Ulster Club SFC: Derrygonnelly hope for third time lucky against Kilcoo

Aaron Branagan's goal helped Kilcoo edge out Derrygonnelly in a tight Ulster Club semi-final in 2019 but the Down side hammered the Fermanagh men in the provincial final two seasons later

Derrygonnelly renew Ulster Club Football acquaintances with Kilcoo at Brewster Park on Sunday following two previous defeats by the Down champions.

The sides met in the 2019 semi-final when Kilcoo edged a 1-8 to 0-9 victory before the Magpies hammered Harps in the provincial decider 22 months ago.

The 'previous' between the teams makes for a more interesting provincial opener than might have been the case.

Kilcoo will go in as favourites but Derrygonnelly won't lack motivation.

The Harps have won seven of the last nine Fermanagh titles as they regained the Erne County's championship by beating Erne Gaels 2-8 to 0-9 after failing to reach last year's final for the first time since 2014 following a semi-finals defeat by Enniskillen Gaels.

Derrygonnelly had to work hard in the Fermanagh decider following Aidan McKenna's first-half sending off and it took an injury-time Shane McGullion goal to subdue the Belleek men after Ultan Kelm had almost netted at the other end moments earlier.

Derrygonnelly without suspended McKenna

McKenna, who scored Derrygonnelly's first goal in the Fermanagh decider, will join injured Stephen McGullion [broken ankle] in missing Sunday's game after his appeal against the red card was rejected.

On the face of it, Kilcoo, who landed the All-Ireland title in February 2022 four weeks after their 3-10 to 0-3 provincial final hammering of Derrygonnelly, have to be strong favourites but an expected heavy Brewster Park pitch after all this week's rain could perhaps be something of a leveller.

As ever, Derrygonnelly won't lack experience with the Jones boys Ryan, Conall, Michael and Garvan all continuing to give great service to the Harps.

The likes of skipper McGullion and Eamon McHugh, with their extensive experience for the county, also remain influential Derrygonnelly performers.

Kilcoo's starting line-up in the Down decider was largely uncharged from the team which edged out Kilmacud Crokes in the dramatic 2022 All-Ireland decider although new manager Karl Lacey has been able to give game time to relative newcomers such as Christopher Rooney, Callum Rogers and Sean Og McCusker.

Down manager Conal Laverty started in the number seven shirt in the county final, which was overshadowed by the controversy over Kilcoo's appeal against Paul Faloon's refereeing appointment.

Kilcoo lifted their 11th Down title in 12 seasons by beating Burren despite all the controversy that arose as a result of their appeal against referee Paul Faloon's appointment for the game

Kilcoo's protest was rejected by the GAA's Disputes Resolution Authority but as the saga rumbled on, Brian Higgins ultimately refereed a game which the Magpies won 2-12 to 0-9.

Speaking to BBC Sport Northern Ireland at the Ulster Club Championship's official launch this week, Aaron Branagan, one of the five Branagan brothers still in the Magpies squad, insisted that the controversy had no effect on the Kilcoo players in the Down final or indeed since.

That certainly looked the case during the Down decider and it's unlikely Croke Park's review into the controversy, officially requested by the Mourne County's GAA board, has been uppermost in the thoughts of manager Karl Lacey or his players in the build-up to Sunday's contest.

Sunday's winners will face Scotstown on 12 November either at Clones or Pairc Esler.

The Ulster quarter-finals begin with Trillick's contest with Crossmaglen in Omagh on 11 November, with Glen taking on Cargin at Celtic Park on 12 November and Gowna up against Naomh Conaill at Kingspan Breffni on the same afternoon.

ULSTER CLUB FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES

Preliminary round

Derrygonnelly v Kilcoo, Sunday, Brewster Park, 15:45 GMT

Quarter-Finals

(A) Trillick v Crossmaglen, Saturday 11 November, Healy Park, 19:15

(B) Glen v Cargin, Sunday 12 November, Celtic Park, 15:00

(C) Gowna v Naomh Conaill, 12 November, Kingspan Breffni, 16:30

(D) Scotstown v Derrygonnelly or Kilcoo, 12 November, Clones or Pairc Esler, (time tbc)

Semi-Finals - 25/25 November

A v D

B v C

Final - 9/10 December