AIB Ulster Club IFC quarter-final: Pomeroy Plunkett’s v St Patrick’s, Cullyhanna (Saturday, Omagh, 5pm)
Two of the highly fancied sides for the Ulster Club IFC title meet in Saturday's first round tie as Cullyhanna travel to Omagh to take on Pomeroy.
Both clubs have recently played senior football, and will do so again in 2024, but first they have the opportunity to enjoy an extended run on the provincial stage and perhaps beyond.
Cullyhanna, powered by Armagh stars Aidan Nugent, Jason Duffy and Ross McQuillan, surged to triumph in the county championship, climaxing with a dominant 4-12 to 1-8 win over St Paul’s in the final.
Shea Hoey, who scored 1-4 in the Orchard decider, adds attacking class, while a solid defence is built around Sean Og Irwin and Sean Connell.
Pomeroy, 0-13 to 2-4 winners over Moy in the Tyrone final, have their own county men in Frank Burns and Kieran McGeary, with former Tyrone defender Hugh Pat McGeary anchoring the defence.
Ryan Loughran, Brendan Burns and Jude Campbell were central to a championship run which has achieved its primary objective in bringing top level football back to Plunkett Park.
Read more:
Pomeroy's flawless record in Ulster means nothing says boss Declan McCallan
"We want to be tested to the absolute limit..." Cullyhanna looking forward to Pomeroy clash
St Patrick’s, relegated at the end of last season, proved too strong for the intermediate grade, winning the league and championship double with a consistent run which saw them most just two games, and travel to O’Neills Healy Park with confidence.
Pomeroy, who won the Ulster IFC title in their previous two involvements in 2004 and 2016, will need to be on top of their game to avoid a first ever defeat in the competition.
But Cullyhanna manager Stephen Reel accepts that his team will encounter a greater level of resistance than in the Armagh final.
“We know it's not going to be an easy match, it's going to be a completely different game than the final we played a couple of weeks ago,” he said.
“We expect a real battle but this is where we want to be and these boys are capable of playing at this level so we're happy to be here.”
Pomeroy boss Declan McCallan is equally prepared for a step up in quality in the form of an experience and established Armagh representative.
“Honestly, I was very surprised to see them in the Intermediate Championship, because they’re a senior club all but in name,” he said.
“They have a great tradition there and they’re going to be a serious prospect. I think they’re the favourites for the Ulster Club Intermediate, so it’s a big draw to get first mission.”
