Cavan champions in provincial action

Both junior champs Swanlinbar and intermediate winners Drumalee are in action this Sunday in the Ulster junior and intermediate championship respectively. Both sides will look to make their ‘home advantage’ count as they line out in Kingspan Breffni Park. Swad take on Ardmore of Derry in the opening encounter. After winning the Junior title and adding the Division 3 crown to their trophy cabinet Swanlinbar will surely fancy themselves of progressing to the last four. Indeed, with the standard of players available to Swanlinbar they would be many people’s fancy to go all the way in the province. With the three Cunningham brothers John, Mark and Michael all in form and Robbie Prior hoping to be as accurate as ever from dead balls there is no reason why they can’t do it. Throw into the mix Cavan U21 midfielder Gerard McKiernan and you have a formidable outfit. Ardmore have plenty of talent at their disposal too and they dominated this year’s Derry Junior Club All Stars list with eight of their men picking up awards, including the goalkeeper and entire full-back line. This defence will not be easily broken down and up front Barry Gormley pulls the strings from half forward. Then at 2.30 Drumalee take on Derrylaughan Kevin Barrys in their Ulster intermediate club quarter-final. Drumalee upset a fancied Drumlane side in the county final a few weeks ago and their steady, no-nonsense style will make them difficult to beat. Still they will need to step it up as the Tyrone outfit will provide some stiff opposition. One man who has been stepping up to the plate all year is their inspirational midfielder Mickey Brennan. Daragh Gaffney kicked 1-4 in the county final and he will pose a major threat for the Red Hand raiders, while Kevin Donhoe will conduct proceedings from the 40. The Tyrone side only dropped back down from the senior ranks in 2004 and got back into the big time this year