Rafferty: Ulster title a “massive achievement” for Tullysaran

By Shaun Casey

AFTER the heartache of back-to-back county final defeats, Tullysaran finally got over the line this year and joint-captain Carla Rafferty is delighted that they have added an Ulster Junior B Championship title to their trophy cabinet.

Tullysaran were utterly dominant in the decider, hammering Cavan’s Ballinagh by 28 points in the end, to take home their first provincial title in ten years.

Eimear Hayes was the captain of the team back then and has played a starring role this season, while the likes of Eimear Mullan and Alice Mackle remain a decade on.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling and something we’re all extremely proud of,” said Rafferty, who captains the team alongside Cliona McKenna.

“After the disappointment of losing two county finals in previous years, to come back this season, win the county championship and then go on to win Ulster is probably more than we could have imagined at the start of the year.

“It’s a massive achievement for this group of girls and for everyone involved in the club. A lot of hard work has gone in over the years, so it’s lovely to see that finally paying off. It’s been a brilliant few weeks for everyone involved with Tullysaran.

On winning a second Ulster crown, Rafferty said it was particularly special as they’re a small but tight-knit rural club near the border with Tyrone.

“We’re a small rural club, so achievements like this mean an awful lot to the players, the club and the wider community.

“Some of the girls have experienced plenty of disappointment over the past few years, particularly losing two county finals in a row, so to come back and achieve what we have this season makes it that bit more special.

“It’s lovely to follow in the footsteps of the 2016 team and hopefully inspire the younger girls coming through the club.”

Tullysaran were comfortable on the scoreboard, but it never felt that way on the pitch, according to Rafferty.

“We got off to a good start and managed to build on that, which gave us a bit of confidence as the game went on.

“Sometimes the scoreboard doesn’t fully reflect the effort and intensity of a game, and we certainly had to work hard for everything we got.

“At the end of the day, we were just delighted to get over the line and bring another Ulster title back to the club, regardless of the winning margin.”

Ulster titles don’t come around every year, so Kizzy Hughes’ girls made sure to celebrate their achievement. “The celebrations were brilliant, and rightly so!” Rafferty added.

“It’s not every day you get to celebrate winning an Ulster title, so the girls certainly enjoyed themselves. There was a great buzz around the club and the whole community, and it was lovely to see everyone coming together to celebrate.

“We’ve had our fair share of disappointments over the years, so I think everyone deserved to enjoy the moment. It’s been a special few weeks for the club, and it’s important to enjoy occasions like these because you never know when they’ll come around again.”