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 […]
By Niall Gartland THE Lisbellaw hurlers have had a fine season but manager David Teague recognises that only a really strong performance will suffice to overcome Castleblayney in Sunday’s Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final at Ballyconnell. An excellent showing in the Armagh and Tyrone leagues was followed up by a provincial first-round win over Swatragh, […]
By Michael McMullan IT’S a first-ever Ulster Senior Hurling Championship game for Setanta this weekend, but it’s where they want to be and they’re there to compete. The Donegal kingpins face Antrim kingpins St John’s on Saturday in Owenbeg a full 12 weeks after beating Burt to regain their county title. As intermediate champions of Ulster […]
By Michael McMullan THE smile on Shea Shannon’s face says it all. St John’s are flicking the switch onto Ulster mode but it’s impossible not to still be buzzing. After stepping out of the Antrim semi-final shadow, St John’s finished what they started and ended their county championship in the perfect fashion. They now move into […]
By Michael McMullan SLEACHT Néill are reigning Ulster champions and have landed a 13th successive Derry title but Paul McCormack’s eyes are wide open ahead of Sunday. The Emmet’s face Portaferry in a rematch of last year’s Ulster final. McCormack was present in Páirc Esler to run his eye over the four-in-a-row Down champions but […]
