THE emergence of a golden generation of talented players can bring a few successful seasons to a hitherto unfashionable club before it sinks back into its former state but Ballymacnab’s rise has been built on much more solid foundations.
Years of underage coaching and the painstaking investment of time and resources has allowed the Round Towers to rise from winning the Armagh junior championship in 1999 to a third senior final in the space of two decades.
Success in Sunday’s final against Crossmaglen – a match-up that would have seemed impossible not that long ago - will complete a remarkable collection for the club. Ballymacnab have won all four league divisions in Armagh as well as the junior and intermediate titles – the senior crown and the Gerry Fegan Cup is the only one to elude them.
Former player Neilus Boyle is now the club secretary. He attributes a portion of the club’s success to the hard work of coaches like Jerome McCarthy, John Kelly and Seamus Loughran, all of whom nurtured and developed eager young talents.
“It’s gone from strength-to-strength and it has been because of players coming through and getting proper coaching,” he said.
“This team has been made up by three or four teams that have all come together and then add in the experience of Rory Grugan and Gavin McParland who won the minor All-Ireland with Armagh in 2009.
“We had good players before them but they are exceptional players by our club’s standards.”
The seeds for the current wave of success were sewn at underage level. Ballymacnab were Armagh U16 Championship finalists in 2006, Minor Division Two Champions in 2011 and reserve champions for the first time in 2014.
As the players filtered up to the senior ranks, managers with experience and know-how were brought in to organise and inspire them. Pascal Canavan, Jerome Johnson and Lenny Harbinson all played their part and now former Monaghan minor manager Bernie Murray is continuing their good work.
“Winning the junior in 1999 was like Christmas for a whole year in Ballymacnab for everybody,” said Boyle.
“We never thought in our wildest dreams that we’d be where we are today. Then we won the intermediate in 2006 and they were two completely different teams.
“There were only two lads who started both finals in seven years. When we won the intermediate we thought ‘this is the best team ever’ but then Ryan Kennedy, Rory Grugan, Gavin McParland, Dominic McParland and Jack Grugan came along and it got even better.
“It has just kept going and there has been an awful big dedication from the players over the last five or six years.”
On Sunday, James Gray, a teenager when Ballymacnab won the junior title and a starter in the intermediate-winning side, will line-out hoping to complete a treasured set of medals. Panellists Richard and Joseph Gribben are the others who have featured in all three sides.
Despite their ascension, Ballymacnab will enter Sunday’s final as underdogs. Crossmaglen were far too good for them in 2011 but last year there were only six points between the sides. Can the underdogs master the big dogs at the weekend?
“Cross have always been a senior team and they’re the kingpins, not just of Armagh, but Ulster and Ireland too,” said Boyle.
“We set out at the start of the year to give it a real lash and win this senior championship. We’re going in as best we can and we’ve had a great run beating our local rivals – Armagh Harps, Pearse Og and Granemore – so if we are going to win it we couldn’t have written a better script.”
