By 
LADIES ULSTER CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
AGHYARAN ladies manager Darrell McVitty hopes their memorable season – which hasn’t ended yet! – will serve as a source of inspiration for the youngsters in the club.
Having claimed Intermediate honours in the county with an entertaining victory over the Moy (the final scoreline read 5-5 to 1-14), St Davog’s now turn their attention to the tantalising prospect of a run through Ulster, commencing with Sunday’s quarter-final clash against Monaghan representatives Brigid/O’Neill’s.
Reflecting on their county final win, manager Darrell McVitty said it was a special day for the entire community that will, all being well, yield further success in the years and decades to come.
“It was a great day – the sun was shining and the support we had was brilliant. It was great to see the U9s and U11s playing at half-time and you could see them looking up to the big girls, and hopefully it will light a fire in them to bring success to the club in the future. Obviously we’d great craic on the bus on the way home and we’d a good party that night as well.”
Not that the game represented a full-stop for the team. McVitty says they are relishing a crack at Ulster, so by no means are they viewing Sunday’s game away from home as bonus territory.
“We’re very excited, it’s a big opportunity for the club. The giirls have put in a serious effort this year from January on, so they’re here on merit. It’s been a long season but it’s a privilege to be still playing football at this time of year.
“I definitely wouldn’t be looking at it as bonus territory – we’ve bought a ticket to the raffle and we definitely want to go out and give it our best shot.”
As they prime themselves for an entirely new challenge, it doesn’t hurt that Aghyaran can call upon two leading members of Tyrone’s All-Ireland Intermediate-winning team, Aoibhinn McHugh and Sasha Byrne. McVitty acknowledges that fact but adds that there’s no shortage of leadership elsewhere on the team as well.
“Ah yeah, they’ll bring a lot of experience from playing on the big stage. That will be a great help to us – I know our opponents have a couple of intercounty players as well, whom Aoibhinn and Sasha have come cross earlier on in the year. They’re a big help, they’re leaders – but then we have many leaders right across the pitch.”
Meanwhile, it’s also a big weekend for the ladies of Drumragh, who travel to take on Fermanagh side Devenish in the quarter-finals of the Junior competition this Sunday.
Drumragh booked their passport to Ulster with their first ever Junior Championship title at ‘A’ level in Tyrone, overcoming Sperrin Óg with a really classy performance last month. Eight players found the target as they surged to a 3-9 to 3-5 and now they’ll be hopeful of making their mark at provincial level.
