By Michael McMullan

SLEACHT Néill had just nine Derry titles to their name when Conor McAllister lined out against Lavey for his senior debut in 2016.

Fast-forward to Saturday night’s triumph against St John’s in Armagh and he added a sixth Ulster medal to his 10 county titles. He acknowledges the perfect timing of a breakthrough.

It also echoes the dominance they’ve had across Derry and Ulster but McAllister was quick to put it into context. The consistent wave of silverware didn’t happen by accident.

After coming out on top of a brilliant duel with Donal Carson, he took time from the Sleacht Néill celebrations to catch breathe and reflect on the foundations.

“It’s a lot of hard work over the last 10-12 years and even beyond that,” he said.

“I’m thinking back to u-12, 14 and 16, on a Friday night, heading down to Loughgiel, Ballycastle and those places.”

Francie Burke, the late Thomas and Bernard Cassidy were at the head of the queue of those driving hurling.

“It wasn’t always glamorous then,” he said, standing in a sea of maroon and white.

“We might have got the odd hammering, but now you see the fruits of that, days like this and days like last year and other times we’ve won Ulster. That consistency is something that’s built up over many years.”

By minor level, McAllister’s Sleacht Néill group had harvested back-to-back Ulster Minor titles in Ballinascreen.

The earlier years were the harsh lessons. Stepping outside their comfort zone brought progress and with it came confidence they could face what Antrim and the rest of Ulster had to offer.

As a múinteoir in Gaelcholáiste Dhoire, McAllister has been coaching teams in football and hurling.

The previous day, in the familiar surroundings of Emmet Park, alongside Ruairí Ó Mianáin, he oversaw their senior footballers as they came through a crunch qualifier game to book a knock-out spot.

All through the game, they calmly instructed their charges, as Gaeilge, to help them over the line. Irish is a strong part of the culture in Sleacht Néill. Saturday and another Ulster title is another cornerstone.

“We’re very, very lucky to live in a very special place, just where we are,” he said in tone that meant more than words themselves.

“With the amount that’s going on between the codes, football, hurling, camogie, ladies football and the different classes and the Irish, it’s a special place to live. I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d want to be to be honest.”

Now 10 years into his senior career, he is quick to point out the input of young players such as Fionn McEldowney and Cathal Ó Mianáin.

The latter, who helped umpire for the Gaelcholáiste game 24 hours earlier, a minor this season, is just in the door of adult hurling.

“Cathal and Fionn, today, they went out to mark Shea Shannon and Conor Johnson, two of St John’s most experienced and two of their best players,” he said of his fellow defenders.

“You see for yourself the job they did, so fair play to them. Those boys came in here with no nerves, with no ego and just get on with it and get the job done.”

It was the same with McAllister at the start, the year after Shane McGuigan made his senior hurling championship debut on Neil McManus in an Ulster final.

“If you’re good enough, you’re old enough, it’s simple as that,” McAllister added.

“It has been like that and Mickey McShane was big on that as well. Shane and Brian (Cassidy) making young debuts.

“In recent years you’ve had Ruairí (Ó Mianáin), Fionn and Cathal obviously. As I say, if you’re good enough, you’ll get a spot on the team.”

McAllister recalls his own debut in the season they made the Ulster breakthrough with the provincial final win over Loughgiel in 2016.

“The timing was good I suppose, winning an Ulster in your first year and that was very special,” he said.

“This is every bit as sweet today, you never get sick of winning, it’s a great feeling.”

Winning a sixth Ulster titles is “surreal” and takes Sleacht Néill level with Ballycastle in second place on the roll of honour.

“I suppose I don’t read into records so much,” he said. “If you had told me when I was 16 or 17, that we’d go on to win sixth Ulster titles, I’d have bitten your hand off for it.

“I suppose the one that’s evaded us is an All-Ireland semi-final win,” he added.

“We have three weeks now and we need to find an extra gear for that, so all eyes will be on Loughrea.

“Yes, we have been close a few times but we haven’t got over the line, so we need to find an extra gear somewhere to close that margin.”