Intermediate Championship Group 1: Stabannon hopeful of making immediate impact

CTI BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 1

STABANNON PARNELLS

Stabannon Parnells have been handed a interesting draw for their return to the Intermediate ranks, having been paired with Roche Emmets and Glen Emmets.

They have been in great form over the past 12 months. Of course, they ended last season as the Junior kingpins, having overcome Glyde Rangers following a replay, a contest in which they breezed to victory having let the Tallanstown based side back into the contest a week earlier.

Along the way they coasted past the likes of Sean McDermotts and John Mitchels, but were also tested to their limits by the then newly relegated Naomh Fionnbarra, who in the group stages gave Stabannon what was a very rare defeat. They ultimately got revenge via a narrow semi-final win.

10 wins in a row saw them secure the Division 3B title last year and they have continued that march up the league ranks with another promotion in 2023. With 12 wins out of 15, they locked in another title to put in their ever growing trophy cabinet.

Front and centre to their resurgence has been the likes of Sean Reynolds, as well as the duo of Harry and Bobby Butterly, but they will have to plan without the experienced Derek Crilly after he suffered a big injury in the latter stages of the league.

ROCHE EMMETS 

Their opening round opponents are Roche Emmets, a side that will certainly give the Intermediate newcomers a taste of what level they need to get to be competitive at this tier of championship football.

The north Louth side were semi-finalists last year, which was a huge turn of events having been in the relegation play off a year earlier. Two early goals were decisive, as St Kevins defeated them by 2-13 to 1-9.

Earlier in the 2022 championship they had some nice form to their name, beating the likes of Glen Emmets, O’Connell’s and Sean O’Mahony’s, all of which were hard fought affairs.

Looking to 2023, they will hope their time in Division 2 for the past few years will play to their advantage and leave them battled hardened. They have won nine of 15 games to date in Div 2, including three of their four games since the league split.

Roche will be looking to the likes of Mark Byrne, Ger Browne, DD Reilly and Barry O’Hare to do the bulk of the scoring. Who tops this group is probably down to who wins this opening round contest.

GLEN EMMETS 

The final team in this group is 2021 Junior champions Glen Emmets. The South Louth side had a decent showing upon their return to Intermediate last year, putting it up to eventual winners Cooley and beating Oliver Plunketts, before a narrow 1-10 to 1-7 loss to Roche in the Quarter Finals.

Having won back-to-back Division 3A titles, they finally got to sample Division 2 this year. It has been a tough season, the Tullyallen men mustering up just five wins from 16 matches, which crucially was enough for them to avoid relegation.

With the likes of county star Conor Grimes to call upon, plus Ronan Grufferty and Keelan O’Neill, they are not to be underestimated and will pose a threat.