Clann na Banna out to end long wait for silverware

By Shaun Casey

IT’S 25 years since Clann na Banna got their hands on some silverware and they’re hoping to end that long dry spell on Friday evening when they come up against Drumgath in the Intermediate Championship decider.

Back in 1999, it was the Junior title that Clann na Banna collected and their current manager Paddy Feeney, who missed out on that glory as a player having made the step up to the senior ranks in 2000, is looking forward to the big day.

It’s Feeney’s third season in charge, and everything has been built towards this very occasion. Even after the semi-final win over Rostrevor, there was a feeling that this team had achieved something worth celebrating.

“We had a few tears as well and it’s just great to see,” said Feeney on the semi-final victory. “It’s been a long time coming, there’s a lot of work going into it.

“It’s been three years working with this group, but it goes beyond that. It’s the coaches with the youth and the underage teams and things like that.

“That’s what this is for, and it means a lot to everybody that’s involved with the club. I’m even getting a lot of messages from local clubs as well so it’s great and hopefully now we can push on and finish the job off.”

They’ve had to do it the hard way and the final is arguably a makeup of a surprise pairing, with Saval and Rostrevor hotly tipped for success long before a ball was kicked. But Clann na Banna have more than earned their spot in the showpiece.

“Looking in from the outside, nobody would have fancied Clann na Banna, but to be honest, in our group and around the senior panel we had other things planned,” Feeney continued.

“We believed we could do it. We had a really good league campaign this year, we just missed out (on promotion) by one point. We know if the lads can perform to the level that they can, they’re a match for any team.

“We’ve beaten An Riocht, we beaten St John’s, and we’ve beaten Rostrevor, and they’re three Division Two teams. We’ve had to do this the hard way to get to the final.

“We’re buzzing about being in the final, but we know there’s still work to do, and we need to try and go out there and finish the job.”