Better buzz around Urney this season, says McAleer

JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND

THERE is a more positive vibe around Clady these days and Urney captain Jamie McAleer hopes they can carry that feel-good factor into the Championship.

2024 was a year to forget for the proud St Columba’s club which not that long ago was rubbing shoulders with Errigal Ciaran in the Senior Championship. They won just one of their sixteen league matches as they propped up the Division 3 table after a miserable campaign.

Fast forward twelve months and the league standings make for much more pleasant reading, the side, under the stewardship of Holy Cross College teacher Finbar O’Neill, finishing their Division 3B programme in third place having won eleven of their eighteen matches.

Potent attacker McAleer hopes that such stats points to brighter times ahead.

“It has been a positive year under Finbar. Whenever he came in as manager we were at a low point. Last year was probably the worst the club ever had.

“ I know we also had a lot missing this year and to be honest we weren’t even focusing on the Championship. It was just about trying to get some positive results in the league and getting that winning culture back.

“I think we did that and had a fairly solid league campaign. I know people might have their views on the 3A and 3B but it was definitely a plus for us as we rediscovered that winning habit against teams of a similar level.

“Now hopefully it gives us a good platform to have a decent Championship run.”

Urney come up against familiar opposition in Clann na nGael this Saturday afternoon in Greencastle. It’s one win apiece in their derby clashes so far this season, each winning on the road. McAleer was one of Urney’s goals scorers as they went down 1-19 to 2-9 at home back in April, but they took their revenge next time out in mid-June, Daniel Lynch with the all-important goal in their narrow 1-14 to 0-16 success.

Jamie knows that a tough task lies in store this weekend as they look to quell the likes of Robbie Conway, Shea Browne and Clann captain Damian Ball.

“It’s a good derby to be starting off with. Now that the league campaign is over the focus is to go on and try and win the Championship. I don’t think any team should go into the Championship thinking any less.

“We have played each other twice this year. They beat us in Clady and we beat them at theirs so it has the makings of another 50/50 game.

“We definitely won’t be underestimating them. We know what they can do. They have got some very good players but this year has been positive for us.”

The 31 year old captain also attributed the reversal in fortunes at Urney to the introduction of some fresh faces into the fold.

“We are a team who suffers with the army lads being away a lot which is one of the reasons why we didn’t have a great year last year but there is definitely a better buzz about the village and that comes down to winning games no doubt.

“I suppose you could say the transfer market was also good to us. There is a couple of Donegal lads who have moved into the village which has helped. They have integrated into the team brilliantly and are bringing something different to us.”