It will be a repeat of the Division Two final when Irvinestown take on Belcoo for a place in the semi-final on Sunday.

On that occasion, Irvinestown came out on top after fighting back in the closing stages, and Belcoo Manager Barry Hanrahan is in no doubt that the St. Molaise side are favourites to progress.

“We face a familiar foe in the quarter final. Irvinestown have had a very good season and they have trumped us twice this year already.

“They have the added advantage of playing at home, which is always worth a couple of points.

“They are out and out favourites for this tie, and deservedly so. They have more than earned that tag.

“We will have to be at the peak of our game to cause an upset. I think the whole county will be expecting a home win,” said Hanranhan.

However, he says that they will look to meet the challenge that Irvinestown pose and see where it takes them.

“It’s a very difficult challenge but it’s one we will embrace. It’s knockout football now.

“I suppose all the pressure is on them. You’d never know what might happen,” he commented.

However, Irvinestown Manager Francie Ward is expecting there to be little dividing the sides.

“Belcoo will be well organised, and there won’t be much between the sides, as we saw in the league final. That day, we finished well, but for 15 minutes or so in the second half Belcoo were well on top.

“They have played two Division One sides in the group stages and I think that will help them and they will be sharp,” said Ward.

Irvinestown began the round robin phase of the competition with defeat to Tempo, but they have followed that up with wins over Lisnaskea and then St. Pat’s on Sunday where a late Josh Largo Elis point sealed the win.

“That is something that we have worked on this year – finishing strong – and we’ve won a few games this year very late on,” he said.

Ward was without some key players last week but he is expecting a full hand to select from on Sunday.

“We should have them all back this week and that is what you want, you need everybody,” he added.

Irvinestown will be hoping to make three wins out of four meetings this season against Belcoo and to do so will need big performances from Ronan Ormsby and Josh Largo-Elis while Liam McQuaid at full back is a key figure in their defence.

As well as staying in the championship, Belcoo will have the added motivation of avenging the league final defeat.

To do so, Paul McGrath, Eoin Shiels, and Lawrence McKeown will be driving forces, going forward.

At the back, Gerard McHugh and Niall Leonard will look at marshalling the Belcoo defence and keeping Irvinestown’s attack at bay.

With it now being knockout football and a chance of a place in the semi-final you can be sure neither side will want their season to end just yet.