Beragh to host Ulster senior camogie final

HISTORY will be made by the Beragh Red Knights club this weekend when its St Mary’s Park home venue will play host to the Ulster Senior Camogie final between Loughgiel and Swatragh.

More than 1,000 people are expected to attend the top occasion on Saturday at 2pm.

It’s the first time that the final will have taken place in West Tyrone, and no stone is being left unturned as the Red Knights prepare for the rare and perhaps unique honour of hosting the clash of the Antrim and Derry champions.

Preparations for the final have been taking place throughout the past week and Beragh club chairman, Brian McCartan, says the club are ‘absolutely honoured’ to be hosting such an important game.

“It’s a great honour for the club to be the venue for an Ulster Senior Camogie Final,” he described.

‘Delighted’

“Our facilities and pitch were highly recommended to the Ulster Camogie Council, who then contacted us.

“We’re delighted to have been able to assist them.

“We are expecting more than 1,000 people to attend the game. Our club volunteers will be on hand on Saturday to ensure that the players, match officials and the supporters of both teams as well as neutrals get to see not only a great final but also the best of what our club has to offer,” he added.

‘Proud tradition’

“There is a proud tradition of camogie in the Beragh area stretching back 90 years.

“While we don’t have a camogie team at present, there are photographs and records of many girls playing camogie with Beragh in the 1930s, and from the 1960s through to the 1990s,” he continued.

Eglish are the only Tyrone team to have either played in or won an Ulster Senior camogie title.

They captured provincial honours in the 1980s and 1990s.

Mr McCartan also hopes that, as well as the supporters of the two teams, many people from across West Tyrone will also come out to see Loughgiel and Swatragh in action.

“Camogie has undergone a great revival in West Tyrone during the past few years and hopefully people from clubs such as Tattyreagh, Carrickmore Eire Ogs and Omagh will take this chance to see these top two Ulster teams in action so close to home,” he added.

“Hopefully, their efforts to promote the game will one day see them or another Tyrone team once again playing in an Ulster Senior Final.”