Gerard O’Kane: A switch of focus

The runners and the riders for the 2026 Ulster Club Championships have been confirmed. There was a bit of trepidation in some quarters last week with Storm Boleo threatening to knock things back a week with the Derry final closing off around 6.20pm.

That was the final curtain brought down on the club championships internally within counties. What a great few weeks we have had with them.

If someone had of told you that with the weather forecast, that Magherafelt would kick 3-17 on Sunday evening and Newbridge would be within one score of them with 20 seconds on the clock you would never have believed them.

Both teams served up an excellent game of football so credit where credit is due. I think it puts to bed the idea that conservative football can win games too. The more and more we see football, the days of playing conservatively are going further out the window.

That doesn’t mean that everything had to be forward paced all the time at 100mph, or everything is kick, kick, kick. None of the teams on Sunday predominantly employed a kick at all costs attitude but they both did attack with pace where possible, whether that was via kicking the ball or running aggressively through the hands.

There was a nice balance to the game on Sunday which was great for the neutral. I would imagine there would have been a Scotstown contingent in the crowd on Sunday and if nothing else, it would have reaffirmed their belfie that whoever they were to meet in Derry it was going to be something similar to the challenge Newbridge posed to them last year.

As the party was just getting started in Magherafelt on Sunday evening, I would imagine 20 mile away, Edendork might have just been coming to the end of a day three party.

Given their replayed final was on a Friday night, it would give a whole new meaning to the word ‘Monday Club’ had they had an actual Monday club.

While logistically a Friday night final might not be ideal, once it is done and dusted, the lads have the whole weekend to look forward to which would just have been the ultimate for Edendork.

Only one team can win their club’s first ever championship and on Friday night the Edendork lads done that. Both teams put in an almighty shift over the 130 minutes and it looked as though Peter Harte had secured victory for Errigal with a score and time running out.

Fair play to Edendork and in particular Niall Morgan. In that last 30 seconds, he was brave on three occasions. On the kickout he bravely worked it so that Edendork secured possession.

They then won a free and he was calm enough to wait on a hard run rather than just thump it up the pitch.

Finally, after a piece of magic from Conn Kilpatrick, Morgan stepped up with all the pressure on his shoulders from 45 yards. Everyone knew it was the last kick with his team trailing by one.

It’s a kick he must have practiced 100 times over in Omagh with Tyrone and maybe dreamt about having for his club. As the ball floated over the bar and Edendork won the game, the elation was evident for all to see.

I see Niall Morgan himself has since given interviews and he rates Friday night as the best moment in his footballing life and it;s easy to see why.

To be the first from their club is groundbreaking for that group of players and everyone whoever does it always says that wining with your club is something that little bit extra special and I can attest to that.

Now that the weekend has settled, they will have to regroup early in the week as they face Down champions Clonduff in an Ulster preliminary game on Saturday evening.

It is unchartered territory for both sets of players, Clonduff having won their last title in 2000 and with the game live on RTÉ it will be a chance to showcase the Ulster Club Championship in all its glory.

Not to forget Desertmartin in Derry, who won their first intermediate title on Sunday. It means they are now one of only a handful of clubs to have won senior, intermediate and junior titles within the county which is a unique achievement for any club to have beside its name.

They will have enjoyed their few days after Sunday and will have to knuckle down to work again with Ulster looming on Saturday week but no doubt they will give it a rattle as the race to the top begins for all counties again.