Hurling & Camogie

Swatragh gearing up for resilient Carey Faughs in Ulster decider

In the words of Seamus Heaney, born a dozen or so miles from Swatragh himself: “If we can winter this one out, we can summer anywhere.”

Tiarnan McHugh of Kevin Lynch's under pressure against Swatragh in the Derry Senior Hurling Championship semi final match played at Slaughtneil on Saturday Picture: Margaret McLaughlin.
Hungry: Tiarnan McHugh of Kevin Lynch's engulfed by Swatragh in the 2022 Derry Senior Hurling Championship semi final. Picture: Margaret McLaughlin.
By Jack Madden

From the small ball to an oval one, these have been unprecedented times in Swatragh.

Jude McAtamney made Swatragh, Derry and Ireland proud as he slotted a 31-yard field goal for The New York Giants a month or so ago.

And now, come November’s last day, Declan McGuckin’s hurlers will have the Ulster Intermediate Hurling Championship trophy in their eyeline.

The latest AIB club championship ad hits the nail on the head:

“When it’s club, it lasts forever”.

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Or in the words of Seamus Heaney, born a dozen or so miles from Swatragh himself:

“If we can winter this one out, we can summer anywhere.”

Dungiven looked to be the major obstacle in the Oak Leaf championship. It took a sprint finish to derail them. Cahal Murray and Sean Martin Quinn both hit the net in the final five minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Since then they’ve beaten Lisbellaw and Bredagh with a little less fuss but all the same passion.

Carey Faughs Conor McBride whose late goal sealed the Antrim champions win over Castleblaney of Monaghan in Sunday's Ulster Intermediate Hurling semi-final at Carrickmore. Pic by John McIlwaine
Carey Faughs' Conor McBride whose late goal sealed the Antrim champions win over Castleblaney of Monaghan in Sunday's Ulster Intermediate Hurling semi-final at Carrickmore. Pic by John McIlwaine (johnmcilwaine)

For Carey Faughs, it’s been drama all the way. Their Ulster campaign started with a penalty shootout win over Carrickmore, with goalkeeper Steven McGinn in fine form.

Next in store was Castleblayney, and as Storm Bert huffed and puffed, it was Conor McBride in the eye of the storm to sweep through and blast home a match-clinching major.

Eddie McCloskey has admitted that it’s “an added bonus to be at home and on my own ground and all the rest of it”, as Faughs head for his former stomping ground of Loughgiel on Saturday.

He casts the mind back even further to the Antrim semi-final, another that went to extra-time, and a further indicator that his side will wait for the whistle to blow or the fat lady to sing - whichever comes last:

“I think that’s one of the mantras we have as a team, we’ll die in our boots, and we’ll play to the final whistle. It’s never over and we’re never beaten until we are beaten.”

McCloskey is well aware of Swatragh’s pedigree, noting they are the last side outside of Sleacht Néill to win a Derry senior title. For that reason and others, they enter the weekend’s decider as slight favourites.

But the community of Carey have been on the crest of a wave with this side, in a year that has shrouded them in grief on more than one occasion.

And on these dark November nights that know they too can ‘summer anywhere’ in victory.