By Niall McCoy
THE realities of the provincial bear-pit will have become apparent for recently-crowned Monaghan champions Emyvale as they prepare for Sunday’s home tie with Armagh representatives Clann Éireann.
For a week, the Oriel side were celebrating and for once, when a team says they weren’t looking past their own county championship there probably was truth in the matter.
Donaghmoyne’s over two-decade hold on the title meant that Emyvale had been consigned to scraps – notably a series of final defeats – but the holders were dumped out by Magheracloone in the semi-final before Emyvale eased home against the Mitchell’s in the final.
With that came an Ulster ticket, but as analysis turned to this fixture, they will be very aware that another monster is looming.
Clann Éireann won their first Ulster title last season, but unlike Emyvale, their eyes would have been on provincial honours – and more – from the very start of the season.
Gregory McGonigle’s side just oozes class with so many players playing central roles for Armagh too.
Clodagh McCambridge, Roisin Mulligan, Derbhla Coleman, Cait Towe, Niamh Coleman, Niamh Henderson, Tiarna Grimes, Niamh Murray, Meabh McCambridge – it’s a teamsheet that could compete at county level.
They’re in a mean mood this season too. In their three games against Armagh Harps, Shane O’Neill’s and Carrickcruppen en-route to the Marie Hoye Cup, they conceded a grand total of 1-10 – although the weather conditions did hurt scoring opportunities in the county final win over ‘Cruppen. Perhaps one major positive for Emyvale is that scheduling meant that they had to get their competitive eye back in very quickly.
They were back out in action last weekend in a league semi-final against Donaghmoyne and that provided a real confidence-booster as they won 2-10 to 2-6 to set up another final appearance, this time against Scotstown.
Kieran Campbell and Darren Swift’s side contains plenty of experience and class with team captain Eimear McAnespie and vice-captain Gráinne McGuinness bringing plenty.
McAnespie top-scored in the county final with 1-3 with Aine McQuaid, Ciara McClelland and Holly McQuaid all making good scoring contributions too.
There’s no doubting though that this is one hell of an ask, but at the same time, they’re really in a position where they have nothing to lose.
Emyvale’s season will be defined by their county title, their first ever, and this free hit is a chance to see where they stand against one of Ulster’s top teams. Now that they have scaled the Monaghan mountain, they’ll feel that they can return to this competition time and time again. A few of their older players will also have memories of their run to the All-Ireland Intermediate title in 2008.
Clann Éireann are just a machine at the minute though and a preliminary round stumble seems unlikely for McGonigle’s side.
The winners here face a quarter-final clash against Kinawley, who eased to their own county title at the weekend, and it’s hard to look past an Armagh-Fermanagh encounter down the line.
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