Ulster Club SFC: Newbridge have their ‘eyes on the prize’ – Conor Doherty

Conor Doherty says Newbridge had their “eyes on the prize” in Ulster this year as they booked their place in the semi-finals with a six-point win over Madden in Armagh.

Last year, the Derry champions fell at the first hurdle to Orchard County representatives, Clan Eireann, but after retaining the county title, ambitions for 2025 are even greater.

Newbridge got the ball rolling with a preliminary round win over Dunloy last weekend and carried that momentum onto the sports fields on Sunday.

Although he is well aware that the challenges will only get tougher, Doherty is happy to play in the semi-final against Scotstown on the weekend of November 22-23.

“If you had told us that at the start of the year, we would have cut your leg off,” he told BBC Sport NI.

“This is a competition we have a real appetite for and we’re really pleased to keep moving forward with it.

“It was new territory for us last year and we shocked everyone with what we did, but I think we had our eyes on the prize earlier this year after the celebrations.

“The game (against Dunloy) stood up to us and it was good to dust off the cobwebs. That was another test and Scotstown will be a different animal again.”