BY RYAN FERRY

DARREN O’Leary says his Red Hughs team are ‘massive underdogs’ heading into Sunday’s IFC semi-final with Naomh Columba.

There is a real buzz around Killygordon and the Crossroads this week as they club gear up for a big match.

They may have been a big-hitter in the Senior Championship in the nineties but over the last 15 years, it’s been mainly in the Junior Championship where they have been a force.

The Pairc Aodh Rua side haven’t made much of an impact at Intermediate level in recent times but that is different this season.

They have won four of the five games they have played and are feeling good about themselves.

“Since we started out at the beginning of the year, we couldn’t have asked any more of them,” said O’Leary.

“They have been beaten by the last two Intermediate champions over the last two seasons in Termon and Downings so the boys felt they weren’t that far away.

“We’re in a semi-final now but we’re going up against a serious outfit and probably the form team in the county never mind Intermediate.

“We will have our work cut out but it’s something we’re really looking forward to.

“Semi-finals are never easy games but we’re there now and the boys deserve big credit for the work they have put in.

“There are boys travelling down the country from work for training and what not. There’s a serious effort going in.”

Red Hughs defeated Bundoran by 2-9 to 1-8 in a great battle last week.

“It was a good win. It was a real dogfight.

“It was a bad day and everything else. We knew it was going to be tough against Bundoran.

“They have some good players and it’s not that long ago that they were playing Division 1 football and Senior Championship.

“It was great to get over the line. It’s a long time according to people in the club since Red Hughs played in an Intermediate semi-final.

“There’s a good buzz and it was great to see how happy the supporters and the families were after the match.

“It’s a quick turnaround but we’re looking forward to it now.”

Stephen McMenamin scored a goal against Realt na Mara and O’Leary dismissed suggestions that he is injured and has been playing through the pain barrier.

“No Stephen is 100% now.

“He had a wee bit of a niggle with the ankle when he came back after the county season.

“He actually got a three-week break because he wasn’t there for the Milford match when he was on holidays and that break has probably helped him.

“Stephen is ready to go and he’s a great man to have around because he lifts everyone around him.”

O’Leary got a good look at Naomh Columba in their win over Buncrana, and he is impressed with their players.

“We went down to watch them against Buncrana last Sunday evening.

“To be fair to Buncrana they put it up to them and got the squeeze on and that’s what good teams do, they keep going until the bitter end.

“Naomh Columba came out the right side of it.

“Over the last few years, Naomh Columba probably think they should have had it.

“They have been in semi-finals and finals over the last four or five years.

“They seem to have really stepped it up this year and they have some fine footballers.

“You have young Callaghan at corner-forward and Aaron Doherty and the McNerns (Philip, Kevin, and Ryan) – they are all quality footballers.

“We will probably go in as massive underdogs considering where we have come from this year. It’s a big ask but we won’t fear them.”