Carr driven to do Clonduff proud

By Shaun Casey

SATURDAY is something a little different for everybody. Clonduff are back in Ulster for the first time in over a quarter of a century. Edendork have never been here before.

The two clubs are more or less in the exact same boat says Clonduff joint captain Charlie Carr, who held aloft the Frank O’Hara Cup alongside Stephen McConville three weeks ago.

Carr nailed the all-important goal and finished with 1-2 on county final day as Gearóid Adams’ crew got across the line against Burren.

Inside the four walls of the Clonduff changing room, no one knew what it was like to win a championship title. A few of the older heads could possibly recall the glory days of 2000, but they have long since passed.

When RTE decided to book the Ulster Championship preliminary round clash as their live event on Saturday night, they probably expected a clash of the titans in Kilcoo and Errigal Ciaran.

They’re getting Clonduff and Edendork, two rookies. Two newbies to this level. Two teams that have already created history in their communities and don’t want the hype train to pull on the breaks just yet.

“I know it’s their first ever championship win but, in a way, it feels like our first ever. I know it’s not; it’s our 10th championship but I can’t remember the last one,” said Carr, son of Down legend Ross, who was part of that last Clonduff team to win the championship.

“A couple of the older boys maybe remember snippets but for us and probably the community in general, for a completely new generation, it feels like a new one.

“We’re probably coming into the game in a similar enough position where Edendork will be thinking it’s a good year to get the Down champions and they have come through two big games with Errigal Ciaran.”

For 13 of the previous 14 seasons, Kilcoo have represented the Mourne County on the provincial stage, winning the competition twice.

They went all the way in the All-Ireland race once and reaching the Ulster decider on a further five occasions, including the past two seasons.

It took Clonduff 26 years to get back on top in Down, who knows when they are ever going to return? While they’re here, they plan on enjoying it.

“Now that we are here and we have been back training a couple of weeks, everything is good and we don’t want to go out to just fulfil the fixture for the sack of it,” he added.

“You don’t know, it could be another 26 years before we get back at this stage, you just don’t know. While we are here, we want to give Saturday a real rattle and see how it goes.”

It’s back at Páirc Esler, Newry again, the venue for their last four championship outings. It feels very much like a home game for Clonduff at this stage, but Carr expects Tyrone champions Edendork to travel in huge numbers as well.

“Hopefully we can do enough to get over the line, it’ll be tough but back in Newry, hopefully with a good home crowd, no doubt Edendork will bring a big crowd. It’ll be a great footballing occasion and hopefully we can come out on top.”

Edendork won their first ever Tyrone Senior Championship just last Friday evening, coming through two tough battles with Errigal Ciaran to get their hands on the O’Neill Cup.

A Darren McCurry two-pointer earned Edendork a second crack at the title the first day out, while it was Niall Morgan who sealed the deal in the replay, whipping over a two-point free to see them across the line by the minimum of margins.

You won’t have to tell Carr or his teammates who to look out for when they come up against the Tyrone champions. Clonduff are well aware of the talent they pose in their dressing room.

By the time the two teams line out on Saturday evening, midfielder Conn Kilpatrick could well be Tyrone’s latest All-Star given the level of his performances for the Red Hands throughout the 2026 season.

Kilpatrick won an All-Ireland title with Tyrone back in 2021, as did Morgan and McCurry, multiple All-Star winners themselves. Ben Cullen has had a super season for club and county as well.

“When you have players like Edendork have, (Niall) Morgan (Conn) Kilpatrick, (Darren) McCurry, Ben Cullen, they’re not just good club players,” Carr continued when analysing their opponents.

“You’re talking about men with All-Ireland medals and All-Stars. Any team with boys of that calibre are a massive threat and I’d say they are going into it really fancying their chances.”