By 
ULSTER INTERMEDIATE CLUB HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
AN HISTORIC hurling triumph saw the victorious players from Carrickmore Eire Ogs celebrate with their jubilant fans amid black and amber flares on the St Tiernach’s Park pitch following a first-ever Ulster hurling title last Sunday.
It was a brilliant day on a brilliant weekend for the club as their camogs reached the All-Ireland Final courtesy of a victory over Fr Murphy’s. Now the stage is set for a dual bid for glory from both teams in the coming weeks.
Team captain, Bryan McGurk, paid tribute to past-and-present stalwarts of the club when he lifted the cup afterwards. This was a title win which finally saw them break the provincial ceiling 15 years after first appearing in the final.
No wonder, then, that team manager, Adrian Slane, was almost speechless at the final whistle.
Still in his first year as manager, he will be preparing for an All-Ireland semi-final against the Connacht champions later this month.
“We’ve been on this journey for far longer than 15 years. I’m just lost for words for a change, but I’m just ecstatic for the players who have been around for so many years and are only now getting this reward,” he said.
“All the boys have been putting in a shift. Look at the enjoyment of the crowd. It’s just an unbelievable feeling to get over the line. I know that these players were here to win and not lose again. It wasn’t going to be groundhog day for us again.
“I told them that it was going to be our day. From the outset, the aim was to win the Ulster title. We’ve come and done it, and I’m a happy man.”
Previous final losses in 2010, 2015 and 2023 were big blows for the Eire Ogs, not to mention numerous narrow first round and semi-final defeats. But their sheer anxiety shone through here and they reaped a very deserved dividend at the final whistle.
The manager felt that the period immediately after half-time was crucial. Carrickmore dominated then in terms of scoring, including the crucial goal from substitute, Sean Og Grogan.
“So many players got so close and that hurt built up over the years,” added Adrian Slane.
“We knew that Lisbellaw were going to be very tough. The ten minutes before half-time saw us take the foot off the gas a bit. But we went in at half-time, talked and regrouped and came out and started fighting with intensity.
“The third quarter saw us come out with fire. Sean Og came out and rattled the net, and I knew it was going to be our day then.”
