Lacken can call upon All-Stars Raymond and Thomas Galligan

THE re-fixed Ulster Junior Championship preliminary round clash will finally get underway today as Doire Trasna of Derry lock horns with Cavan champions Lacken at Find Insurance Celtic Park.

Storm Boelo halted last week’s action, but both sides will be keen to get their provincial campaigns underway, with Armagh’s Ballyhegan awaiting the winners.

Lacken have two All-Stars to call upon, in Raymond and Thomas Galligan, while Doire Trasna will look to their top scorer and former pop star Eoghan Quigg.

Sunday’s quarter-final will very much feel like a home game for Kilclief as they face Fermanagh representatives Newtownbutler at Downpatrick.

The distance between Kilclief’s home ground and the venue for their provincial fixture is just 10 miles away, so manager Conor Sloan expects a decent home crowd to make the trip.

“It’s about 15 minutes from Kilclief so I’m sure there will be a big support there and the boys are looking forward to it,” Sloan said.

“We are well supported with a lot of the local clubs close to us, they’ve all been reaching out so there should be a big crowd there and hopefully it’s a decent day.”

Tyrone champions Fintona are back in the competition, having previously made the semi-finals three years ago and they take on Urris of Donegal at Healy Park, Omagh.

Monaghan’s Drumhowan were in the Ulster Championship two years ago when the lost out to Craigbane after a penalty shootout, so have some experience of the provincial scene.

“We played in it two years ago and knocked out in the semi-final up at Healy Park, that was a mad game,” said Drumhowan skipper Caolan Reilly.

“We were eight points up and ended up losing on penalties so we maybe feel a bit hard done by. We were a young team back then and it’s still sort of the same team now. We have that experience in the locker and hopefully we’ll be fit to utilise it.”

Rasharkin of Antrim stand between Paddy Kelly’s side and another last four date. “We’ll have a look at a couple of videos of them and see what they’re like,” Reilly added.

“We don’t know much about them but they won the Antrim Championship so I’m sure they’re a good side. It’s the beauty of Ulster, you just have to focus on yourself more so than the opposition because we don’t know too much about them.”