'We will be on one side of the Hill they will be on the other'

School is often the only place where many Newry pupils play together on the same side [BBC] After upsetting hot favourites Donegal last week, Down have reignited an age-old rivalry when they take on Armagh in the Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final this Sunday. The game in Clones is expected to draw a huge crowd, but this rivalry goes much deeper than one day. If you want to understand the origins, the best place to go is Newry where the city is is divided between the two counties – with south Down on one side and south Armagh on the other.

This is a place where people from both counties live, work and socialise together. But because of the county-based structure of Gaelic Games, school is the only place where they play together. Match mayhem This year Abbey Grammar in Newry won the MacRory Cup - the Ulster senior school's championship - with a squad comprised half of Armagh players and half Down.

Ahead of Sunday's match the school held a colour day, with the playing fields a flood of red and orange, the county colours. Daniel McKernan from Down was one of those winners, he said the build-up has "been mayhem". "The lads are looking at each other knowing that come game time we are going to be on one side of the Hill (at Clones) and they are going to be on the other with the two counties going at it on the pitch.

" His teammate Michael O'Neill is from Armagh, and, because of previous results against Donegal, he is glad not to be facing them. "I was happy to see Down beat Donegal to be honest but I'll be against them now. " His fellow countyman Diarmaid O'Rourke was less diplomatic.