2018 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship Explained

2018 Ulster Club Senior Football Championship
Province: Ulster
Year:2018
Trophy:Seamus McFerran Cup
Sponsor:Allied Irish Banks
Date:20 October - 2 December
Num Teams:9 (one from each of the 9 counties)
Defending Champions: Slaughtneil
Winners: Gaoth Dobhair
Ordinal:1
Manager:Mervyn O'Donnell
Captain:Niall Friel
Qualify For:All-Ireland Club SFC
Runnersup: Scotstown
Runnerupmanager:Kieran Donnelly[1]
Runnerupcaptain:Darren Hughes
Matches:8
Total Scored:16-195
Topscorer: Shane Carey (Scotstown) (0-16)
Website:Ulster GAA
Previous:2017
Next:2019

The 2018 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship was the 51st instalment of the annual competition organised by Ulster GAA. It was one of the four provincial competitions of the 2018–19 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship.

Derry's Slaughtneil were the 2017 champions,[2] but defeat in the Derry quarter-final meant they couldn't defend their title.[3]

Donegal champions Gaoth Dobhair became Ulster champions for the first time after beating Monaghan's Scotstown in the final.[4]

Teams

The Ulster championship is contested by the winners of the nine county championships in the Irish province of Ulster. Ulster comprises the six counties of Northern Ireland, as well as Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland.

CountyTeamLast win
Antrim Erin's Own, Cargin[5]
Armagh Crossmaglen Rangers[6] 2015
Cavan Castlerahan[7]
Derry Eoghan Rua, Coleraine[8]
Donegal Gaoth Dobhair[9]
Down St Mary's, Burren[10] 1988
Fermanagh Derrygonnelly Harps[11]
Monaghan Scotstown[12] 1989
Tyrone Coalisland Na Fianna[13]

Preliminary round

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Quarter-finals

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Semi-finals

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Championship statistics

Top scorers

Overall
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Shane CareyScotstown0-161644.00
2Rían O'NeillCrossmaglen Rangers0-151527.50
3Kevin CassidyGaoth Dobhair2-71334.33
4Conor McCarthyScotstown1-81142.75
5Daire Ó BaoillGaoth Dobhair3-0933.00
Rory BegganScotstown0-9942.25
7Odhrán Mac NiallaisGaoth Dobhair0-8832.67
Paddy McNeiceCoalisland0-8818.00
9Michael CarrollGaoth Dobhair1-4732.33
Damien McArdleScotstown1-4741.75
Kieran HughesScotstown1-4741.75
In a single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1Daire Ó BaoillGaoth Dobhair3-09Crossmaglen Rangers
2Rían O'NeillCrossmaglen Rangers0-88Gaoth Dobhair
Paddy McNeiceCoalisland0-88Crossmaglen Rangers
4Colm McGoldrickEoghan Rua2-17Castlerahan
Rían O'NeillCrossmaglen Rangers0-77Coalisland
6Kevin CassidyGaoth Dobhair1-36Erin's Own, Cargin
Michael CarrollGaoth Dobhair1-36Erin's Own, Cargin
Shane CareyScotstown0-66Gaoth Dobhair
9Kevin CassidyGaoth Dobhair1-25Crossmaglen Rangers
Conall JonesDerrygonnelly Harps1-26Scotstown
Conor McCarthyScotstown0-55Derrygonnelly Harps
Shane CareyScotstown0-55Burren
Donal O'HareBurren0-55Scotstown

Notes and References

  1. News: Kieran Donnelly named as new Fermanagh manager. RTÉ. 9 September 2021. 24 September 2022. Donnelly is a well-known coach at schools level having taken charge of Omagh CBS for a number of years while he has also enjoyed success with a number of clubs, most notably in 2018 when he took Monaghan outfit Scotstown to the Ulster Club final where they lost to Donegal champions Gaoth Dobhair..
  2. News: Slaughtneil ease to Ulster title beating Cavan Gaels. 27 November 2017. RTÉ. 5 March 2022.
  3. News: Champions Slaughtneil are stunned by Coleraine. 4 October 2018. Belfast Telegraph. 16 March 2022.
  4. News: Gaoth Dobhair edge out Scotstown in extra-time to win historic Ulster title. 2 December 2018. RTÉ. 16 March 2022.
  5. News: Cargin reclaim county title as Creggan rue missed chances. 22 October 2018. The Irish News. 16 March 2022.
  6. News: Crossmaglen weather storm to blitz Ballymacnab and keep up winning habit. 22 October 2018. The Irish News. 16 March 2022.
  7. News: Castlerahan escape cycle of defeat to land maiden Cavan crown. 26 October 2018. Irish Independent. 22 October 2018.
  8. News: Daly goal the key as Eoghan Rua claim second title. 22 October 2018. The Irish News. 16 March 2022.
  9. News: Gaoth Dobhair end 12 years of pain with dominant display. 21 October 2018. RTÉ. 16 March 2022.
  10. News: O'Hare ends Kilcoo reign in Burren revenge mission. 15 October 2018. Irish Independent. 16 March 2022.
  11. Web site: Derrygonnelly make it four-in-a-row in Fermanagh. 30 September 2018. The Irish Times. 30 September 2018.
  12. News: Scotstown hold their nerve to edge out Ballybay. 7 October 2018. RTÉ. 16 March 2022.
  13. News: Impressive Coalisland cruise to Tyrone county title. 21 October 2018. The Irish Times. 16 March 2022.