St Patrick's Cullyhanna: Ross McQuillan hoping to savour historic All-Ireland intermediate club final

McQuillan scored in the All-Ireland semi-final win against Allenwood to help his side to their first final

Armagh half-forward Ross McQuillan is delighted to be "reaping the rewards of coming home" as he prepares for an All-Ireland intermediate final with his club side St Patrick's Cullyhanna.

McQuillan returned home from Australia in 2021 after playing AFL with Essendon Bombers for two years.

Now he is preparing for the biggest game in St Patrick's history when they take on Cill na Martra on Sunday.

"These are the days you dream of as a kid," said McQuillan.

"It was a tough decision to come home, but it has really been worthwhile.

"It is unreal for the community, there are people out painting sheep and fences, there is a great buzz around the place."

St Patrick's Cullyhanna have come a long way to get to a first Croke Park final and McQuillan is keen to savour the occasion he didn't think he would ever experience.

"It really is special to be playing at Croke Park with St Patrick's Cullyhanna. You dream of it but you're not sure it will ever happen.

"If you had have said to us last year it wouldn't have been believable to be brutally honest," he admitted.

"We would have had ambitions of winning Armagh championship and being the first Cullyhanna team to win Ulster, but to put it into action is completely different and we are delighted to be where we are."

'We have been training for 63 weeks'

McQuillan returned to Armagh after a spell playing AFL with Australian side Essendon Bombers

After suffering back-to-back relegations which condemned them to intermediate football, St Patrick's have been a club on the up this season.

McQuillan credits the return of a number of players to the panel in helping their up-turn in form.

"We were competing in the senior championship for a while without getting over the line, then we had boys go to Australia and America and that dented our hopes.

"We got relegated two years on the bounce and we decided to get boys back and really put the shoulder to the wheel.

"We have been training now for 63 weeks [consistently], thankfully it has paid off and we have ended up in an All-Ireland final."

St Patrick's Cullyhanna beat St Paul's in the Armagh club final, before becoming the first team from the Orchard County to win the Ulster Championship as they overcame Ballyhaise of Cavan in the final.

Stephen Reel's side then defeated Kildare's Allenwood in last Saturday's All-Ireland semi-final with McQuillan scoring to send them through to a historic first final against the Munster champions Cill na Martra.

McQuillan, who is one of three Armagh players in the squad, is expecting a tough test for his side against the Cork kingpins.

"They will be a big, physical side who are able to compete in the air. They will be a real Cork team.

"There will be lots of goal opportunities so we're hoping to snuff them out and play the way we want to play.

"We won't change anything and hopefully it will work out for us."