THE day started badly for Conor McCreesh, but it was to finish in a blaze of glory as Rock made history with a third Ulster Club JFC title.
The St Patrick’s playmaker was eclipsed in the opening half by the excellent Donal Courtney, but McCreesh had a few more tricks up his sleeve. He possessed the strength of character to overcome the frustration, switching roles from creator to lethal finisher, and a move to full forward saw him hit five points and set up a host of scoring opportunities for strike partner Aidan McGarrity.
A gripping decider went all the way to extra-time, but the Tyrone men squeezed home with a 1-12 to 0-14 won over Monaghan’s Blackhill: “It’s a game of two halves, and the boy Courtney had a brilliant first half, but I knew it would take a while for us to get into the game, and thankfully we did,” said McCreesh.
“If you’re playing in an Ulster final you’re going to come up against the best teams, the best opponents. They were very tough in the first half, they set up with a great system, and it took us a wee while to adjust to it. But whenever we did, and we started playing ourselves, we caused them a bit of bother.”
McGarrity laid on yet another masterful display of finishing with a 1-5 haul which included a stunning goal in the opening moments of extra-time. But it was his workrate further out the field that proved equally valuable to his marksmanship, winning dirty ball, turning over possession and using ot cleverly to bring his strike partner into the game.
“That sums Aidan McGarrity up. He’s a brilliant player, I played with him all through youth. He’s been brilliant again in the final, probably man of the match and I’m just delighted for him,” said McCreesh.
Aidan Girvan flew back from Australia in midweek to play in his third Ulster JFC final and, along with fellow veteran Ciaran Gourley, had a massive influence as Rock began to get on top from half-time onwards.
McCreesh admitted he is almost in awe of the commitment of a host of experience players who continue to make huge contributions to the Rock cause: “They were brilliant, and our defence generally, Niall McWilliams. Aidan Girvan came home from Australia for this and it sums up how tight knit a club we have and the players and characters we have,” he added.
Diarmuid Carroll was a colossus around midfield, and epitomised the pride within the group as he ran at the Blackhill defence and thumped over two priceless points: “We went four points up there at one stage, but then that tight finish, and it shows the character in our team, and that makes it all the sweeter,” McCreesh said.
Rock’s gala centenary ball takes place next weekend, with pride of place reserved for the treasured silverware secured during a historic season, and the players will use the occasion for a much-deserved celebration.
“It’s a great feeling to be taking two cups to the gala on Sunday night,” McCreesh said.
Following their previous provincial triumphs in 2007 and 2014, Rock fell short in their pursuit of All-Ireland glory, losing heavily in a final and later exiting at semi-final stage, but this time, McCreesh feels the team of 2016 can go a step further.
“For now we’ll enjoy it, but hopefully we’re not done yet.”
