Drumragh stalwart Taggart thrilled to gain promotion

DRUMRAGH are set to return to Intermediate football for the first time since 2006 next year, something that the club may feel has been brewing for a long time.

Having missed out narrowly on multiple occasions (either through the league playoffs, or twice beaten Junior Championship finalists in 2020 and 2023), the Sarsfields can at last now look forward to challenging themselves in Tyrone’s second tier in 2024.

Resilience is something that can never be questioned with this Drumragh side. Some teams may have lost belief after losing by a single point to Fintona in the Tyrone Junior Championship Final but the Sarsfields side showed their fight and desire to win three promotion games in a row over Drumquin, Aghaloo and finally Killeeshil to go up.

Martin Taggart, has been playing for Drumragh since 1999, winning a Tyrone Junior Championship title at the age of 15. His longevity is a massive achievement but not something he believes is difficult, as he continues to enjoy every second of lining out in the club’s green and white colours.

“I suppose you don’t really need motivation when you’re doing something you enjoy, “ he stated. “The last few years has been easier to get to training because I bought a house next door. Why would you stop doing something you enjoy as long as my body can stick it.”

Marty has just completed his 24th playing season with the seniors and speaks with pride at what promotion has meant to not only the team but the community.

“It’s brilliant, it was probably nearly a necessity in the end to get promoted. It was a tough year, long year, a few setbacks obviously the county final the main one but we got there in the end.

“The word resilience is used a lot these days but we definitely showed it in spades. Even down to the last game (vs Killeeshil), to the last kick of the game.

“The supporters just went mad. There was a great embrace between supporters, families and friends at the end of the game.”

Trailing by six points heading into the last quarter of their playoff game against Killeeshil it looked like Drumragh had missed out on their second oppurtunity to gain promotion but when needed their depth of character shone through as well as the quality off the bench.

Their substitutes registered seven points in both victories over Aghaloo and Killeeshil in the playoffs.

Taggart continued, “It’s probably the first time I have ever seen it where there was competition to get on the panel this year.

“I suppose personally I was on the bench a good bit but you don’t mind that whenever you’re winning and you know the man beside you is capable of doing something on the pitch.

“I suppose it’s a good sign of where the club is going. The reserves won the Championship this year as well, so it shows great strength in depth.”

Drumragh’s impressive off field facilities have been another contributing factor of why the club has gone from strength to strength, providing a base for the players of all ages to develop.

“For me that is what has made the club, “ Marty added. “ The last time we were playing Intermediate football we had just started the development work, that gave us a boost at that time to get us up.

“But we didn’t have anything to back it up like we we have now. There’s plenty of youth coming through and it’s down to this place. The community all bought into it, which is great.”

The Sarsfields now face the challenge of Division Two next term. Marty is the only squad member to have competed in Intermediate football before and is excited by the prospect. He believes they can build on the momentum of the 2023 season.

“It’s going to be a massive challenge but it’s something to look forward to as a club. It was nearly a necessity to get there for the youth coming through.

“The challenge is to stay up and if we can do that it will be great for youth players coming through who are coming to back it up.

“I think our boys are ready for it but that’s the challenge we are looking forward to. It’s going to be a lot easier doing preseason this year, looking forward to the challenge next year.”