Two dates will be written in stone when tracing the journey of the team that secured the clubs first minor championship. The obvious one is Monday September 8th 2025 when Conor Laverty raised aloft the prize the team and the club had been chasing for decades. The other date is July 17th 2017 when the nucleus of the team won a shield at the Downpatrick RGU blitz. It wasn’t to be known or understood then but that would be the trigger for a catalogue of success which would see staging posts including the Under 13 & 15 championships , a National Feile win and a Paul McGirr tournament victory before landing the championship title.
The group were too young to realise how fortunate they were that the recently completed infrastructure project of the floodlit training pitch gave them the basis to hone their skills. As the Chinese testify - “those who drink the water should remember those who dug the well “ and to that end the club note the contribution made by so many families - the Toales, Kilgallons, Fearons, O’Rourkes, Hughes’s, McCoys, O’Neills, McCrinks, McGenity’s, Rices, Tomanys, Tiernans, McArdles, & Martins among others too numerous to mention. It was on the training pitch that the vision and coaching values drawn up by Aidan O’Rourke would be fine tuned. Coaching values based around first touch, aggressive competition for the ball, quick distribution and the manner in which those wearing a blue and white jersey would conduct themselves were the bedrock of each and every training session. Backed by Ray Harris as juvenile chair and chairman Aidan Rice and club executive the foundations for success were laid.
The club mini bus and parental convoy would travel religiously from Dublin to Derry and every lamppost in between as the team sought competition to practice their skills, learn the nature of victory and defeat and the standards required to achieve success. Some may remember and some may not admit but it was the feet of Alanna O’Neill who got them across the line in significant wins at Watty Graham’s in Derry and in Crossmaglen with a single second left in playing time before the hooter. Victory in Ballinderry brought compliments from the renowned coach Adrian McGuckian as the South Armagh lads downed Ardboe and the Moy with ruthless efficiency led by the notable trio of Diarmaid, Fergus and Keane.
School success in the Malachy McGeeney over successive years showed potential was to be realised and the work of Greg McCabe, Wendy McKeown and those across both parish schools showed intent.
The injection of young guns Oisin Byrne, Scott Harris, Ronan Martin, Jarlath O’Neill, Tomas Fox, Charlie Fox, Ollie Rice, Louis Winters, Emmett Mullen and Darragh Bolger fuelled Under 13 success against Clann Eireann at Armagh Harps laying down a marker to the Armagh clubs that the boys were here to stay.
The next significant milestone would go beyond county to national level when Cavan Gaels and Thurles were among those ground down by a relentless workrate in Kildare as the boys captured a National Feile title. Odhran Carnegie set the tempo with Gavin O’Rourke and Fionn Toale providing the finesse.
From Feile the focus moved North to Dromore and the Paul McGirr tournament. Errigal Ciaran fell victim this time around and the boys found their Christmas cheer.
The support of parents was integral to the journey. Hundreds of hours, thousands of car journeys from all quarters and the unwavering support of grandparents including Eamon McArdle, Kevin McCoy, Peter & Sean Toale & Benny O’Rourke.
Malachy & Sinead Byrne at Tievecrom Fuels and Colin & Paula O’Rourke at Topline Motors went above and beyond meaning the boys wanted for nothing. Small but significant incremental improvements from those who gave of their time Wavin, Marty, McKay, Philly, Joanne Martin (yoga), Owen on Strength and Conditioning all adding the 1% to help the boys progress. The mobile sauna The Hot House Sauna proving the pièce de resistance in recent months aiding recovery and building camaraderie.
In all the success the club also acknowledges those who were unable to see the full journey and those lost along the way. Many of the boys lost grandparents and relations in recent years and remember them as this time. Two of those who helped mould the group, ardent supporter Henry McCrink and the guiding hand in Dromintee primary school Bernie O’Rourke made contributions that cannot and will not be forgotten.
Ultimately the club has had players of quality before but the coaching and development of this group lies at the feet of Aidan and Kevin who have moulded young boys into young men, instructing, coaching, cajoling and ingraining all the aspects of life into the boys - the reward for hardwork, the need for endeavour, the spirit that comes with collective effort, the resilience in defeat and humility in victory. Both men ably assisted by Stephen Dyas have given thousands of hours to the group and moulded this band of brothers.
To each and everyone in the parish young and old, sponsor and mentor- whatever your role, driving a car, washing a jersey, tending to an injury, providing a supportive environment or an encouraging word we thank you and we salute you.
To the boys themselves the club would like to express the collective pride of the parish - be proud of what you have achieved, be humble in how you carry it and be ambitious for the platform it gives you. Above all else, beyond the medals and the matches, the pain of defeat and the plaudits of victory we ask you to look out for each other in the years ahead safe in the knowledge you brought enormous pride to your community your families and club.
