Athletic Grounds to host Ulster double bill

Ulster Club Senior Championship Quarter Final

Madden (Armagh) v Newbridge at Athletic Grounds Armagh 3-30 pm Sunday

TWO years ago the Madden club was plunged into mourning when their secretary Patrick Grimley died after a road accident when returning from his 40th birthday dinner.
Two other club members, including his wife Ceira, died along with a family friend.
To win the Armagh championship almost two years later was a tribute to those who lost their lives.
They got back on the field and, incredibly for such a small club, have won their first ever senior championship title beating Cullyhanna in the final.
Niall Grimley was outstanding and, on the same day, another brother, Ryan, came on as sub for Loughmacrory when they won their first county title in Tyrone.
To honour the Grimley family both teams had a joint celebration.
Newbridge have the benefit of a tough match against Dunloy behind them while Madden have been two weeks idle.
The ‘Bridge were not at their best in that preliminary round game but finished strongly for a slightly flattering six point victory.
Last year Newbridge played the then Armagh holders Clan Earainn at Celtic Park and lost narrowly. It was Madden who ended the Clans title hopes this year.
Newbridge can have their off days, in the Derry championship they lost to Dungiven by ten points and got close calls from Steelstown, Slaughtneil and Magherafelt in the final.
They do not always make best use of their possession and tend to play too much short passing football in attack. To their credit they never panic and going into this game they will have earned some vluable lessons.
They have a very young team with nearly half of their line-out under 20. That said, most of these young players have played with their county at under 17 and 20 level.
Their two notable players are Derry seniors Conor Doherty and Paudie McGrogan around the midfield area. Their attack is very fast with Sean Young emerging as a player with a great future. His brother Eamon, Oisin and Mark Doherty are consistently good.
Madden have won four county intermediate and two junior club titles since they came to stay in 1946. They will want to push on and will present Newbridge with a new type of challenge. Like Newbridge they have come through some very difficult challenges and will not fear Gary Hetherington’s side.
Half forward Darragh McMullan is an exceptional talent while the very tall Niall Grimley, an All Ireland winner with Armagh, and the free scoring Conor Grimley will present a tough task for the Derry champions.
Overall, Newbridge have quite a small team while Madden have some tall players but in terms of pace the Derry side have enough to get to the semi final. Gary Hetherington is an exceptional club manager and will have his charges well prepared.

Ulster Intermediate Football Championship Quarter Final

Sarsfield’s v Glenullin at Athletic Grounds Armagh 1-30pm Sunday

This will be the day after the night before for Glenullin. On the Saturday evening they have an elaborate celebration to mark their 100 year anniversary. Next day it is the 50 mile trip for the footballers to take on the Armagh champions Sarsfields but with the celebrations behind them their aim will be all out to book an Ulster semi final spot following their demolition of Antrim champions Moneyglass eight days earlier.
They beat that poor Moneyglass team without breaking sweat but they will be facing a much stiffer task this time. The Sarsfileld’s are a club based in the village of Derrytrasna in north Armagh and have the full title of High Moss Sarsfields.
They became county champions with a win over Lurgan based St. Paul’s in a game that could have gone either way. Hero for the winners was Michael Stevenson who came of the bench to score 1-4 to inflict a fifth final defeat in six years over their neighbours. In the end it was 2-15 to 1-15 for Sarsfields and despite the efforts of Armagh star Andrew Murnin for St. Paul’s it was Stevenson’s late goal that won it for the High Moss men. It was their first championship win at this level for 15 years.
In contrast, Glenullin have won three of the last four Derry intermediate titles and they will go into this game as slight favourites. They won the Derry title despite stiff tests from Greenlough and Foreglen.
They hit 2-17 against a poor Moneyglass team and they just got six points in reply with three of them coming in a wind assisted second half.
Glenullin manager Michael O’Kane has been around long enough to know that a stiffer task awaits in Armagh. They have a lot of experience with players like Niall O’Kane, Eoin Bradley, Traglach Bradley, John and Eunan O’Kane having been involved in their 2007 senior title win over Bellaghy.
Despite that easy win over Moneyglass manager Michael O’Kane was far from happy, pointing out that it took 13 minutes for them to get a score and that was a lucky goal.
He has a good squad to select from with a nice balance of youth and experience. With that game behind them even though it was not competitive they have every chance of a semi final spot.
Neil McNicholl is an outstanding midfielder while Donal O’Kane and Ryan McNicholl in the front line are potent finishers so they will travel with confidence.