Desertmartin embark on maiden provincial journey to face Donaghmoyne
The St Martin's men ready themselves for an away battle at Inniskeen after securing their first Intermediate crown.
Recently crowned McFeely Group Derry Intermediate Football champions Desertmartin will embark on their maiden Ulster campaign this weekend, with Monaghan champions Donaghmoyne awaiting the Yellas at Páirc Grattan, Inniskeen, on Saturday afternoon.
The St Martin’s men overcame Greenlough in the Derry Intermediate final to finally get their hands on the Sheridan, Bateson and Lee Cup for the first time in the club’s history, having suffered heartbreak in five previous county finals.
Manager Sean Brady was part of the Ballymacguigan side that inflicted Desertmartin’s most recent final defeat, back in 2003. This time, however, there was to be no repeat, as his charges powered their way to an impressive 0-17 to 1-11 victory over Greenlough at Find Insurance Celtic Park, with Ryan McEldowney finishing with a heroic tally of 0-7.
Now, the Yellas face a formidable challenge in the shape of Donaghmoyne, with both clubs riding the crest of a wave after securing a famous double. The Desertmartin ladies’ team were crowned Derry Junior A Football champions in September, although their Ulster campaign was brought to an end by Sperrin Óg at the weekend.
“The club is really buzzing. The girls unfortunately lost an Ulster Junior semi-final, but to have both of your senior teams training at the end of October, you’re doing something right. The buzz around the club is unreal; I’ve never seen anything like it. The homecoming was brilliant.”
“Relief is the biggest word, but we always knew that we had the players to compete at the top table. In fairness to the boys, they handled it really well. From the minute we got on the bus, we were so relaxed. We knew that we had done the work. I knew that the boys were well able to handle the occasion.”
Donaghmoyne will pose a huge challenge for the Yellas, with the Derry champions facing a trip south to Inniskeen to take on the five-time Monaghan senior champions. The Fontenoys have completed a similar double of their own, with the ladies’ team securing the senior football title before the men backed it up with an intermediate crown. Their minor footballers also reached the county final, only to be beaten by Aughnamullan.
In many ways, the emerging golden generation in Desertmartin are already in dreamland, and an Ulster campaign represents something of a bonus for Brady and his charges. However, with some exciting talent at their disposal, the St Martin’s men will be determined to make their mark against the Farney men in what promises to be a compelling encounter in Inniskeen.
“Donaghmoyne are probably the favourites for Ulster. We know how strong Monaghan football is. They are a big physical side with quality all over the pitch. We’ll have to go into their own backyard down in Monaghan to try and claim something, but look, the boys are going in in good shape.”
“We’ve regrouped after the championship, and we’re going down there full of hope. We enjoyed ourselves and regrouped last Wednesday. As great as it is to win in Derry, we’d love to kick on now in Ulster.”
“We’ve won Derry now, and Ulster, in a way, is a free hit. If we’re beaten, we’ve still had a great season. If we win, then we can start to think about maybe an Ulster final. We know we've got a big task. We’re just going to take it as it goes, give it our best shot and see how we get on.”