Tullysaran face into their next challenge

By Michael McMullan

AFTER losing the last two county finals there has been extra hunger and determination in the Tullysaran squad.

It was enough to see them land the silver in Armagh and they now face Ballinagh in Saturday’s Ulster Junior B final.

For joint captains Carla Rafferty and Cliona McKenna, they feel the confidence from their championship journey this season has given the team extra belief.

“We knew we had a good group of girls and were capable of achieving something, but it was just about putting it all together when it mattered,” Rafferty said.

Their efforts through the year have paid off and winning the Armagh title, after the knock backs, has meant a lot to the squad.

“For some of us who have been playing for a good few years, winning that county title meant an awful lot,” Rafferty added.

“We’ve had our fair share of disappointments along the way, so to finally get that reward was something special. To now find ourselves preparing for an Ulster Final is just brilliant.”

There has been no secret this season or one lightbulb moment that turned them into champions. If there is one word, persistence encapsulates their change, combined with the lessons from defeat.

“They’re honestly a great bunch of girls,’ McKenna outlines of their squad.

“There’s a real mix of ages, from the younger girls coming through to a few who have been about a bit longer.

“There’s always plenty of craic and slagging at training, but when the work needs done, everyone puts the shoulder to the wheel.”

It’s a close-knit group with some of the younger girls who looked on as fans in previous years now on in the inside and part of the group.

“Camogie is going really well in Tullysaran at the minute,” Rafferty added.

“There’s a lot of great work being done right through the club, especially with the younger girls coming through.

“We’ve plenty of dedicated coaches, committee members and volunteers who give up so much of their time, and they deserve massive credit for everything they do.”

The senior group have noticed the number of underage players coming along to watch. They hope it will inspire the next generation of senior players.

“For a small club like ours, these are massive occasions,” McKenna stated.

“It’s lovely to see the whole community getting behind us. Hopefully it’s something we can build on and that there’ll be plenty more days like this for Tullysaran in the future.”

In the short term, there is an Ulster title up for grabs and an All-Ireland semi-final against the Leinster champions in late October.

There is excitement but also realism of a Ballinagh side and what they can bring to the table.

“It’ll take a massive performance from every one of us, but we’ve worked hard to get here,” Rafferty said.

“We certainly don’t want to just make up the numbers. For some of us, we’ve been playing camogie for a long time and you never know how many opportunities like this you’ll get

“We really want to make the most of it. It’s even more special getting to share the occasion with the younger girls, who hopefully have plenty more big days ahead of them.

“We’re determined to give it everything we’ve got, enjoy the occasion and hopefully do ourselves and the club proud.

“The support we’ve had from everyone around Tullysaran has been unbelievable, and it would be something very special to bring an Ulster title back to the club.”