fonaCAB St Paul’s Ulster Minor Tournament semi-final: Clann Eireann v Magherafelt (Sunday, 1pm, St Paul’s)
Back in 2015, Ódhran Lynch and Conor McCluskey were among the Magherafelt contingent at St Paul’s. They’re still young men. The future is bright, with the likes of Eoin McEvoy now thrown into the mix.
As a minor, you don’t have to wander too far from the O’Donovan Rossa gates. Potential is one thing, but the product of hard work is there for all to see in physical form.
Ciaran Higgins knows his side idolises their elders, even as they rub shoulders in the gym. And the shoulders of his minors have grown in stature to carry the weight of expectation, back for a second bite at the St Paul’s cherry.
Last year, the preliminary tie against Four Masters was as good a game as you’ll see at this level. With such drama comes a bitter pill for one side or the other:
“Last year was massively disappointing. To play well and not get over the line was heartbreaking.
“We’ve made it to a first semi-final since 2010, so hopefully on Sunday we can go one further.”
Captain Rory Small equally described that defeat last year as ‘heartbreaking’, although it shows how the skipper has grown in that he and his side are using it as motivation this time around.
So far, it’s working.
‘Development’ is a word his manager Higgins uses a few times. In Magherafelt they’re doing something right, with Cahir Spiers, Conall Higgins and more backboning teams at Danske Bank MacRory Cup and All-Ireland level as Derry continue to dominate the underage scene.
Goalkeeper Karl Campbell is a lesser heralded name that has been in fine form.
The club’s latest success came in the Paul McGirr Cup final last weekend, with the Oak Leaf outfit now having the opportunity to complete a historic double and U16 and minor level.
Magherafelt have won three of the last four minor championships in Derry. Before that they only had four in their history.
Four ever, versus three post Covid. So what’s changed in this group since 2023?:
“I suppose physical development is the obvious one, these guys were U17 last year, but they’ve really stepped up physically in that 12 months.
“It’s a different level, and all teams have really improved. We’re very lucky that our guys have been exposed to a high level with MacRory football and strong schools teams.
“We have eight All-Ireland winners at minor level, and playing on days like those only enhances their development.”
“Before 2021 we only had four minor championships in our history, and Dungiven won Ulster in 2022, so to win back-to-back U16 and minor titles shows a huge change.
“I think our guys are great prospects and they know where we can go as a senior team. They’re in the gym constantly with Ódhran Lynch, Conor McCluskey, Eoin McEvoy.
“They’re in that company.”
With those eight All-Ireland winners and 13 Paul McGirr medallists in a panel of 30, it’s a squad that knows how to eke out the win on the biggest occasion.
Which perhaps makes it surprising that the U16 Ulster was Magherafelt’s first provincial success of any description, a feat they are immensely proud of.
Their opening St Paul’s win over Antrim’s St Brigid’s had to be ground out. In Derry too, the likes of Dungiven, Lavey and Ballinascreen were all strong.
Just winning that county title was “one of the most pleasing aspects” according to Higgins, but they’re not finished just yet:
“We now want to represent Derry as best as we can. Clann Eireann are very strong, as they’ve shown in getting out of Armagh. They’ve had a great run this year.
“I saw them in the Armagh final and saw them again against Irvinestown. They’re strong across all areas, but particularly up front, so we’ll have to be at our best.”