SLEACHT Néill couldn’t have any complaints about their All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Loughrea before Christmas, but personally I think some of the discourse arising from the result is both unfair and inaccurate. There’s a school of thought that the defeat shines an unforgiving spotlight on both Sleacht Néill and Ulster hurling – that we’re way behind […]
By Alan Rodgers ONE more important milestone now awaits Carrickmore’s Éire Ógs hurlers as they bid to follow in the brilliant footsteps of their camogs by making progress on the All-Ireland stage. Their camogs clinched the national title with a marvellous victory last weekend. But the big challenge beckoning the hurlers is to focus on their […]
Burt are Donegal’s oldest club and on the All-Ireland trail for the first time in their history this weekend. Marty McGrath tells how a core of the team came through the club’s underage system together. Michael McMullan writes… FOUR years of Féile hurling form the foundation of Burt’s All-Ireland challenge in Ballyshannon on Saturday. Of […]
By Michael McMullan THE message coming from the Sleacht Néill camp is crystal clear ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final showdown with Loughrea. Winning a game at national level is all that matters. Pats on the back for creditable performances hold no value. None whatsoever. A sixth Ulster title was brilliant and cemented the […]
By Michael McMullan SLEACHT Néill had just nine Derry titles to their name when Conor McAllister lined out against Lavey for his senior debut in 2016. Fast-forward to Saturday night’s triumph against St John’s in Armagh and he added a sixth Ulster medal to his 10 county titles. He acknowledges the perfect timing of a breakthrough. […]
By Michael McMullan DERMOT Begley is enjoying the buildup to Sunday’s Ulster Intermediate decider and feels any of the eight teams involved were genuine contenders. Now there are only two left standing and the Tyrone champions will face Lisbellaw with the hope of winning a first title. It’s their fourth final, losing to current senior […]
By Michael McMullan THE hurt of last season has helped Lisbellaw to Sunday’s Ulster Intermediate showdown with Éire Óg in Clones. The Fermanagh side lost out to Swatragh at Brewster Park in the opener 12 months ago but overcame the Derry champions at the same stage this year. Luca McCusker missed out with injury last […]
By Shaun Casey IN next year’s National Hurling League, London will compete in a higher division than Donegal and if that’s anything to go by, then Burt are bracing themselves for a huge test against Thomas McCurtain’s in their All-Ireland Twinning final, says manager Enda McDermott. Burt were crowned Ulster champions after a bruising encounter […]
The Ulster Senior Hurling Championship final between St John’s and Sleacht Néill is a novel pairing in one respect but it’s not the whole story. Mickey Johnston and Micky Glover recall the clubs’ crossing of paths on the way to Saturday. Michael McMullan writes…. MARRIAGE took Micky Glover from the shadow of Belfast’s Black Mountain […]
By Michael McMullan IT’S been a very different year for the hurlers of St John’s. Winning the Volunteer Cup for the first time is the crux of the story leading to Saturday’s Ulster Senior Championship final against Sleacht Néill. Below that, they’ve developed that important habit of winning important games when their hand of cards was plonked […]
