Eoghan Rua hurlers embark on Ulster club campaign

AIB Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship

Eoghan Rua v Middletown (Armagh), Sunday 4pm at Celtic Park

By Bernie Mullan.

BY now, Eoghan Rua Coleraine hurlers know what a stiff test is.

When you pass three in a row the confidence builds and you fear no other team.

Lavey, Swatragh and Ballinascreen have been beaten in tight contests but Armagh senior champions Middletown might be a cut above the three teams that Ciaran Lagan’s team has beaten.

Middletown have won this Ulster title twice. The first time was in 2011 when they thumped Castleblaney from Monaghan. In 2017 they were pushed all the way by Derry champions Lavey before winning by 2-16 to 2-13.

Last year, Banagher became the first Derry team to win the provincial intermediate title with a tidy victory over Lisbellaw of Fermanagh in the final.

For Eoghan Rua this is not new ground. They contested the first ever intermediate final back in 2006, losing to Carey from Antrim. In 2014 they lost to Rossa from Belfast and in 2016 to Cloughmills, also of Antrim.

Eoghan Rua have twice won the Ulster junior title. In 2015 they reached the All Ireland final losing narrowly to Kilkenny team Glenmore by 2-8 to 0-12 in a game where they were denied a blatant penalty.

There were times when Eoghan Rua struggled, even at junior level, but they keep bouncing back with what is a small enough panel of players. This season has seen a big improvement as younger players like Lorcan McMullan, Leo Passmore, Dara Mooney and Kosta Papachristopolus blend in nicely with the more experienced men like Sean Leo and Ciaran McGoldrick.

Middletown provide a big chunk of the Armagh county team. They beat Keady in the Armagh final by 1-21 to 2-12 with Dean Gaffney, Nathan Curry and Sean Og McGuinness prominent. That game was actually the Armagh senior final but at provincial club level their champions are graded as intermediate.

The Coleraine men have shown that they can stay the course. They were two points down against Ballinascreen in the Derry final playing into a strong wind. Most teams would have flown the white flag but not this Eoghan Rua team.

An outrageous point from half back Adam Kerr and a converted ’65 by Leo Passmore, followed by a free from the same player, saw the final scoreboard read Eoghan Rua 3-9 Ballinascreen 2-11. The previous victories over Lavey and Ballinascreen saw a similar level of true grit from the North Coast men.

If Eoghan Rua can improve their game in the middle period of the game they cannot be discounted. They have tended to start well and finish well but no matter what they will not be far away at the finish.

Last season, Banagher became the first Derry team to win the Ulster intermediate title so Eoghan Rua will be hoping to follow in their footsteps.

"It's all about the players, they deserve all the credit," admitted Eoghan Rua manager Ciaran Lagan.

"You've got born winners there, the likes of the McGoldricks and Niall Holly, and then you have some young players coming through as well.

"The split season and fixtures have helped us but we know we're up against a tough obstacle this weekend.

"They're a seasoned team with experience and they know what it's about in Ulster. But we've won our Intermediate title on merit so let's see what we can do.

"We know that every time go on a hurling field we have to fight for the right to be there so we've just got to go and do ourselves and Derry proud," he added.

Na Magha v Warrenpoint Sunday 1-45pm Celtic Park

Derry junior champions Na Magha will take on Warrenpoint of Down in the quarter final of the Ulster championship prior to the Eoghan Rua v Middletown game.

Na Magha have been nominated in place of Lavey who beat them in the Derry final. That was due to Lavey playing at a higher level in the early rounds of the Derry championship.

Warrenpoint beat Castlewellan by 1-15 to 1-14 in the Down final but both clubs are better known for their football ability.

Na Magha have shown improved form this season with Deaglan Foley who missed the county final an excellent forward for club and county. With the speedy duo of Michael Lynch and Padraig Nelis in tandem they can move to the next round.