The IFC is really starting to hot up and there’s four extremely exciting quarter-finals coming up this weekend.
Derrynoose v St Patrick’s – Sat 23 Sept – Granemore – 2pm
Cullyhanna are many people’s favourites to claim the IFC crown and they’ve been in fine fettle of late.
They slipped up at the end of the league to finish second in Division 2A but have been the form team in the championship.
They fired past Belleek, Middletown and Tullysaran in the group stages and start this game as heavy favourites.
Derrynoose won’t mind carrying the underdogs tag into Saturday’s encounter however as they’re well used to it.
They’ve earned two notable wins so far in the championship, defeating Carrickcruppen and Tullysaran.
The attacking threat of Conor McNally and Davy McCreesh is cause Cullyhanna problems. It’s whether Derrynoose can keep the score down at the other end which is the big question.
Wolfe Tones v Pearse Og – Sun 24 Sept – Maghery – 1pm
Wolfe Tones bounced back from relegation in Division 2A to top their group in the championship.
They placed them straight through to the last eight as they beat Cross IIs and Culloville while also drawing with Keady.
Jamie Haughey has put in some great displays for Peter Nugent’s men and has scored 1-14 across three games.
The Ogs had to go through a playoff to reach the IFC quarter-finals but successfully saw off Carrickcruppen.
Paul Duffy still remains key to their plans and his free role as a sweeper has allowed him to strive this year.
The Ogs carry an attacking threat as well. Vincy Brady, Callum Murray, Odhran Houlihan, Conor Brady and Tiernan Quinn have all hit the net in the championship.
Tir na nOg v Keady – Sun 24 Sept – Abbey Park – 2pm
Both these sides have caught the eye in their championship displays of late and both have put up some great score line.
Oisin Conaty and James O’Hara have been the scoring chiefs for both teams and Sunday could come down to a shootout.
Conaty rattled 4-6 in the group stages, although he was surprisingly held scoreless against Annaghmore.
Oran Power has been his sidekick up top. He also netted against Whitecross and Pearse Og as Tir na nOg topped their group.
O’Hara is currently the top scorer in the JFC having amounted a personal tally of 2-25 across four games.
His haul of 0-10 against Annaghmore saw Keady secure their place in the last eight. Tomas Galvin is another threat having hit 2-6.
St Paul’s v Culloville – Sun 24 Sept – Ballymacnab – 3pm
Both St Paul’s and Culloville have been knocking on the IFC door over the last few years but have yet to get over the line.
St Paul’s were beaten in last year’s final to Shane O’Neill’s while Culloville lost to Carrickcruppen back in 2021.
St Paul’s topped their group with three wins on the trot over Derrynoose, Forkhill and Carrickcruppen.
Andrew Murnin has hit 3-6 in three games while Eoin McConville has chalked up 0-14 in the same period.
Culloville remain without Ryan Garvey, who is out for the year, but Niall Rowland came on against Belleek.
Rowland changed the game when he entered the fray, scoring 1-1 and creating another score for Colm Watters.
