Ulster U21 Club Football Tournament
Bank of Ireland Paddy McLarnon Cup 2018/19
The chase for U21 provincial honours get underway
By Brendan McTaggart
The Bank of Ireland U21 Ulster Club Tournament was launched and the draw for the quarter-finals made at The Elk on Thursday night. With seven of the nine clubs represented by players and managers, there was a good crowd in attendance as tournament hosts Kickhams Creggan got proceedings under way in the tournament for the 10th year.
There are five new participants in this years tournament, Crosserlough (Cavan), Clann Éireann (Armagh), Carrickmacross (Monaghan), St Brigids (Antrim) and Magherafelt (Derry) making the journey to the Lough Shore and enter the tournament for the first time. Carryduff (Down) and Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) are back for successive years with the Down men beaten in last years semi-final by the eventual winners having accounted for Enniskillen Gaels in the quarter-final while Dromore (Tyrone) make the tournament for the first time since 2015.
The preliminary round has thrown up a mouth-watering contest with Clann Éireann facing St Eunan’s, scheduled for Saturday January 12 with Tyrone champions Dromore waiting in the wings for the victors in the quarter-final. The opening quarter-final is scheduled for later the same day with Carrickmacross facing Carryduff. The following day sees a double header and Crosserlough taking on St Brigid’s at 12:30pm with Enniskillen Gaels and Magherafelt at 2:15pm.
Who will follow in the footsteps of Gaoth Dobhair to take the coveted Paddy McLarnon Cup for this year? The Donegal men used the tournament as a springboard to a hugely successful 2018 – progressing to county and provincial honours at senior level while last years beaten finalists Erin’s Own Lavey were beaten in the Derry senior championship final. The tournament helps clubs to unearth new talent and hone their skills against top opposition from outside of their own county. It’s a tournament that has become an integral part of the calendar and is always superbly run by everyone concerned on the Staffordstown Road venue.
Draw
Saturday January 12
Prelim: Clann Éireann (Armagh) vs St Eunan’s, Letterkenny (Donegal) @ 12:30pm
QF: Carrickmacross (Monaghan) vs Carryduff (Down) @ 2:15pm
Sunday January 13
QF: Crosserlough (Cavan) vs St Brigids (Antrim) @ 12:30pm
QF: Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) vs Magherafelt (Derry) @ 2:15pm
The fourth and final quarter final will be played on the weekend of 19/20 January with the date and time yet to be finalised. The draw for the semi-finals is:
SF: Carrickmacross/Carrduff vs Crosserlough/St Brigids
SF: Magherafelt/Enniskillen Gaels vs St Eunan’s/Clann Éireann/Dromore
The final will be played on February 17.
