St Paul’s: No minor matter

Christmas means St Paul’s in Belfast for the top minor football teams across Ulster. Michael McMullan looks at the leading clubs across the competition’s history

Ballinderry 4
1996, 1997, 2001, 2008

THE Shamrocks are one of the two Derry clubs to have won the title on four occasions, with three different teams.

Gerard Cassidy was the star man as Ballinderry saw off Killeavy in the 1996 final and they came back 12 months later to overcome Eglish in the final with current senior manager Jarlath Bell to the fore.

It was a group based on an All-Ireland Féile winning team and would provide some of the key players in their All-Ireland senior win of 2002.

By that point, they added a third title at St Paul’s and returned again in 2008 to etch their name in history with a fourth win.

Glen 4
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

GLEN’S remarkable journey from underage underachievement to All-Ireland champions in January is littered with stories of progression.

The Wattys got their house in order with their coaching of a golden generation. Féile and u-16 titles followed but the minor story accelerated their journey.

With Enda Gormley and Fergal P McCusker at the helm, they were winners in 2011 with Emmett Bradley as captain.

They did it again and again and again until they’d four titles in succession. Ciaran McFaul, Stevie O’Hara and Cathal Mulholland were all winning captains.

Mulholland, Tomás Convery and ace forward Danny Tallon were among those to pick up all four medals.

An amazing run.

Bellaghy 3
1991, 1994, 2018

ANOTHER name steeped in Derry and Ulster club history, Bellaghy have three titles to their name.

Their first two titles came hand in hand with their return to the top in the Oakleaf County.

Derry All-Ireland winner Karl Diamond was their winning captain as the Tones followed Dungiven’s 1990 success 12 months later.

They rammed in the goals against a Gerard Cavlan-led Dungannon in the 1994 final, the same year they were Ulster senior champions.

Players like Paul Diamond, Gareth Doherty, Ciaran McNally, Joe Cassidy and David O’Neill would go on to have stellar senior careers in blue. Damian Cassidy was at the helm for their last success in 2018 with Derry player Paul Cassidy lifting the cup as captain.

Loup 2
1993, 1995

BEFORE Colum Rocks came on the scene, Loup’s underage hadn’t got off the ground.

With the help he got on board; they steered an all-conquering group through the ranks to win two Ulster titles in three years.

It was a group that pulled the senior team from intermediate to senior glory before winning two Ulster senior titles.

They came out of a rivalry with Bellaghy and Ballinderry to win the minor title. In 1993, they beat Crossmaglen in Ulster before seeing off St Eunan’s in the final.

Two years later, with a team not expect to win, Loup were back again and this time it was Johnny McBride – who was led Derry to the All-Ireland minor final – who was captain as they saw off Clontibret in the final.

St Paul’s 2
1982, 1986

THE host club were Antrim champions in 1982 and had the foresight to get the competition up and running into what it is today – the biggest day in the club minor year.

Fergus Donnelly captained the side who beat a fancied Glenullin side before a semi-final win over Newry Mitchells left them in a decider with Scotstown.

It was a belter of a final with the Antrim side coming through 2-9 to 2-4 to win the title for the first time.

Four years on, they were winners again with a swashbuckling performance in the final that saw them hit Enniskillen Gaels for five goals that made all the difference.

Killybegs 2
1984, 1985

DONEGAL have won the competition with Four Masters pushing hard again.

It’s Killybegs who have amassed half of that total with their back-to-back titles in 1984 and ’85.

Managed by former inter-county referee Jimmy White, it was a group backboned by future Donegal senior stars. Manus Boyle, Barry McGowan, John Bán Gallagher, John and Barry Cunningham.

They beat Sarsfields of Belfast in the 1984 final before returning to beat hosts St Paul’s to retain the title.

It was a St Paul’s side that included Anton Rogan who signed for Celtic the following week.

Dungiven 2
1990, 2022

DUNGIVEN are another part of Derry’s decorated history at St Paul’s, a history that stretches to 18 titles, the latest won by Dungiven two seasons ago.

Their earlier success in 1990 has a crop of players who had a smattering of experience in the MacRory Cup with St Patrick’s Maghera.

They had Barry McGonigle, Eunan O’Kane, Ryan Murphy and Geoffrey McGonigle who also had success with Derry minors.

It was a group that formed the basis of a group that pushed on to win the Ulster senior title seven years later.

More recently, the club have got themselves back at the cutting edge of Grade A football in Derry.

With a young side, they looked to have let the 2022 final slip against Four Masters only for a smash and grab to win the title in the dying minutes.

Enniskillen 2
1988, 2017

LIKE Dungiven, Enniskillen’s two successes come well apart at St Paul’s.

Their first game in 1988, at the third time of asking, after losing the previous two finals.

After beating Castlederg on the way, they needed two games to get over Maghery in the final. It took a late John Sheerin goal to seal victory with Gaels’ current senior manager Simon Bradey lifting the cup.

The Gaels lost the 1986 but were back in 2017 with a team that went all the way, beating Ballinascreen in the decider. It was a team that included many of the senior team who claimed their last senior title in 2022.