Emigration has ravaged clubs nationwide and, despite their unparalleled success, Crossmaglen Rangers have not been immune to the drain on resources.

Crossmaglen 2-19 Garrycastle 1-7

Crossmaglen (Armagh) 0-15 Garrycastle (Westmeath) 1-12

The meeting of the Munster and Ulster senior football champions in Portlaoise brings together the two favourites for the outright title regardless of what happens in the other tie in Longford’s Pearse Park.

Oisín McConville admitted Crossmaglen have been motivated by the comments made by the Dr Crokes chairman last month.

Crossmaglen Rangers 2-11 St. Brigid's 1-11

Crossmaglen 2-9 Naomh Conaill 0-10

JUSTICE Minister Dermot Ahern has said “the best way” for the family of IRA disappeared victim Gerry Evans to have closure, “is if his remains are found”.

AWESOME. If ever there was a sporting equivalent to that meteorological phenomenon known as the perfect storm then this was it. Drom/Broadford just happened to be the poor souls caught squarely in its path.

The orange and white of Armagh may have been cast aside by Oisin McConville after he decided to retire from inter-county action this year, but club football is something he is set to enjoy for the foreseeable future after Crossmaglen Rangers captured their seventh Ulster SFC title yesterday.

A LOT has changed in the last year.

ST VINCENT’S captain Tomas Quinn will be warning his teammates not to take their feet off the accelerator after Sunday’s sensational win over reigning champions Crossmaglen.

IF they sound arrogant they don’t mean too but Crossmaglen make no bones about the fact that, by qualifying for the All-Ireland Club Football final, they believe they are back where they belong.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, there was a certain amount of ring rust identified during Crossmaglen’s Armagh SFC quarter-final against Silverbridge last week.