Clogher ready to make Ulster bow after previous timing issue

By Barry O’Donnell

THE launch of the Ulster Junior Club Championship in 2001 came the season after Clogher won the last of their county titles, so this Sunday represents a bit of history for the Eire Ógs as they step onto the provincial stage for the first time.

The newly-crowned Tyrone champions travel to Owenbeg to tackle Derry side Slaughtmanus in the opening round hoping to carry their form from the county final into this new venture.

Clogher dispatched with Drumragh in impressive fashion a fortnight ago at Healy Park in the Tyrone decider, the likes of Conor Shields, Ciaran Bogue and Marc McConnell producing dynamic individual displays on the evening.

Forward Ryan McCaughey also more than played his part in their success, chipping in with two points. His physicality and astute link-up play provided an outlet for the side during their successful championship campaign.

The 27-year old is all too aware of the indelible mark that Tyrone sides have left on the Ulster Club stage at junior level over the last two decades, especially the likes of Rock (three wins) and Stewartstown (two wins).

He would love the Eire Ógs to replicate the glory that other teams in the county have savoured.

“We celebrated like we should do for a few days after the county final before getting back to the grind to set a new target.

“We are away to the Derry Junior champions and they are always quite competitive at this level when they get out of their own county so Slaughtmanus will be no different. We will study them no doubt and see what we can do.

“But this is a new challenge for us. Clogher don’t play too often in the Ulster Championship so we will be dead keen to give it a go. We’ve all seen what it meant to other Tyrone clubs down the years to go on a run so it would be great if we could do the same.”

Reflecting on the nature of their 1-21 to 0-12 victory over Drumragh, McCaughey admitted that it was satisfying to hit their peak performance levels in the biggest game of their season.

“It’s absolutely massive for the club. We waited eight years to get another crack at the final so to put a performance in like we did means everything.

“To go back up at the first time of asking was the aim and to win the championship means everything to the people of Clogher. We were over the moon with the result and performance.

“We were disappointed with our performance against Clann na nGael ( in thequarter-final). We knew we had to pick it up again for Strabane and then again for the final and we managed to do that.

“We knew that there was a really big performance in us so to bring it to the final was great.

“There is no better day or stage to peak than that.

It had been a quarter of a century since Clogher last landed the Tyrone Junior Championship crown and McCaughey admitted it was special to join that previous squad in the club’s history books.

“We have plenty of time left yet to maybe win more but we know around Clogher what that victory in 2000 meant to them.

“We heard from them in the build-up to the Drumragh game what it meant and still means in terms of the bond they shared so for us to repeat that is unbelievable.

“To be part of Clogher history as a championship-winning team, nobody can take that away from us. That’s a great feeling.”

Check out this week’s preview with Gerard O’Kane, looking ahead to the Ulster Club Championship.