Queen's club: Armagh's Sigerson connections The Sigerson Cup has helped bridge the club to county gap for many players. For that reason, Seán Moran finds Armagh have good reason to be grateful to QUB

At last week's Armagh media night, one understated ceremony took place amongst the mayhem of autograph hunting and quote gathering. Present was Dessie Ryan, a former Tyrone selector, whose function it was to make a presentation to Armagh captain Kieran McGeeney.

The purpose of this was to acknowledge the contribution of the county to the football club at Queen's University, Belfast.

McGeeney, as captain, received the memento on behalf of the 13 panellists involved in this Sunday's All-Ireland final who have played with Queen's.

Dessie Ryan's involvement with the Belfast university team stretches back beyond a decade and includes the most recent successes of 2000 and 1993.

Nine of the team that will try to bring the All-Ireland back to Armagh for the first time on Sunday have passed through Queen's, with full forward Ronan Clarke currently a student.

McGeeney was a member of the victorious 1993 team, which defeated St Mary's College in a Belfast derby, and also played in the 1992 final when Queen's lost to UCG in Salthill.

He was joined on the winning team of nine years ago by county vice-captain and centrefielder this weekend Paul McGrane, left wing back Andrew McCann and panellist Cathal O'Rourke.

McCann and O'Rourke were also on the side that surprisingly lost to UCC a year later, whereas McGrane came on as a replacement.

Two years ago, when NUI Galway staged the tournament, Queen's played UCD in the final at Moycullen in the most atrocious conditions that many present had ever seen for a football match.

At the end of extra-time, Queen's captain Diarmuid Marsden accepted the trophy.

On that team with Marsden, left corner forward against Kerry, were corner back Enda McNulty, who was Marsden's vice-captain that day, wing forward Paddy McKeever and panellist Kevin McElvanna.

Other Sigerson credentials include the McEntee brothers, John and Tony, who played with Jordanstown and goalkeeper Brendan Tierney who won a title with St Mary's Belfast in 1989.

This impressive representation is in keeping with a decade ago when Ulster teams came to the fore in the All-Ireland, winning four successive All-Irelands.

Both Down sides (1991 and '94) featured a number of Sigerson veterans: Greg Blaney and James McCartan (who has taken over as Queen's coach) with Queen's, DJ Kane, Barry Breen and Gary Mason with UUJ.

Derry's historic first All-Ireland was assisted by Anthony Tohill, Dermot McNicholl and Joe Brolly (Queen's) and Karl Diamond (Jordanstown).

Whereas Donegal didn't have the same background in Sigerson, their 1992 panel included the man who would become Professor Emeritus of the competition, Jimmy McGuinness, who won titles with both Tralee (in both RTC and IT form) and Jordanstown.

Centre forward 10 years ago was Martin McHugh who last spring coached Sligo IT to an historic first Sigerson.

Armagh's opponents Kerry can also claim expertise in this area - most notably full back Séamus Moynihan who won titles with both UCC in 1995 when he was joined by team-mate John Crowley and Tralee RTC two years later. The rise of the Tralee college is naturally reflected in the Kerry panel.

As well as Moynihan, Barry O'Shea and William Kirby - who would win All-Ireland medals later in 1997 - also figured in Tralee's inaugural success.

In that final, two of their opponents on the UL team would be team-mates that summer: Michael Russell and Dara Ó Cinnéide.

A year later, Russell was on the IT Tralee team that retained the Sigerson along with Moynihan. They had both moved on in 1999 when Tralee accomplished a three-in-a-row at the Dub in Queen's. But Noel Kennelly, whom injury prevents from lining out this weekend, did play an important role.

Coincidentally, neither managers has particularly fond memories of Sigerson. Páidí Ó Sé cut his managerial teeth at UCC in 1991, the year the powerful Cork institution was sensationally beaten by Athlone RTC.

Joe Kernan, for his part, was regularly at the heart of tugs-of-war with Jordanstown over the availability of the McEntees when he managed club specialists Crossmaglen.

Kieran McGeeney Sigerson winner 1993

Paul McGrane Sigerson winner 1993

Enda McNulty Vice-captain, Sigerson winner 2000

Andrew McCann Sigerson winner 1993

Patrick McKeeverSigerson winner 2000, present player

Diarmuid Marsden Sigerson winning captain 2000

Ronan Clarke current player

Cathal O'Rourke Sigerson winner 1993

Kevin McElvanna Sigerson winner 2000, present player

Justin McNulty, Aidan O'Rourke, Barry O'Hagan and Paul McCormack former Sigerson players