McGUIGAN HOLDS HIS NERVE

Masita Hogan Cup Semi-Final – Reaction

McGUIGAN HOLDS HIS NERVE IN HEAT OF BATTLE

In the middle of the crumpled yoghurt pots and empty plates at ‘the corner table’ in Owenbeg canteen the banter was never far away.  
The same characters sat round scoffing their post training snacks as Derry minors went on a memorable championship run.

The laughter was always in full flow and two central to the ‘craic’ were Shane McGuigan and Francis Kearney.  Friends, neighbours, club rivals and as thick as thieves.    Bessbrook will never want to meet them again. 

Shane scored 2-4, two of the goals were setup by Francis who scored 1-1 himself and also had a hand in Paddy Quigg’s goal.

Last Wednesday around the half three the Brewster Park scoreboard didn’t make pleasant reading going into stoppage time, Summerhill 3-10 Maghera 1-13, it was time for the deadly duo to work their magic.

In the dying seconds of the game McGuigan was fouled in the process of scoring the equalising goal and McKenna awarded a penalty.  Kearney took the responsibility of the kick and the sides were level.  McGuigan now had a chance to win it.

With the crowd in silence and those following on twitter there was tension.  McGuigan didn’t show it but admits to feeling the pressure.  He had watched Paul Bradley in this situation on countless occasions.  Now it was his turn in the pressure cooker.

He also had delivered a masterclass in Brewster Park last summer for Derry so the venue did hold positive memories.  With 1-7 already notched beside his name you wouldn’t have wanted anyone else standing over the kick.

“I was extremely nervous, because I knew this would win us the match and I didn't want it to go to extra time but I was also confident taking it at the same time.  I stuck to my normal free routine and thankfully it crept over.”

This season has had it’s fair share of peaks and troughs as McGuigan outlines. “We have been in losing positions before. In both MacRory quarter and semi final games we were six points down and came back to win both matches.”

What does it take? “We have a great team spirit and everyone believes in our own ability. We knew if we stuck to our game plan that it would work out and thankfully on the day it did.”

In the aftermath anyone with the energy to still speak struggled to put the game into words never mind the last few seconds.  McGuigan gives us his thoughts on the game.

“It was a very tough game that will stand by us going into the final. Summerhill are an excellent team that were set up well and we knew the challenge that faced us.”

“At times we when we were ahead we probably took the wrong option, but to come back after conceding two goals shows our never say die attitude and that's something we'll bring into the final.”

One of the most special aspects of schools football is the colour and atmosphere surrounding it.  The Maghera ‘16^th man’ has been a helping hand and the players definitely recognise this.

“To win an All-Ireland semi-final by a point with a last minute point is special and you have seen the celebrations after the game how much the football means to people in our school.”

“We have a lot to thank to our principal for that as she is organising the buses to the matches and the team are extremely grateful to that.”

HOGAN CUP MEMORIES

McGuckin, Hughes and McNicholl
celebrate the 2003 title

In the buildup to Saturday’s Hogan Final we caught up with former St Patrick's Maghera supremo Adrian McGuckin. No better man to help us look back at the College's Hogan Cup history.

Back in 1980 St Patrick’s played in their first final in Croke Park against Carmelite College Moate. “We lost eight of the team [age difference between MacRory and Hogan] and it was a disappointing defeat because we had a very young team.” 

Dermot McNicholl was a third year and there was ‘a couple of’ fourth years on board and as McGuckin recalls ten of them went on to play Rannafast the following year. The last minute defeat to Moate was a tough pill to swallow.

On the Moate team there were a couple of players who went on bigger things. “Val Daly became a Galway legend after that and John Maughan who went on to manage Mayo.”

Four years later and back again to Croke Park, this time kingpins St Jarlath’s were the opponents and as McGuckin recalls once again the age difference struck.

“We lost a serious number of players from the MacRory including Damian Cassidy and Dermot McNicholl. We finished up with a one point defeat as well with the last kick of the game.”

FIRST TITLE

So after two heart-breaking defeats Maghera and McGuckin in particular built on the experience and in 1989 after a semi-final win over Tuam CBS, the Derry men were back in another decider. 

It went to a replay against Cork side Coláiste Chríost Rí after a hard fought drawn game. Following from the narrow defeats in 1980 and 1984 the tide was slowly beginning to turn.

“We played them in Portlaoise and drew in a tight enough match. We had a chance to win it right at the end but we got them in the replay in Longford.”

On the way up the road from the drawn game Maghera realised they were the better team and the self-belief began to kick in.

“We beat them handy enough [in the replay]. Big Corkery was playing but we had Anthony [Tohill] and Joe McCullagh in the middle of the field. We were more relaxed and expressed ourselves better. We got the early scores and they [Chríost Rí] dropped the heads pretty quick.”

“That was a special day winning that one and making the breakthrough,” recalls McGuckin and that was the start of a special relationship with the Hogan Cup. Maghera sit third in the roll of honour behind Jarlath’s (12) and St Colman’s Newry (8), two schools that he has a mutual respect for.

“It was a rivalry but it was a special sort of rivalry because they were a special college St Jarlath’s. I was recently talking to Dermot [McNicholl] after the MacRory and we were saying how special it was to play them in the All-Ireland competition.”

“It was the same with St Colman’s Newry in the MacRory, because they were two schools that seemed to be different. Both of them played a tremendous style of football. Their sportsmanship was always of the highest order; they could take defeat and victory the same.”

1990 Champions

BACK TO BACK

The following year Maghera retained the MacRory against St Colman’s and after defeating St Mel’s Longford were faced with St Jarlath’s once again in the final. 

Like the previous year it went to a replay after a war of attrition in the drawn game but the replay holds a special place for McGuckin.

“It was a real classic of a game and it as played as a curtain raiser to Tyrone’s U21 Final [defeat to Kerry]. Ours was the best game of the two and I remember everybody saying that.”

“St Jarlath’s had Derek Duggan and Jarlath Fallon playing for them. Fallon played centre half forward in the first match and we had all our plans for him but in the replay he went out to right half forward.”

McGuckin didn’t reshuffle his pack. he placed trust in his team. “Barry McGonigle marked him and did a tremendous job on him.”

“We had Hugh Mullan and Brian McCormick at midfield, with Fallon dropping out around there. The high catching that day was phenomenal. That was the big thing, the amount of high catching there was around the middle of the field.” It had impressed the neutrals in Breffni that day. 

This was no surprise. I was lucky enough to experience McGuckin’s meticulous preparation. He was ahead of his time but never forgot the basics and the endless hours of kicking and catching on the back pitch that gave his teams a great platform for success.

KILLER GOALS

The scoreline from the 1994 Hogan Final (3-11 to 0-9) suggests a comprehensive win for Jarlath’s but after viewing the video McGuckin didn’t see it that way. There was also a subplot.

The game had been refixed from the week before. “We travelled the whole way to Longford and now looking back it was absolutely ridiculous. I was told [unofficially] the night before that the pitch was unplayable and we travelled down and we were actually togged out.”

“Then having to turn and make that journey with ten buses of supporters and the expense of making that journey back down again.”

The 1994 St Jarlath’s team was a star-studded one. “There was eight of them that won All-Ireland senior medals with Galway just four years later. Michael Donnellan, the Joyces (Padraig and Tommie), the Meehans (Declan and Tomas) and John Divilliy were among them.”

Goals were crucial that day in Longford but the timing of them was more significant. “They scored a goal right from the throw-in and had another banged in before we knew the game was started. We came back into it and were playing the better football but they hit us with another goal.”

McGuckin met Padraig Joyce recently and the topic of 1994 came into the conversation and Joyce told McGuckin about the recent Jarlath’s reunion. “Their opinion was that they won it easy but after watching the DVD they couldn’t believe how much we were in the game.”

THIRD TITLE

1995 Champions

Both teams had plenty of survivors back in 1995 but the rematch never materialised as Jarlath’s were piped by Tuam CBS in the Connacht Final.

Maghera were again hit with the age difference and six of the panel (including four starters) were ineligible. That same year the MacRory Final clashed with Bellaghy’s involvement in the All-Ireland Club Final involving David O’Neill and Mark Diamond. 

The MacRory was played the following Sunday leaving a very tight turnaround against Tuam CBS and McGuckin didn’t recruit any more players and ending winning the Hogan with a panel of just 20 players.

The final was a comfortable win over Wexford’s Good Counsel but the semi final was the defining moment on a windy day up in Ballyshannon.

“We had the wind in the first half and we weren’t that much up at half time. I remember Conleth Murphy working a great point but it was backs to the wall stuff in the second half. We won and nothing more, Derek Savage played that day and gave us plenty of trouble.”

HOGAN FACTOR

There was a difference in the approach from the MacRory to the All-Ireland series. “You are a very good team whenever you win the Hogan but there is something more romantic about winning the MacRory. Even if you win the Hogan is seems like a bit of an anti-climax.”

“Your whole year and training was geared towards winning the MacRory. You never really thought much about winning the Hogan until the next day after the MacRory. You start looking at how many people you have eligible and when the semi final was and getting going again.”

“At that time the teams down south played a different brand of football. The kicking and passing was so precise but we were equal to any of them.”

“At that time a lot of the teams down South were boarding schools not just taking boys from their own communities but from other counties. Jarlath’s had boys from Donegal, Mayo and Roscommon so it was a big step up but it was all the better whenever you could win one of them.”

McGuckin’s enthusiasm is an infectious one and every player that passed through his hands will have been the better for having done so. Eamonn Burns mentioned it when he was speaking before the MacRory Final and the confidence he gained from school football.

The win in 1989 was the start of it all. Current boss Paul Hughes always makes reference to ‘what Adrian started’. Sean Marty Lockhart and Dermot McNicholl are all protégés of McGuckin and the Hogan breeding ground and are back coaching the next generation.

Pep Guardiola was talking about Johan Cryuff recently and Hughes has the same sentiments about the influence of McGuckin. “He built the chapel and the rest of us maintain it!”

MAGHERA’S HOGAN FINALS

• 2014 Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne 1-8 St Patrick’s Maghera 1-6
• 2013 St Patrick’s Maghera 1-20 St Patrick’s Navan 1-10
• 2003 St Patrick’s Maghera 1-9 St Jarlath’s Tuam 2-4
• 1996 Killorglin Community School 4-8 St Patrick’s Maghera 1-14
• 1995 St Patrick’s Maghera 2-11 Good Counsel New Ross 1-6
• 1994 St Jarlath’s Tuam 3-11 St Patrick’s Maghera 0-
• 1990 St Patrick’s Maghera 1-11 St Jarlath’s Tuam 0-13 Replay
• 1990 St Patrick’s Maghera 1-4 St Jarlath’s Tuam 0-7
• 1989 St Patrick’s Maghera 2-15 Coláiste Chríost Rí, Cork 1-6 Replay
• 1989 St Patrick’s Maghera 1-5 Coláiste Chríost Rí, Cork 0-8
• 1984 St Jarlath’s Tuam 0-10 St Patrick’s Maghera 2-3
• 1980 Carmelite College Moate 0-12 St Patrick’s Maghera 1-8

Team of the Week - Sunday 27th March

1. Annie Ní Lochlainn – The Glen ‘keeper put on a terrific show for Glen camogs against Bellaghy in the Feile at the weekend.

2. Ryan Taylor – Playing an influential role as sweeper Taylor helped Ogra in their Graham Cup success.

3. Shea McLaughlin - Was a vital cog in their defence as Limavady saw off Glack in Saturday’s Neil Carlin Cup semi-final.

4. Oisin McCloskey – The dual player had a solid game in defence as Banagher saw off Claudy at the weekend.

5. Emily McClenaghan – A sterling performance at centre back for Bellaghy U14 camogie team and managed to score a point herself.

6. Conleth McShane – Was the rock for Maghera in defence in their Brock Cup quarter-final win over St Colman’s Newry.

7. Ciaran McGlinchey – The former Slaughtmanus man excelled in defence at the weekend for his new club Limavady.

8. Richie Mullan - The Kevin Lynch’s youngster scored an impressive 1-9 as St Patrick’s Maghera won the Foresters Cup.

9. Eoin McGahon – The Derry panellist was impressive with a tally of 0-6 in their win over Coleraine last week.

10. Anthony O'Neill – Loup edged out Glen in the Larkin Cup semi-final and O’Neill scored 1-5.

11. Aaron Kerrigan – The Claudy marksman bagged 2-4 as Claudy defeated Coleraine in the Dr Kerlin Cup.

12. Shane McGuigan – The St Pat's forward is on fire at the minute with a 1-8 tally against Summerhill College including the late winner.

13. Francis Kearney – The Swatragh man stood up and was counted with the late penalty to get Maghera back from the dead.

14. Seamus Shivers - At the age of 48 Seamus Shivers is still tormenting defences but his 2-2 tally wasn’t enough to stop Ogra.

15. Stephen Devlin – In wet conditions on Saturday Devlin noticed 0-5 as Ogra Colmcille won the Graham Cup.

McNicholl and the Summer of ‘87

Going to Croke Park back then was a different story.  No toll booths, no Applegreen, no bypasses.  It was a day’s work getting to Dublin but that didn’t matter.  It was my first trip to the mecca of Gaelic Games and I loved every minute.

It was a day trip, and not the straightforward journey we have now; Tobermore, Desertmartin, Cookstown, Dungannon, Moy, Armagh, Newry, Dundalk, Castlebellingham, Dunleer, Drogheda, Julianstown and Balbriggan – what seemed like an endless number of towns and villages took us to the outskirts of Dublin.

Then roundabout after roundabout - a glimpse of low flying aircraft dropping into the airport - and the sight of the ‘Guinness Bridge’ and a car parked up some random side street. 

We’d arrived and so had Jim McKeever’s Derry team, one of which was Dermot McNicholl, centre half forward on the team that year.

“It was a funny auld year,” recalls the Glenullin man. “We came through in the Ulster campaign not overly as favourites but we got ourselves together and got to a [All-Ireland] semi-final against a Meath team that went on to win two All-Irelands,” he explains.

After a win over 1986 All-Ireland Finalists Tyrone in the first round, Omagh was the venue for two games with Cavan.  I was at all the games that year but I also remember watching the games back on television and the distinct voice of Frankie Kearney on commentary.

A narrow win over Armagh at Clones on a day that Damian Cassidy was introduced to a certain Vinnie Loughran gave Derry the Anglo Celt Cup. I met quite a few of the Derry players after their win over Armagh and the bandwagon was heading to Croke Park. It was well before the days of selfies, Twitter or Facebook!

At headquarters Plunkett Murphy led Derry out and Dermot McNicholl was sporting a heavily bandaged leg. I remember very little about the actual game I just remembered the devastation afterwards.  It sparked my fanatical interest in GAA.

These were the days before Owenbeg when Derry trained at various club ground across the county.  McNicholl remembers one night in Greenlough vividly:

“I remember going through on goals and Danny Quinn came to bury me with the shoulder. I think he thought of the All-Ireland semi-final ahead and took a step back, so when I stepped forward, I just ripped the hamstring.”

McNicholl still reckons that if it had been a full on shoulder, all would have been fine.  It was just one of those situations and he then faced a two week race against time ahead of the Croker clash.

“Ben Glancy and Sean Moran were absolutely brilliant,” proclaims McNicholl. “You talk now about all the rehabilitation or the recovery sessions.  When I look back then, they had me at Magherafelt twice a day with ultrasound.”

The daily ritual almost paid off, and had he had one more week, the Glenullin man reckons the recovery would have been fully complete.  At the hotel on the day before the game a last run out had told McNicholl he was ready.

“After all the work Sean and Ben had done with me I went to do a wee bit of a warmup and everything seemed grand.  I was getting up to about 80% of a sprint and looked good.”  It put his mind at ease.

However, disaster struck the next day when McNicholl went to sprint into his position:  “I just felt the hamstring just shoot,” he explains. After confiding in Jim McKeever, tactics changed and McNicholl went into full forward against his then International rules team mate, Mick Lyons.

Even on one leg, the Glenullin man gave the legnendary Summerhill full-back a torrid time in the opening minutes.  “I ran into full forward and I was gone. I was goosed. I remember Lyons’ face and I’ll never forget it. I was going past him if he wasn’t even there,” said McNicholl.

It didn’t last long though and Dermot McNicholl’s one legged crusade against the Royals ended when he was called ashore before half time.

“We had a decent side at that stage and Meath were just an up and coming team that were going places. Sean Boylan had them primed.”

McNicholl still has regrets and admits that the 1987 team ‘weren’t that far away’.  Eight of them would feature when Derry lifted Sam six years later but Meath were nearing their peak in an era of their shuddering clashes with Cork.

McNicholl fondly goes through the team as it if was yesterday:

“You look at that Derry team.  God rest him, Paul McCann was left half back.  Centre half back was Joe Irwin who was outstanding.  He was some footballer and we had PJ McCormick at right half back.”

“But that was one of the best Meath teams of all time and they were full of hallions! Liam Harnan was an animal, Mick Lyons was an animal and you had Pauric Lyons and Colm Coyle, who played left half back.”

However, according to McNicholl, his own Derry team were no shrinking violets. “We had good enough hallions to deal with them, if you know what I mean,” he explains.  “Big Plunkett [Murphy] and McGilligan were midfield and were a complete match for Gerry McEntee and Liam Hayes. They had Flynn [Bernie] and Beggy [David].  Those boys were hard to mark. They were blessed with very good forwards.”

It was a Royal attack force which had ended Derry’s dream in ’87. They licked their wounds.  It was time to regroup and restock. Eamonn Coleman later came in as leader.  St Pat’s Maghera won two Hogan Cups, Derry minors won an All-Ireland and so too did Lavey.  Derry were getting used to life on the big stage.  Several players went on to mix it with the best at Sigerson and McNicholl came back from his spell in the AFL.  The jigsaw was complete. 

When Down and Donegal showed the way, and with Coleman leading the charge Derry made same long journey south in 1993. There was the same endless line of towns but this time was different.  This time they really believed.

In 1987, Meath had run out comfortable winners but six years later it was a battle right to the end; to the last kick in fact. The rest, as they say, is history.

Derry: Damien McCusker, Hugh Martin McGurk, Danny Quinn, Tony Scullion, Paul John McCormick, Joe Irwin, Paul McCann (RIP), Plunkett Murphy, Brian McGilligan, Enda Gormley, Dermot McNicholl, Damian Barton, Damian Cassidy, Paul Kealey, Seamus Downey.

Meath: Mickey McQuillan, Robbie O’Malley, Mick Lyons, Terry Ferguson, Colm Coyle, Liam Harnan, Martin O’Connell, Liam Hayes, Gerry McEntee, David Beggy, Joe Cassells, PJ Gillic, Colm O’Route, Brian Stafford, Bernard Flynn.