Intermediate Championship is wide open says Keenan

By Barry O’Donnell

THE enforced restructuring of the Tyrone pyramid, due to Covid, has contributed to a hugely competitive Intermediate Championship, Gortin’s Ruairi Keenan believes.

With no big guns relegated from the Senior grade last season, there has been more parity across the board in terms of the contenders for the Paddy Cullen Cup this year.

The demise of the runaway top two in the League-Aghyaran and Greencastle- further underlined the competitive nature of the Championship in the second tier in 2021, and that unpredictability could again be evident in this weekend’s two semi-finals.

Keenan said: “Given no team was relegated from Division One because of Covid then every team at the start of the Championship felt they had a chance. All four teams left will feel they have a great chance and they will be going for it hell for leather.

“In the past you had teams coming down, like Pomeroy and Galbally, Donaghmore, Edendork- but they were always that cut above the rest in terms of quality and experience from playing senior football. It was always hard for the rest to close that gap but that isn’t the case this year and that makes it even more competitive.”

On the same day that Gortin were toughing it out against Beragh in the last round, Owen Roes were getting the better of Clogher, with County star Cathal McShane delivering an attacking masterclass. Keenan however maintains that the Leckpatrick team are more than just a one man show.

“I am a bit of a football nerd and I actually watched the game on Tyrone TV while I was getting ready for our game.

“Look I know all about Owen Roes. They have quality everywhere. They have Ryan McShane in nets which has improved them in terms of kick-outs. Gerard Devine is a class footballer in the full-back line; Conall McCormack, Brendan Boggs, Tony Devine, somebody I have marked over the years. In my opinion he wouldn’t be far off inter-county standard the ground he covers, and then obviously you have Cathal McShane up front along with Conor O’Neill and the likes of Peter Kirk. So they are a good team with quality everywhere.

“We will go into it looking to give our best and deliver a performance for ourselves and for our parish. We will just see where that takes us in terms of getting over the line. We only beat them after extra-time last year and that was without Cathal even being available.”

See today’s Ulster Herald for our full interview with Ruairi Keenan