Ballyhaise face Cullyhanna in Ulster Club decider

Preview

Ballyhaise carry the hopes of Cavan this Sunday as they take on Armagh’s Cullyhanna in the Ulster Club Intermediate Football Championship final in Castleblayney (throw-in, 1pm).

The Cavan champions, who have seen off Donegal and Derry sides to reach this stage, go into the game as underdogs against the fancied Orchard side.

Cullyhanna are regarded as a top six senior side in the county but with league and championship status linked in the county, they were relegated in the league, having been deprived of three Armagh senior forwards for most of the league last year in Aidan Nugent, Ross McQuillan and Jason Duffy.

Cullyhanna played in the 2013 and 2016 Armagh Senior Championship finals; they also lost a replayed quarter-final to eventual winners Armagh Harps in 2017, made the semi-final in 2018 and the last eight in 2019.

Under former player Stephen Reel, the St Patrick’s were hot favourites to win the county title this year and boast a very strong line-up, with former Armagh captain Ciaran McKeever also part of the coaching set-up.

The experienced Mal Mackin, who played for Armagh under Joe Kernan, is their goalkeeper while they have two strong midfielders in veteran Barry McConville and captain Pearse Casey.

Former Armagh senior workhorse Mickey Murray is also an important part of the side while Tony Donnelly, a great ball-winner up front and former county U21 player, has returned from travelling abroad and is a notable addition. Robbie Tasker is another integral player up front.

Cullyhanna’s side is built around their four U21-winning teams from 2011 to 2015; they are vastly experienced but their main men are the three county forwards. Speedster McQuillan formerly played in the AFL and was recently named Armagh Intermediate Player of the Year.

Duffy and Nugent both featured against Cavan in the Ulster Championship last April.

For all of their strengths, though (the Armagh men are 1/3 favourites), Ballyhaise have proven to be formidable. They are on a 13-game unbeaten run and appear to have gotten stronger since the county championships.

David and Michael Brady have been superb, Kevin Tierney lit up Healy Park with his work-rate and finishing last time, with Brían O’Rourke outstanding. Captain Padraig Moore has been struggling with injury but has scored 2-12 since the county quarter-finals.

Goalkeeper Gary O’Rourke is regarded as one of the best in the county, with Eoin Clarke in terrific form all year and youngster Evan Crowe impressing too, especially when tasked with handling Eoin Bradley last time out.

While it will be a mountainous task to defeat one of the top sides in Armagh, Ballyhaise have played Division 1 football for a couple of years now and the hope is they can deliver a top performance to upset the script.