DERRY IFC: Young captain Woods hoping to end Drumsurn's famine

If Tiarnán Woods gets his hands on the Sheridan, Bateson and Lee Cup on Sunday afternoon, he’ll owe a debt of gratitude to his auntie Nuala.

Growing up, he loved sport but soccer took his fancy until a week before the Derry minor trials when Nuala, mother of teammate and cousin Shea Murray, coaxed him into going.

When manager Paddy Campbell named him on his squad, soccer was on the back burner the rest is history. The GAA scene is now richer, especially the Drumsurn dressing room.

The 21-year-old has scored 0-7 in championship football since making his championship debut in Drumsurn’s 2019 win over Slaughtmanus.

His league debut came in a one-point defeat away to a Ballymaguigan team that included current Drumsurn manager Sean Brady.

“He gave Ruairi Rafferty a wee dig and he thought it was me,” Woods laughs, remembering his first taste of senior action.

The youngest of three, Woods’ parents suggested Gaelic football but didn’t insist. They let him pick his favourite and he’d find his own path.

Growing up, kicking a ball was what it was all about. Before school, during school and after school. Richard Ferris’ coaching sessions at school added another layer.

Conor Rafferty, Ronan Rafferty, Shea Murray and Sean Irwin were in his class. Ruairi and Dara Rafferty were also at the school. Tiarnán McHugh, Sean Butcher and Dan McNicholl. A senior team was growing.

While Woods was part of underage Drumsurn teams, he had taken a back seat in Gaelic football with Limavady United’s youth teams becoming the focal point.

“Shea Murray was playing for Derry at underage and his ma was in our house the week before the minor trials,” Woods points out. “I wasn’t even playing for Drumsurn at the time. She told me Shea was going and he’d have to take me with him, she literally made me go.”

After breaking his arm in their Ulster final defeat to Monaghan, he missed their All-Ireland exit at the hands of Meath, but soccer was in the background.

The influx of youth has transformed Drumsurn’s fortunes. Five players with Derry minor experience came in, adding to others. Brothers Cahir and Daryl Mullan. Then you have their cousin Ciaran.

“Banty is unbelievable,” said Woods. “There is not much you can say about him and it’s been like that since he was 16 or 17.”

Speaking after a Drumsurn championship game last year, the former All-Ireland winner spoke how he was energised by the new crop coming in. It was about bedding in and sharpening up their decision making. There was no quick fix. They had to learn on the job.

“We were all in the playground together and training together…we were all best friends,” Woods said of the key to the younger generation’s progression.

St. Matthew's Drumsurn, All Ireland Féile champions 2013 with Tiarnan Woods pictured fourth from left in front row. Woods says 12 of the 15 players are still involved with St. Matthew's senior football. Photo by Mary K Burke

“Even after school, we were playing together and there was a real bond there. When boys were playing, you wanted to be part of it and you were making each other better.”

Numbers weren’t plentiful and the lower age grades was their level in the Drumsurn underage years, but it didn’t hinder them. The cream always rises to the top.

“We were in the C leagues and weren’t in the high divisions, but there was this good strong spine of a team. You just knew once we hit senior, we were going to thrive,” he said.

Despite trailing Offaly side St Rynagh’s in the Division Six final of the All-Ireland Féile, Drumsurn edged the game thanks to a stoppage time Jim McCartney point.

“There is a team picture of us holding the trophy and if there was 15 or so of us, 12 are still on the senior panel now,” Woods points out.

At senior level they’ve been the nearly men. Ballymaguigan (2018), Claudy (2019) and Greenlough (2021) put them at the semi-final stage before losing in the final, with 2020 beaten finalists Steelstown knocking them out in the last eight.

Seen by many as underdogs against Foreglen earlier this month, Drumsurn found themselves 1-7 to 0-3 ahead when the board went up to signal first half injury time only for two goals cutting their interval lead to a single point.

“Marty Plumb (Mullan - selector) heard someone in the stand saying “here we go again”, Drumsurn were going to choke in another semi-final. He said that to us in the changing room and we used it as motivation,” Woods reveals.

It's been a while since 91 ⚪ pic.twitter.com/OoGz416p0F

— Drumsurn GAC (@DrumsurnGac) October 10, 2022

The two goals changed the game, but skipper Woods highlighted and stressed to his side how they had built a lead in the first half. They’d be able to do it again.

It’s in the back of that head, semi-final stigma and another season lost. But they were a year older and a year wiser.

While it wasn’t a major priority the year before, their 2021 league title did bring silverware and instil belief they could dance with the top teams without any inferiority complex.

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Now they’ve a new famine to end. It’s 20 years since their final defeat at the hands of Newbridge, but 31 years since the club welcomed championship silver over the threshold.

“It’s exciting and there is a really good camaraderie around the community and they’re all looking forward to it,” Woods said.

He’s young for a captain, but tuned in. He doesn’t deny Glenullin’s quality.

“Looks. it is on the day,” he concludes. “You could say we’re favourites; you could say they are favourites… it doesn’t really matter. On the day anything can happen and you just hope the luck goes your way.”