Sunday

Ulster SFC Final

Kilcoo (Down) v Errigal Ciarán (Tyrone), Box-It Athletic Grounds, 3.30pm [Live, TG4] – With one bound, Kilcoo were free. In the two seasons since winning the All-Ireland, the perennial Down champions gave every impression that their pomp was now fading. Last year’s defeat by Scotstown of Monaghan in a tight, claustrophobic encounter – the very type of match in which Kilcoo used to finish stronger – appeared to be proof.

Then came this year’s semi-final rematch. It could be argued that the match was level at 0-5 each coming up to half-time, but in those minutes either side of the interval, the pipes burst for the Monaghan champions. An excellent save by Rory Beggan saw the resulting deflection come back randomly into the net, followed by a high strike of the post, which fell nicely for Christopher Rooney.

Two goals before the break forced Scotstown to chase the game – and if they had managed to counter the opposition’s pace 12 months previously, trying to chase a game made it impossible to avoid the danger of getting singed on the counterattack, which duly happened when Miceál Rooney and Ceilum Doherty added goals. There was no way back. Kilcoo looked dynamic and lively, but the way the match unfolded definitely helped to unleash one of their best performances in that past two years.

Errigal have had it tough all along – apart maybe from a straightforward win over Cargin – from the county final win over Trillick and subsequent defeats of St Eunan’s and Clann Éireann, the latter helped by Tiernan Kelly getting consigned to the bench not long after half-time.

There’s no doubting their high-end quality. Ruairí Canavan was exceptional the last day, as was brother Darragh, and the support of county stalwarts Peter Harte, liberated forward by the return from serious injury of Niall Kelly, and Ben McDonnell. This is open because Kilcoo may experience difficulties in getting the same bang from the team and Errigal have plenty of experience of having to scrap out matches. There was, however, something ominous in the quicksilver breaks of Eugene Branagan and the forward orchestration of Shealan Johnston.

Verdict: Kilcoo

Munster SFC Final

Loughmore Castleiney (Tipperary) v Dr Crokes (Kerry), Mallow, 1.30pm [Live, TG4] – Previews have been on a hiding to nothing recently, given the powerful displays of so many underdogs. Dr Crokes came within a whisker of becoming the latest celebrity fallers when just about surviving the attentions of Waterford’s Rathgormack. It had all looked straightforward for the Killarney club – a glittering season in the county behind them as well as a comfortable win over champions Castlehaven – but the goalkeeping of Shane Murphy was needed at the conclusion to preserve the score largely pieced together by Micheál Burns and Tony Brosnan.

The Tipp dual champions defied the presumed impact of having lost comprehensively to Ballygunner in the hurling championship by overcoming Éire Óg in Ennis to reach a first provincial final since losing to UCC 51 years ago. Their relaxed but efficient attack and dynamic bench contribution showed enough to suggest they could trouble Crokes, certainly on semi-final form. The Kerry men should, however, learn enough from the last day to be more careful.

Verdict: Dr Crokes