By Kevin Herron

Antrim ladies minor captain Kerry McConville has missed out on so much as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic but is delighted to be working on the front-line to assist people in these troublesome times.

The St Paul’s defender should be preparing for her A-Level exams in the coming weeks but instead is working in a pharmacy to ensure that the most vulnerable in society are being catered for and revealed it is helping her tick over in such uncertain times.

“I think getting out of the house and going to work is keeping me ticking over and not just sitting around the house all day” she reflected.

“In work I’m experiencing the actual impact of coronavirus and that’s giving me help out of it. Because we’re not training at the minute- I’m going out running to keep myself ticking over and doing Zoom classes with my team-mates every Monday. It’s good as well”.

The 17-year old was named captain of the Antrim minor ladies squad this year but only got to skipper the side for one game but hopes that Ulster will decide to change the age ranges next year- giving the team another year together.

“It was a really good opportunity to be captain this year” she believes.

“It’s just unfortunate that what has happened. I was only able to captain the team in one match. I’m hoping that the age range might change next year. Ulster have been reluctant to change it, but a lot of the provinces down South went with 15s and 17s and hopefully Ulster decide to carry it through so we can all get another year together”.

Although one positive for McConville was getting to make her senior debut this season against Leitrim under the watchful eye of Dad [Damian] who admits he was reluctant to draft her in on the day.

The conditions in the match where I made my senior debut was really bad and it was a mad experience – but good to get that and play alongside some brilliant girls in the senior team” admits Kerry.  

Dad [Damian] gives his perspective –

“Kerry’s last year was a smashing year” said Damian.

“She won her first county medal, won an Ulster medal and got to an All-Ireland final and to be named captain of the County minor team – and a team I’ve had nothing to do with. I’ve never given her priority in a team that I’ve coached with her- I’ve always been harder on her than anybody else and it’s probably stood by her at this stage. For somebody else to come in and take the minors and ask her to be the captain- it’s as proud a moment for me than it is for her. Somebody else is seeing the effort that she is putting in. It was always my fear that people would think that she was only making teams because of me- I was reluctant to bring her into trainings and the day we went to Leitrim I had to drag her out of bed. I’d no intentions of bringing her but we were stuck. I think’s its stood by her and I think she’s hitting her peak at just the right time”.

As well as missing out on the sport she loves – Kerry, her friends and other upper sixth students missed out on their last opportunity to say goodbye to each other and teachers in school and sit her A-Level exams. Furthermore her up and coming driving test on Monday past was shelved along with a holiday to celebrate her 18^th birthday next month as the teenager explains.

“Working over these past two years for that and for it all to be for nothing is mad” she reflects.

“You plan all the get togethers for the leavers mass and even the hoodies we organised to get- we weren’t able to get any of that. I was meant to do my driving test on May 4^th and I passed my theory test first time so I was looking forward to doing it. But I can’t wait to do it eventually and hopefully I’ll be able to pass it first time around. I was also meant to go on holiday for my 18^th birthday on June 17^th and we’ve had to shelve those plans – but I’m sure we’ll make up for it all whenever lockdown is finished and we’ll be able to safely go out and socialise again”.

But Kerry is adamant that social distancing must take priority with her grandparents on each side of the family having underlying health issues and her father’s friend [Niall Murphy] struck down for a number of weeks by the illness.

“My Granny and Granda’s on both sides have underlying health issues and we know how important it is to be isolating and how serious the virus actually is” Kerry emphasises.

“My Daddy was telling me about his friend Niall Murphy – he was seriously affected by Covid-19 and that really opened my eyes to serious and worrying it really was. It sort of put things in perspective that your health is the most important thing. It’s also crucial to keep your mental health right and keep positive. It’s very important as well”.

Extract from “Down the lane” on 1994 Minor Championship winning side.

Hopes realised

At the weekend we featured the achievements of Sean Stinson’s in winning the 1995 Minor Football championship at a time when South West sides were beginning to dominate a grade where South Antrim clubs had dominated for years.

I have fond memories of attending underage games and reporting on them during this period and games between Rasharkin and Stinson’s around this time were riveting contests with very little between them. Back in Novemeber I attended the Rashakin dinner in the Elk Bar and spoke to some of the players and management of the 1994 team who were special guests at that dinner and it was clear just how important a part that win played in the club’s history.

Today however we take a look back to Rasharkin’s breakthrough in 1994 and their achievement of lifting the Minor Football Championship in a year where they dominated juvenile football in the South West. Former Rasharkin player and Ballymena Guardian reporter, Jim Smyth attended the game and this is his report.

While 1994 had its share of disappointments for St. Mary’s Rasharkin; for the underage teams it was, undoubtedly, the most rewarding year in the history of the St. Mary’s Club. The U-14, U-16 and minors all shared in the glory of underage Divisional title successes. The pinnacle was reached on 29th September courtesy of a stylish and emphatic victory over Lamh Dhearg in the County Minor Football Final. The minors had begun the season with high expectations based on the previous year’s Laverty Cup success and their claims were further strengthened with an unbeaten run on the way to winning the 1994 South-West League competition.

Their Championship campaign got under way at Shaw’s Road with a convincing first round win against McDermott’s. St. Enda’s provided little opposition in the quarter final played at Casement Park where a facile 6-20 to 1-4 victory set the scene for a semi-final encounter with Championship favourites, St. Paul’s. The Shaw’s Road team had dominated the competition in recent years but were rocked by two goals from Barry McMullan and one from Denver O’Boyle which saw the Dreen lads run out deserving 3-14 to 1-10 winners.

The Final, against Lamh Dhearg, was played at Casement Park on September 25th and would be the Club’s first appearance in a decider since losing to Rossa in 1967. On this occasion, the St. Mary’s team took the honours after a superb team performance. Former St. Mary’s player, Jim Smyth, reflected on a memorable afternoon in his weekly Guardian column:

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Rasharkin are the Champions

MFCF Final

Rasharkin 2-10 Lamh Dhearg 0-6

By Jim Smyth

“‘We are the Champions, we are the Champions’, was the cry of exuberant youth, as the St.Mary’s Minor footballers, and every juvenile in the village, did the lap of honour in Casement Park on Sunday afternoon. Indeed, it would have been hard not to feel proud of the young men and, as a former Rasharkin player; it did feel good to see an excellent bunch of players rewarded. From the moment Ryan Dunlop put Alan McNeill through on a dashing solo run from the throw-in, there was never any doubt about the outcome of this game. This indeed was a class point and what a pity they didn’t avail of eight easy chances they missed in each half. Sixteen more points perhaps would have been the difference in the sides. There were anxious moments on the side-line when Mickey Smyth scored for Hannastown in the fourth minute and when Ryan Dunlop’s sixth minute free was wiped out by an Eamon McCloskey Lamh Dhearg point. Barry McMullan, from a free in the eleventh minute, put Rasharkin ahead again to be caught but it was frustrating to watch absolutely brilliant fielding and constructive approach play breaking down. Still they lived through the misses and Ryan Dunlop, a player of excellent ability and still a Minor next year, got number four with six minutes to the break. Ryan McAleese got the fifth and Dunlop secured a 0-6 to 0-2 interval lead when he pointed from a free. A recurring hamstring injury saw the brilliant centre half-back, Paul Hasson, take up full-back duties and the equally polished full-back Declan O’Boyle go to the left corner. But perhaps the move of the match, and a game won at that, was switching corner back Aidan Dunlop to full forward where he demonstrated good skills, something defenders find hard to do when asked to put scores on the board and Dunlop did manage to get one. But for me the heart of this side was the “Bermuda Triangle” the McNeill, McAleese, Dunlop triangle in the middle of the Park, was as threatening to the Hannastown side as the Bermuda three-sided figure was to both ships and aircraft. These three, along with Barry McMullan, were the nucleus of the best Minor football team I have seen in a long time. “After the restart there was another lapse in concentration but nothing of major concern. Tony Stanley and Paul McCabe put a couple of points on the board, Rasharkin replying with only one from Aidan Dunlop for a 0-7 to 0-4 scoreline. The punch-line came in the thirteenth minute of the game when corner forward Denver O’Boyle experienced a half minute of football he will never forget. Accepting an Aidan Dunlop pass he beat the Hannastown keeper all ends up and then, from the kick out rose high to punch home a long speculative midfield lob. This certainly, from a Rasharkin point of view, was wonderful to savour and instantly there was an air of calmness among four restless sideline officials! Certainly these goals clinched it for the Rasharkin lads and, what remained was simply playing out time. Hannastown got a couple more points from Paddy O’Hara (15th) and Mickey Smyth (18th) while Rasharkin finished in a flurry, Ryan Dunlop pointed a 45 (20th), Barry McMullan converted a free (23rd) and left-half forward, Owen Quinn, making a name for himself with the final point in a top class game. I’m told Rasharkin didn’t play as well as they can. What they did pleased me greatly but what a pity so many excellent chances were missed. Quite honestly they should have won this game by at least another dozen points. Congratulations lads on an absolutely excellent job.

“Rasharkin – Mark McFerran, Chris Hasson, Declan O’Boyle, Aidan Dunlop (0-1), Shane Doherty, Paul Hasson, Donal Doherty, Alan McNeill (0-1) and Ryan McAleese (0-1), Brendan McCamphill, Ryan Dunlop (0-4), Owen Quinn (0-1), Paul McMullan, Barry McMullan (0-2), Denvir O’Boyle (2-0). Sub: Jonathan Doherty for Paul McMullan.”

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Scenes of unrestrained joy greeted Michael McLaughlin’s final whistle and the presentation of the Minor Championship trophy to team captain, Barry McMullan. Rasharkin went on to claim their third trophy of the season and preserved their unbeaten record with a closer than expected win over Ballymena in the Laverty Cup Final. The All Saint’s team put up a tremendous battle in an effort to lift the trophy and were only denied by injury time points from Ryan Dunlop and Barry McMullan. The final score was 2-14 to 4-6.

The minor’s first foray into the Ulster arena saw them record a convincing 2-13 to 1-9 win over Armagh champions, Silverbridge, in the Ulster Club Minor Football Championship hosted by St. Paul’s Club in Belfast. Rasharkin dominated the first half and reached the interval 2-8 to 0-3 ahead. While the South Armagh side did stage something of a comeback, St. Mary’s held on for a 2-13 to 1-9 win. A memorable season ended on a disappointing note on Boxing Day when they lost 3-18 to 0-4 to Derry Champions Bellaghy in the semi-final.

The 1994 minor side was managed by Sean McTaggart and Mickey McAleese, ably assisted by Dan Doherty, Stanley Dunseath, Anthony McMullan and Mickey Hegarty.

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