By Niall Gartland

SOME captains prefer to do their talking on the pitch – and Conor Shields certainly cuts the mustard in that respect – but the Clogher skipper must surely be a hugely motivating figure in the dressing room before battle commences.

Shields delivered hugely poignant acceptance speeches in the aftermath of their Tyrone and Ulster Junior Championship final victories, and now he’ll be hoping to get another crack at the microphone on the hallowed steps of the Hogan Stand this Sunday.

Speaking to this reporter in a chilly Carrick-on-Shannon last Saturday afternoon following another blessed day for the Éire Ógs, Shields quipped that they weren’t worried about the possible state of the pitch – he’d have played it on a basketball court in high heels if needs be. He also threw in a line about Luke Littler – yes, winning World Dart Championships is nice surely, but it ain’t playing for your club in Croke Park.

Basically, he’s a very likeable and articulate fella and a credit to his club. He’s also the perfect man to ask about how much reaching a historic (the word barely does it justice) All-Ireland final means for this small club in the Clogher Valley.

Shields, who was part of Tyrone’s All-Ireland winning set-up in 2021, commented: “I ran about Croke Park a bit that year for a warm-up and all that jazz, but Sunday is going to be a career-defining moment – it’s going to be a life-defining moment.

“Our supporters may have stood in Hill 16 on All-Ireland final days, but now we’re going down as a community, we’re going to travel in our hundreds. People will come home from far afield for a game like this. This might never happen again and we’re living the dream.”

On Saturday morning, Tyrone people from across the county woke up to a luxurious but possibly inconvenient blanket of snow. Mercifully, Leitrim was spared so the game went ahead, but Shields said the weather was the furthest thing from their mind.

“I got up and couldn’t even park the car down the pitch because our drive was covered in snow. I probably got a parking ticket because I ended up parking in the middle of town, but you don’t care – occasions like these might never happen again.

“We landed in Carrick-on-Shannon, took a walk around the pitch, it was a bit hard in places, but we’d have played it on a basketball court in high heels. Regardless of the scenario, we were going to give it everything.”

Among the star performers in their 2-13 to 0-9 victory over Kiltimagh, which has set up an All-Ireland final date with Kerry side Ballymacelligott, was their long-serving midfielder Barry McKenna, now only a couple of years away from hitting 40. There are a few more like him.

Then at the other end of the spectrum, you have young Vincent Lowry, who only recently turned 18. Shields said that everyone has rowed in behind each other for the cause this season and that’s made all the difference.

“Big Barry has had his fair share of injuries and could easily have walked away. He said he’d give us another year, and I hope he gives us more, and you see what he did out there (against Kiltimagh).

“He dominated the air, he’s a big physical man and no-one is going to outwork or outfield him.

“Then you look at wee Vincent. Luke Littler’s in three World Darts finals in a row but he’s not playing in Croke Park next weekend and wee Vincent is. I know where I’d rather be.

“It’s some mixture of a team – last year was a bit different, we were struggling for numbers but this year everyone’s bought into it. Somebody steps up at different times and that’s the way it is, an unbelievable outfit and we’re going to back everybody no matter what the scenario is.”

Clogher are flying the flag for Tyrone on All-Ireland final day and Shields is also appreciative of the support they’ve received from neighbouring clubs.

“I think rivalry goes out the window. There’s one club representing Tyrone at the minute, one of the smallest clubs in Tyrone.

“Every time we play a team in the league or championship, they’re our rivals, but when the whistle goes, you can still be mates and take pints with them.

“I’d like to think everyone’s backing us. Errigal got to the final last year and I’d like to think everyone supported them.

“Clogher are the only team from Tyrone left standing, so whoever wants to get behind us, I’ll not mind. We also know our own supporters will back us to the hilt and I’m confident we’ll thrive with everyone behind us.”