By Kevin Herron
Rossa Minor manager Hugh McGettigan revealed that there is a lot of excitement building to his sides clash with Monaghan champions Kilany, in quarter-final of the Ulster minor football championship tomorrow afternoon.
The Shaws Road side travel the short distance to Woodlands to take on Kilany (2.45 thow-in) looking forward to a return to the Ulster stage for the first time since 2015. Two years ago Rossa were comfortably beaten in the final of the U-16 Paul McGirr tournament as Clann Eireann for Armagh claimed a 2-10-0-04 win.
The majority of that side make up Rossa’s minor panel who advanced to Sundays Ulster clash after a 2-13-0-09 win over Aghagallon in the Antrim minor final at Chapel Hill back in October and McGettigan believes it is a great opportunity to test themselves in Ulster.
“We’re really looking forward to playing in Ulster” admitted McGettigan.
“It’s the first time in a number of years; we were beaten by Glen (Watty Grahams) a few years back. They were one of the great Glen teams, Sunday is a great opportunity for the boys to play in an Ulster competition and we’re really looking forward to it”.
McGettigan was surely sweating on this week’s school games with Dominic McEnhill, Eoghan McMenamin, Cormac McGettigan and hero from the final – Matthew Mallon all involved in St. Mary’s CBGS 2-13-1-04 MacRory Cup defeat to St. Pat’s Cavan.
The former Antrim minor boss said that colleges football is part and parcel of his sides preparations and is something that needs to be accepted.
“We’ve had a lot of lads playing schools football” revealed McGettigan.
“Not only for St. Mary’s CBGS but also De La Salle College as well, there are a lot of players playing school football but that is just all part and parcel of this competition. You have to combine the schools and club at this time of year, I just have to accept that. When you enter into a competition it’s just one of the things you have to accept – that’s how it’s got to be”.
McGettigan was full of praise for football in Monaghan, having encountered the Farney County during his spell as U-16 Antrim manager two years ago and expects opponents Kilany to be ‘top class’.
“We haven’t really come up against Monaghan since U-16” said McGettigan.
“They won the minor league last year and were possibly second favourites for the Ulster championship. They beat Fermanagh and then lost out to Cavan in a brilliant game down in Breffni Park; Cavan went on to get into an All-Ireland semi-final”.
“Monaghan football is very, very strong. It has been for the last number of years, so you expect any champions to come out of Monaghan to be top class and that’s what we’re thinking ahead of Sunday”.
Not since Lámh Dhearg back in 2010 has an Antrim team succeeded in lifting the Jim McConville cup and McGettigan paid tribute to that Lámh Dhearg team, insisting they had a key ingredient in that they were an ‘exceptional’ side.
“It’s a very, very difficult tournament to win” McGettigan believes.
“A lot of things have to come together, that particular Lámh Dhearg team were probably exceptional. They had a lot of very, very strong and physical players – added to that they had a couple of really, really good footballers”.
“It was an exceptional team and I think you have to be an exceptional team to win at any stage, never mind win the whole competition. There is a big element of luck in it, you look at last year and Burren were very fortunate to overcome a depleted Dunloy side; that didn’t have a number of their players – including Declan Smith”.
“They built on that and captured the title by beating Kilrea, maybe at the start of the year you would have thought that Kilrea would have been favourites. There is a lot of plausible about the tournament and it is no surprise that an Antrim team hasn’t won it since 2010. The beaten Antrim teams have been considerably stronger this last couple of years and hopefully in the future there can be another Antrim team engraved on the cup”.
This year’s tournament will be played between St. Pauls and Woodlands and McGettigan has no complaints with the shared responsibility of venues.
“It is that time of the year “said McGettigan.
“St. Pauls do a great job getting the tournament organised and they have to keep pitch in pristine condition for St Stephens Day and New Year’s Day in particular. You can never tell what the weathers going to be like; it’s a practical solution to the problem of having the best facilities and pitch when it comes to the final. In the past they have used the Dub and other venues so it’s all part and parcel of the tournament and we just have to accept that”.
Hugh McGettigan on Saffron Gael :
“I’d just like to pay tribute to the staff at the Saffron Gael; they’ve done such a marvellous job for Antrim football. I think every Antrim Gael should come out and support the Saffron Gael in what it’s done for Gaelic football this year. On every occasion, it seems that there has been a representative from the Saffron Gael – a journalist or a camera man at the event. It is a real up side to what’s happening in Antrim football, it is really, really excellent. On behalf of myself and behalf of Rossa club, I would like to thank everybody at the Saffron Gael and wish them all the best for Christmas and the New Year”.