer, Aidan Forker exclaimed that he and his teammates were living their dreams. Such heights seemed unimaginable for most of the Maghery man’s county career. For Forker, Rory Grugan, Andrew Murnin, Stefan Campbell and the likes, they had given over a decade of […]
Laverty hoping for Clones Houdini act
By Shaun Casey A HOUDINI act in Clones on the final day of the National League has a familiar ring to it but this year is slightly different as it’s Conor Laverty’s Down who are trying to pull off the round seven heroics. On plenty of occasions in the last decade, Monaghan have secured their […]
Armagh go the extra mile to land Ulster title
Ulster Senior Championship Final Armagh 0-17 Donegal 1-13 AET NIAMH Reel kept her cool to hit the winning point with her first touch as Armagh saw off Donegal in yet another epic battle in Sunday’s Ulster Senior Championship Final at St Tiernach’s Park, Clones. With the possibility of free kicks to determine this provincial decider, […]
Goals paved the way as Down take the title
TG4 Intermediate Football Championship Final Down 2-9 Monaghan 0-14 DOWN made it back-to-back Ulster championships when they held off a battling Monaghan to claim the intermediate title to follow up on last year’s junior crown. When Laoise Duffy struck for their second goal at the beginning of the second half it looked like the Mourne […]
Cool heads in Clones cauldron
By Michael McMullan YOU don’t need to be talking to Ciarán Thompson long before you realise where the ice-cool nature of slotting home the first penalty of Sunday’s Ulster shoot out comes from. It’s the way he talks. It’s hard to imagine him getting flustered and when he needs to swing his measured left peg […]