Roes and Rocks to rejoice

Brackaville and Cookstown start warm favourites to emerge victorious in Sunday’s double-header of championship finals – and astute observer Shay McKeown reckons the bookies will be paying out to punters who double up on the Owen Roes and Fr.Rocks teams, writes Kevin Hughes.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Oct 2012, 12:44 BST

McKeown (below), whose Dungannon Clarkes team look set to gain promotion as Division Three winners is best acquainted with the protagonists in the junior final and he admits he is extremely impressed by the Brackaville side.

“I fancy Brackaville to win. They are a young, fresh team with plenty of speed and momentum – especially in their extraordinary forward line. Guys like Martin Gervin and Che O’Donnell, who’s a star in the making, are a handful for any defence and they will relish the big field” said McKeown.

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“Brackaville have had the perfect season in many respects, and are threatening to emulate last year’s achievements by Derrytresk.

“Indeed, up until the last twelve minutes of injury-time against ourselves a couple of Saturdays ago, they were the best team in Tyrone and boasting a magnificent unbeaten record.

“I hold my hand up and confess that I had said that Brocagh would be the big rivals for us this season, but Brackaville have been superb and they definitely deserve to be promoted after their performances to date.

“It would be foolish to dismiss Aghaloo lightly, of course, because they are a solid side and will be keen to seize their chance at Healy Park. It should be a really good match” added McKeown, who once sponsored the GAA AllStars under the Powerscreen banner.

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The Clarkes man obviously hasn’t seen as much of the Division Two finalists this season, but he reckons Cookstown would need to approach the intermediate decider with a degree of caution.

“The Fr.Rocks will go into the game as hot favourites and, with the league title now in the bag, they will be keen to win the Paddy Cullen Cup which is named after their best-known clubman.

“But we played Eskra in a challenge match a wee while ago and, although we played well and beat them, I was very impressed by their attitude.

“They never stopped trying and certainly were never going to quit no matter what happened with regard to the scoreboard. So anybody who thinks they will fold against Cookstown is barking up the wrong tree” assured McKeown, who is not prepared to consider that The Clarkes