Rodgers feel Beragh are ready for next step

INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND

A MID-TABLE finish to their Division Two League campaign provides the backdrop to Beragh’s Championship opener against newly promoted Drumquin on Sunday.

The Red Knights briefly came within shouting distance of the leaders. But injuries contributed to a flat finish, as they lost a series of games, including to their first-round opponents.

Now the two will meet in this weekend’s first-round clash at Killyclogher and it promises to be a closely fought contest. Beragh will hope to welcome back key attackers, Conor Owens and Martin Rodgers from injury as they seek a first Paddy Cullen Cup triumph since 2000.

Rodgers is now a veteran of their first fifteen and is looking forward to the challenge of this year’s Championship.

“Drumquin deservedly beat us in the league, so we’re definitely not looking beyond that game. Our form has been fairly up and down this season, so we’ll be taking this first match now and seeing how it goes,” he said.

“We were safe from relegation pretty early in the league and that was obviously important. We were sort of in no-man’s land from about half-way through the league – we couldn’t go down and the likes of Clonoe and Moy were too far ahead of us in terms of points.

“There were a few injuries towards the end of the league,so it’s now about getting the lads back on the field all at the one time.”

Under the management of Conor Gormley and Damien Leonard, the Red Knights are one of the up and coming teams who have tried to establish themselves at Intermediate. For teams like Beragh, the challenge now is to push towards promotion to the senior ranks.

Like Naomh Eoghan, Kildress and others, Beragh have now been up in Division Two for six or more years. Their Championship opponents, Drumquin, were promoted via the Division Three league last year, and have enjoyed a strong debut season.

“The draw is going to be taking place after each round which will add more excitement with people looking on. If you can avoid the bigger teams, then you might be able to give the championship a right rattle,”added Rodgers.

“Conor Gormley and Damien Leonard are now in their third year and things have been going very good. We’ve probably seen improvements every year ongoing and that’s the stepping stone that’s needed. They are two good managers and hopefully they’ll be able to get the best out of us now for the Championship.”

Beragh, then, are aiming to emulate their predecessors of 2000 who won the Intermediate championship for a second time. But any thoughts of that will have to wait as they prepare to meet a strong Drumquin side at Killyclogher on Sunday.