By Michael McMullan IT’S Conleith Gilligan’s second season in Kieran McGeeney’s management team and he hails what went before as the reason for Armagh’s strength in depth. Gilligan, an All-Ireland winning player with Ballinderry, coached Kilcoo to the same title before being asked on board with McGeeney in Armagh. One of the key ingredients to […]
Armagh still unsure of Mackin return
By Michael McMullan WHILE Armagh are getting the majority of their players back in contention for a starting berth ahead of Saturday week’s Ulster final, there is still a cloud over Ciaran Mackin. After missing the business end of last season with an ACL injury, he made a return against Kerry and Derry in the […]
Boys to men: Tiarnán Rocks and the new blood in Ballinderry
By Michael McMullan IT might be six days until Christmas but you’d never know in Ballinderry. The lights are on in their hub. There are kids to be coached and fun to be had. The last time Ballinderry won Ulster, Michael McIver scored their only goal against Glenswilly. Niall McCusker was a defensive rock in […]
Gilligan hails Armagh belief
By Michael McMullan CONLEITH Gilligan was the last person to step onto the Armagh team bus before it nosed out of Croke Park on Sunday evening. New to the management team this season, Gilligan paid tribute to those who had walked the hard yards before coming out the other side. “It was very, very satisfying,” […]
IN FOCUS: Tieran Kelly – light at the end of the tunnel
TIERNAN Kelly helped his club Clann Éireann end a 58-year wait for a championship title in 2021 and it looked like his career was about to really take off. But for two years now, a large proportion of his time has been spent on the sidelines, a six-month ban included for an incident arising from […]
Club level preparation now through the roof says Gilligan
By Michael McMullan THIS Sunday, Conleith Gilligan will be plotting Kilcoo’s path once again as they aim to keep their hands on the Seamus McFerran Cup, which was put away with the club’s other silverware once the Down championship got off the ground. It was a new season and time to get to work. As […]
Another battle of fine margins
Ulster Club SFC final Kilcoo v Glen Sunday, Athletic Grounds, 1pm By Michael McMullan WHEN Conor Glass kicked his ‘45 over the bar to put Glen ahead for the first time, early in extra-time, the Derry men looked to have turned the final corner. Kilcoo almost won last year’s semi-final in normal time until Emmett […]
Penalty practice doesn’t weigh heavy on Glen’s preparations
By Michael McMullan GLEN manager Malachy O’Rourke has revealed his side has spent “very little” time practicing penalties as part of their preparation. Sunday’s Ulster final clash with Kilcoo is expected to be every bit as tightly contested as last year’s extra-time clash of the teams. The All-Ireland champions needed a penalty shoot-out to see […]
KEVIN CASSIDY: A humdinger awaits
WE are now left with the last two teams standing in this year’s Ulster Club Senior Football Championship. When looking at the overall competition, I don’t think that anyone can argue with the two dominant teams that have made their way through to the final. Both Kilcoo and Glen have beaten in front of them […]
Kilcoo book Ulster final date
Kilcoo 3-14 Enniskillen Gaels 1-9 KILCOO ruthlessly booked their spot in the Ulster club final, and their ambitions of three-in-a-row remain well and truly alive. Playing with the aid of a massive breeze blowing down towards the Cathedral end of the Athletic Grounds, Kilcoo took control during the first half. Shealan Johnston raised two green […]