AIB Club Football Championship previews
Gaoth Dobhair and Donegal’s Daire Ó Baoill is pictured at Clanna Gael Fontenoy GAA in Dublin ahead of the AIB GAA Ulster Football Senior Club Championship Final where they face Scotstown on Sunday, December 2nd at Healy Park.
Saturday December 1
AIB Ulster Club IFC final:
Mullaghoran (Cavan) v St. Enda’s (Antrim), Athletic Grounds Armagh, 5pm.
Cavan champions Mullaghoran take on Antrim aces St Enda’s in Armagh on Saturday afternoon, after eventually getting the better of Derry winners Banagher by way of a free kick competition after double extra-time.
St Enda’s had to overcome a gutsy Tattyreagh side from Tyrone in their semi-final, with two points from substitute Michael Morgan sealing their passage to the final.
Mullahoran will look to the likes of Cavan county man Killian Brady for leadership. His midfield partnership with Gavin Brady has been integral to the team’s performances.
Eoin Nagle, Odhran Eastwood and captain James McAuley have been impressive for the Glengormley men, managed by former Antrim boss Frank Fitzsimons.
Sunday December 2
AIB Ulster Club SFC final:
Scotstown (Monaghan) v Gaoth Dobhair (Donegal), Healy Park Omagh, 2pm.
The Ulster showpiece in Omagh is sure to be an engrossing encounter, where Scotstown hope to put their name on the Seamus McFerran Cup roll of honour for the first time since 1989.
Gaoth Dobhair captured the Donegal crown this year for the first time since 2006, and they put in impressive displays to defeat Cargin and Crossmaglen to take their place in Sunday’s final.
Daire O Baoill’s hat-trick from midfield paved the way for their seven-point win over the Armagh titans, while namesake Naoise has also caught the eye with his dynamic displays. The evergreen Kevin Cassidy and McGee brothers, Neil and Eamon, bring big-game experience to a youthful and vibrant Gaoth Dobhair side.
The men from Monaghan made it four county titles in a row this year and will be hoping to go one better than 2015 when they lost to Cross’ in the Ulster decider. The Hughes brothers, Darren and Keiran, will once again be instrumental figures, while Conor McCarthy is a handful for any defender.
All-Star goalkeeper Rory Beggan will also be crucial to An Bhoth’s bid to land the title. His injury-time frees got them over the line against Eoghan Rua in the semi-final, and his roving forays into the attack add another dimension to Scotstown’s play.
AIB Munster Club JFC final:
Beaufort (Kerry) v Dromtarriffe (Cork), Mallow, 3:30pm.
Mallow is the venue for the Munster Junior Football decider between Cork’s Dromtarriffe and Kerry champions Beaufort.
Beaufort are aiming to add to the impressive record of Kerry clubs in the Munster Junior, with 14 titles going back to the Kingdom since the competition’s inception in 2001. They swept aside Clare's representatives Michael Cusack's by a huge _34 point margin last day out. They racked up _5-16 against Tipperary’s Ballylooby-Castlegrace in the quarter-final.
The Cork men also had a comfortable win in their semi-final, _defeating Austin Gleeson's Mount Sion 2-16 to 0-10.
Jack Murphy’s 61st-minute point secured victory for the Duhallow men in the Cork final at Páirc Uí Rinn, Dromtarriffe’s first junior county title in 59 years. Substitute Darren O’Connor made a huge impact in the game with two goals, while experienced team captain Seamus O’Sullivan has been a driving force all year.
Liam Carey, Fergal Hallissey and Ciaran Kennedy have led the high-scoring exploits for the Kerrymen, while Nathan Breen captains from midfield.