Sometimes a favourites tag and the possibility of creating history for your club can weigh heavily on young shoulders, but this was not to be the case on Saturday as the much vaunted Dromintee lived up to expectations to become only the third Armagh side to lift the coveted Paul McGirr Ulster U16 Club Championship when they defeated a spirited but outclassed Errigal Ciaran 3-06 to 0-05 in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd in a resplendent Gardrum Park Dromore.
A stunning display of teamwork, determination and skill saw the Armagh champions build a comprehensive half time lead and hold out to secure the first ever Ulster title for one of Ulster’s oldest clubs.
In breezy conditions both teams made a nervous start and struggled to settle into the game, it took nine minutes for the first score to come via a long range effort from Dromintee centre forward Fionn Toale but this was quickly followed up by the first score of the day from MFC player of the tournament Diarmaid O’Rourke.
O’Rourke, son of manager and former All Ireland winner Aidan, proved a constant threat to the Errigal defence and it was he who claimed the first goal of the game to put his side 1-02 to no score ahead finishing low to the bottom corner from twenty yards after great work by Oisin Byrne who dispossessed an Errigal defender.
The tackling by Dromintee was of the highest quality as they time and time again overturned their opponent’s and this once again proved fruitful in the twenty second minute as a superb tackle in midfield and quick transfer to Odhran Carnegie who had moved into the full forward line saw Carnegie find the open net from forty five yards with Errigal’s keeper Jude Curran stranded after having been involved in the attack. It was a great piece of opportunism from Carnegie much to the delight of the large numbers that had travelled from South Armagh.
With Dromintee now soaring in confidencemidfielder Michael Walker pointed before then the same player was denied by a point blank save from Curran. Errigal captain and centre back Paul McGinley was leading the fight for his side however several missed opportunities from frees and play saw the Tyrone men going in 2-03 to no score at half time.
A strong start to the second half with the breeze at their back was required by Hugh Quinn’s charges and his side emerged with renewed vigour, however their continued profligacy in front of the posts combined with superb defending from Gavin O’Rourke and Tomas Fox in particular meant that Errigal struggled to make inroads into the deficit. Fox was given the unenviable task of trying to stifle Errigal’s key marksman Shea McDermott and he rose to that task magnificently keeping McDermott scoreless from play.
It was McDermott who got his sides opening score converting a forty yard free and it took a superb interception from Gavin O’Rourke to deny Errigal a sure fire goal that they really needed to get back into the game, his interception setting up a lightening quick counter attack from which the silky Fionn Toale got his second point of the game.
The Dunmoyle based boys weren’t going to give up their chance of an Ulster title easily, raiding wing back Michael Mullin stepped forward to hit the score of the game carrying the ball from deep and launching an audacious effort from out on the right wing.
At this stage Errigal were dominating the Dromintee kickouts and heaping on the pressure on the Dromintee rearguard, a great move from Aodhan Quinn and Charlie Maguire saw the latter upended with McDermott converting the free to give their side renewed hope.
It was at this stage that Dromintee’s game management really coming to the fore as they worked the ball out of defence through the hands and Fergus Toale drove forward to set up Conor Laverty for a point into the teeth of the breeze.
Wing forward Maguire pointed from near the sideline for Errigal’s fourth point but the games defining moment came with five minutes remaining, the industrious Walker getting on the end of a superb team move to put Oisin Bryne through to cooly convert the games third and final goal.
Two frees in the final minutes one each from O’Rourke and McDermott were to be the final scores as referee James Lewis who refereed the game to the highest standards blew his final whistle to spark off jubilant scenes marking a historic moment for Dromintee.
Dromintee’s management team of Kevin Toale, Aidan O’Rourke and Stephen Dyas have been in charge of this side from U6 level and the work they have put in has certainly paid dividends much to the delight of Toale:
“This team and what they have achieved is a whole community effort, not just our management team.
“The community came to support us today in great numbers and we are delighted that the lads done them proud, this is the best Christmas present this club could ever get. We have had messages of support from as far afield as California and Australia and all over the states, the response has been unbelievable.
“We were pretty apprehensive going into the changing rooms at half time despite the lead as there was a difficult wind that we were facing into in the second half and we knew that Errigal were going to come at us and they did, we found it very hard to get out but when we calmed down we rectified that. We have been working tremendously hard on our tackling and the players are very disciplined in that regard. We are looking forward to a great night in the town as this has really made Christmas special for Dromintee.’
TEAMS
Dromintee - Calvin Mooney, Conor Dunne, Gavin O’Rourke, Tomas Fox, Michael O’Neill, Fergus Toale, Jarlath O’Neill, Conor Laverty (0-1), Michael Walker (0-1), Odhran Carnegie (1-0), Fionn Toale (0-2), Keane McArdle, Oisin Byrne (1-0), Diarmaid O’Rourke (1-2, 1f), Ronan Martin. SUBS: Scott Harris for Martin
Errigal Ciaran - Jude Curran, Korneliusz Mielniczek, Lorcan McGarvey, Odhran Mullin, Michael Mullin (0-1), Paul McGinley, Aodhan Quinn, Ciaran Mullin, Matthew Hackett, Charlie Maguire (0-1), Senan Canavan, Michael McDermott, Dan Loughran, Shea McDermott (0-3, 3f), Elliot Kerr. SUBS: Ronan Fleming for M McDermott, Lorcan Murray for A Quinn, Jack Kelly for C Maguire, Paudie McKenna for M McDermott, Peadar Kelly for J Curran
Referee: James Lewis (Fermanagh)