AMAZING what one win can do for a team's confidence

You can argue all you like but right up until they beat Foreglen in a qualifier, even in spite of the fact that they were going well enough in the league, Drumsurn wouldn't have been high on the list of championship contenders. But they stormed into the quarter-finals by plundering 4-10 against a Foreglen side that hadn't failed to make the last eight of the championship in years. Five weeks on from that victory, Drumsurn now find themselves in a semi-final few expected them to be in.

Even in spite of the fact that they'd been such comprehensive winners over Foreglen, they were labelled second favourites for their quarter-final against Ballymaguigan. Perhaps that was on the basis that the 'Quigan would now be warier, that they'd know what was coming. Seems they didn't.

Drumsurn have the bit between their teeth now. You can see it on their teamsheet. Even for an odd championship game over the last couple of years, they wouldn't have been able to get their strongest team out, mainly through work or soccer. But along this run, since they beat Foreglen, this championship has become number one priority.

Half the team is working in England, Scotland or Dublin and of course the fact that they are seldom able to train together as a unit causes problems. Game plans can't be perfected' until match day, Dominic Woods at times can't even be 100 per cent sure of who he's going to have available. That all heightens the scale of their achievement to date.

Rather than systems or tactics, it's fair to say that what they have done up to this point has largely been a product of the natural talent of their players. No one ever disputed the fact that Drumsurn have good players.

So do Craigbane. They have started each of their three intermediate campaigns as a fancied championship winner, but in the previous two, they've fallen in tight games. Last year's semi final defeat to Castledawson was hard for them to take at the end of a season in which they'd slightly disappointing in the league.

They have lost three league games this season but the ultra-tight nature of Division Two this year means that is enough for them to sit in second place, just a point off top side Steelstown.

In championship, they have been the most impressive of the four sides left. They may still share favouritism with Swatragh in some eyes, but that is only tied on the back of Swatragh's potential. If you were to look at what the two sides have done instead of what they threaten to do, Craigbane would be favourites.

They were too good for Slaughtmanus in the quarter-final, even without the suspended Cathal O'Kane, who will return to the number 11 jersey for this game. The likelihood is that the vastly experienced Kieran McElhinney will be held in reserve.

Rory Gormley has been a good asset to them at wing forward throughout this championship but his role could be a very different one this weekend. One of the key strengths of Drumsurn's run to this semi-final has been the form of Paul Butcher from the half-back line. Gormley is most likely to pick Butcher up, and part of the Craigbane man's detail will be to stop Butcher from attacking.

Drumsurn's scoring rate has been impressive. 0-18 against Sean Dolan's, 4-10 against Foreglen and 0-14 against Ballymaguigan is scoring that will win most games. Anything below the 14 point mark on Saturday, they will struggle to come through this game.

They have weaned themselves off a reliance on Ciaran Mullan. He pulls the strings from centre forward but he has scoring forwards around him now. The blistering pace of Cahir Friel was a big addition to their forward line against the 'Quigan, and Ciaran Ferris had an excellent game in the half-forward line. The big plus has been the confidence of Pierce McNickle at full forward. He is playing his best football in years. and Rory Moore will have hi hands full.

But at the same time, Craigbane's forward line can do serious damage. They may play Aidy McLaughlin at midfield again, with the belief that their full-forward Doe can win the game if he and Bliain Gormley are able to dominate around the middle. Gavin Conwell coming out from corner forward as a third midfielder not only gives Craigbane another option at midfield, but it gives them extra cover if either Gormley or McLaughlin go forward.

Lee Moore needs no introduction. Cahir Mullan has been solid at full-back for Drumsurn, one of their best players over the last 18 months, and he is capable of giving Moore his fill of it. Moore will form a two-man full-forward line with his younger brother Ryan.

You could well see Drumsurn play the Mullan brothers, Cahir and Daryl, as their two full-backs, pushing Dane Mullan out into the half-back line and allowing Craig Chewning to follow Gavin Conwell out into the middle in the hope that he can snap up a few loose breaks.

The problem with playing against Craigbane is that they can mix it up so readily. If they can't get the ball into their full-forward line, they have big athletic men around the middle who can run at teams. That's probably where the difference lies between them and the rest of the intermediate division.

Drumsurn come into the game with no pressure. They are surprise semi finalists against the favourites. That's how they like it. They've come to the semi-final the hard way with those superb wins over Foreglen and Ballymaguigan, and they will firmly believe that they will beat Craigbane on Saturday.

But after two near misses, you have to expect Craigbane to reach the final at the third time of asking.

Prediction: Craigbane