Two cracking games lined up for semi-finals

Dromintee will face Granemore on Saturday and St Pat’s Cullyhanna will play Crossmaglen on Sunday. Both games have a 5pm throw-in time.

Pearse g, crippled by injuries and greatly hampered by the continuing absence of Ronan Clarke, will be delighted to see its ‘Annus Horibilis’ 2010 campaign over and should be back firing on all cylinders next season.

The gs went out at the quarter-final stage to Granemore who could be seen as one of the real success stories in modern day club football.

Since their Minor Championship win in 1994, the Mid-Armagh side have shown a sustained level of consistency and are now poised to be promoted to the first division.

The towering Kieran Toner secures a huge amount of possession for his team around the middle and with Ryan Rafferty, Chris O’Connor and Jason O’Neill, who caused Pearse g all sorts of problems last time out, Granemore could be fancied to trouble a vastly more experienced Dromintee outfit.

Michael Martin and Aidan O’Rourke, along with seasoned campaigners Vincent Martin, Barry Shannon, the improving Kevin Dyas, Gareth O’Neill and goalkeeper Phillip McEvoy, provide the backbone to a strong-looking side.

Ironically of all the teams who will contest this weekend’s semi-finals, only Crossmaglen have previously won the competition.

With the smart money suggesting a Cross-Dromintee final, it will be interesting to see how Cullyhanna will apply themselves when facing the might of Rangers on Sunday.

St Pat’s struggled to overcome an understrength Maghery side on Saturday but Cullyhanna with a lot of physicality in their side will thrive on the tight Silverbridge venue, but do they have the quality to reach this season’s final?

They looked decent, particularly in the second half, in their opener against Clan na Gael and forced Maghery to shoot from awkward angles in their quarter-final victory.

Liam O’Hare, Robbie Tasker, Eugene Casey and the probing Malachy Mackin provide the attacking options with the stability being supplied at the back by Ciaran McKeever and Paudie McCreesh.

Few question marks, however, surround the capabilities of the title favourites. Crossmaglen, despite struggling at midfield against both Carrickcruppin and Armagh Harps, have both the power and pace to spring back to the top.

Without some of the physical power of old, Rangers are a who’s who of stars and potential stars. Tony Kernan, Oisin McConville and Jamie Clarke will be the main threats up front with Paul and Aaron Kernan, and Paul McKeown, supplying the backbone to the defence. Cullyhanna will need to play out of their skins to reach this season’s showpiece and Silverbridge should be packed to the rafters for this enthralling clash.

Although strong cases could be made for the credentials of both Granemore and St Pat’s, it may well require a history-making Dromintee side to lower the colours of Crossmaglen in the county final.

The winners will welcome the Antrim Champions, possibly St. Gall’s, to an Armagh venue for their Ulster opener.