Éire Óg enjoying small ball success

By Shaun Casey

THE Éire Óg camogs and hurlers get their respective Ulster campaigns up and running this weekend and there’s a great buzz around the Carrickmore club, says Aoibhinn Daly.

The camogs were crowned Bridie McMenamin Cup winners last year and having carried that momentum into 2025 as they set their sights on a first-ever Tyrone Intermediate title.

Carrickmore achieved that goal back in September, beating Derrylaughan 1-9 to 1-5, with Daly chipping in with 0-7 of their tally, and they now face Cavan’s Crosserlough in the first round of the Ulster Junior B competition this weekend.

“Last year we won our first Ulster title and then this year our eyes were on winning the intermediate title and we set out at the start of the year to win that and thank God, we did that,” said Daly.

“We have momentum carrying on from last year. We were starting this year in January and February on a high and we knew what our aim was. We reached it and there’s probably still a bit of belief there now that we’re into another Ulster campaign.

“We’ve already made history by getting to this Ulster campaign again and I think the team has belief and getting over the line in the Tyrone Intermediate Championship was definitely a big win for our club.”

That wasn’t the only championship that came to the club this year. The minor camogs also claimed their own championship crown while the hurlers did likewise.

“Obviously the minors have been a great help to us coming into our training as well and there’s such a good vibe because the younger ones really do push everyone on as well,” Daly added.

The hurlers reached the Ulster final back in 2023 but lost out to Donegal side Setanta by three points. They lost the first round last season to eventual champions Carey Faugh’s after a penalty shootout.

They’re back in the competition this year and take on Donegal’s St Eunan’s on Sunday afternoon.

“There’s a great atmosphere this week,” Daly continued.

“It’s a big weekend for us; we’re taking part in the Junior B Ulster and then the men are out on Sunday.

“I have two brothers playing for the senior men and there’s a lot of links between the two teams. Obviously, we’ve both been out training since early January so it’s a big weekend, it all comes down to this.”