Augher wipe the slate clean says McElroy

JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST RD

By Niall Gartland

AUGHER endured a disappointing enough league campaign this year but that’s all been parked for now as they look ahead to Saturday’s Junior Championship opener against neighbours Eskra.

Unless they march all the the way to Championship glory, Augher will face the Division 3B play-off winner later in the year in an effort to avoid relegation after finishing second-from-bottom in Division 3A.

But there’s nothing like the Championship to whet the appetite and their captain Finbar McElroy can’t wait for throw-in this Saturday evening at Dunmoyle.

“We’re really looking forward to it. It doesn’t take much to get up for a championship match especially when you’re playing a derby against your neighbour, so we’re all definitely looking forward to it.

“We had a tricky league but we definitely learnt a lot playing against the tougher opponents week-in week-out. I know results didn’t go the way we’d have liked but we took a lot of learnings from it and hopefully it’ll come together in the Championship.”

On that note, McElroy also says that the championship represents something of a blank slate for the Augher men, who’ll be hopeful they can claim a reversal of their defeat to Eskra on the last day of the league.

“It’s a new competition, a clean slate with a big game to look forward to. Whoever shows up best, that could be enough to win, and after that, who knows what can happen.”

Only 23 and already captain of the team, McElroy is also encouraged by the amount of fresh faces who are coming through at the club.

“It’s definitely a big honour to be captain, particularly as we’ve had so many great names down the years who have captained Augher to titles.

“We have a young core of players which is a bit of a change to what I’ve been used to in the past, so it’s good to have that blend of youth experience.”

Leading Augher on the line is Rock native Tommy Bloomer, who managed his home club before coming on board at St Macartan’s.

“Tommy brings a lot of energy and we really enjoy and appreciate what he brings to the table. He was at the Rock, a similar club to ourselves, so he really gets what Augher is about.”