By Michael McMullan

THIRTY-FIVE years after his father Mickey won a Hogan Cup medal, Rian Collins is bidding to follow in his footsteps on Monday at Croke Park.

The Lavey defender has made a name for himself as a quality marker who was part of last year’s All-Ireland minor team.

Now, the colour of the jersey is different, but there is quality in every line in a St Patrick’s, Maghera team who are aiming for the school’s sixth title.

“It’s unreal, there’s so many good players,” Collins said of his team. “Every time you’re playing, you’re playing with and playing against some of the best. You’re always getting better.”

Below the surface, there is a team spirit and a willingness to work that has propelled Maghera all the way to Croke Park.

“There’s a serious lot of work done behind the scenes that you don’t see,” Collins said of the efforts of the management team of Willie McAteer, Sean Marty Lockhart and Chrissy McKaigue.

“The video analysis and the clips we’ve all watched,” he pointed out. “When we played in the MacRory final against the Abbey, they obviously had a number of good forwards so we had our homework done.

“We knew what foot they used and things like that.

“You watch a few clips of them and you know what their tendency to do. A lot is done to help us on the pitch.”

On the other side of the coin, the Maghera camp are always combing for ways to improve their own game and it’s paid dividends.

There are having defining moments. Turlough McHugh’s goal to turn the MacRory quarter-final against St Mary’s, Magherafelt.

The half-time turnaround in the final and their response to Ben Murphy’s goal for Mercy Mounthawk in the last game.

That’s been Collins’ take away point from this season to date. No panic. They stand shoulder to shoulder.

“It’s been the togetherness we have through it all,” he said.

“Even in the tough games, where you’d be down, you just join together and become stronger. It really does work because we’re that close as a group.”

There is the excitement in the school. Both the senior and junior camogs have reached All-Ireland finals, the latter creating history by winning a first national title to join the hurlers and footballers.

Collins can recall hearing some of the teachers rocking into their Hogan semi-final before half-time having cheered the camogs to glory before hopping into the car. Two big games on the same day. A busy Saturday.

“It (the camogie win) definitely contributed because it was the whole school getting better and winning and here it was, our turn to win,” he said of the boost from hearing of their All-Ireland success.

The only time Rian Collins was on the Croke Park sod was half-time in National League finals when Derry were climbing the divisions. Chrissy McKaigue was the Oakleafers’ captain that day. They’ll hope for more of the same on Sunday.