Holy Cross Strabane have eyes on provincial prize

HOLY Cross College are hoping to take a significant step forward in this Thursday’s Ulster Schools McCormack Cup final against Monaghan school Coláiste Oiriall, according to the team manager Liam Sweeney.

Liam’s mother-in-law recently passed away around the time of the original fixture and there were a few stumbling blocks when it came to finding an alternative date for this game.

Holy Cross have been made to travel to Coláiste Oiriall, based in Knockaconny, but Sweeney says they’re setting all that aside and that they’re fiercely determined to land the prized provincial title.

The Strabane school reached a Markey Cup final earlier in the year, an achievement that represented very real progress, and now they want to take that next step and bring back a title to the school.

Liam said: “Initially we had to call the game off and they weren’t too forthcoming in trying to accommodate us.

“ It was a case that they wanted it to be played on their terms, that they wanted it on their pitch, and that’s fine, we’d play it anywhere.

“We’re trying to instil in the boys a sense of pride in playing for your school, with all the local clubs coming together.

“This group of boys hadn’t won a game in several years and I said ‘Jesus boys, we’re better than that, look at the quality around us in our clubs.’

“This group of boys are definitely good enough to win an Ulster Schools title.

“ They’ve worked hard, they’ve been very good, they’ve stuck at it and they’re getting their rewards.”

This talented Holy Cross team is captained by Eoghan Bradley from Castlederg and vice-captained by Eoghan O’Neill, while Liam Sweeney is assisted by Finbar O’Neill with help on match-day from Ryan O’Neill.

Liam, a Strabane Sigersons stalwart, is completing a PGCE and is determined to help improve the fortunes of North Tyrone football.

“Collectively, we’re very keen to bring back a title to the school. It’s something we need to build on, and that’s part of the reason I’m doing my PGCE, I’d love to be working in the school and improving the quality around the North-West.

“There’s definitely been a good improvement in the lads at the school, Finbar has done massive work in pushing things forward and Mr [Kyle] Morrison has done a lot of work as well.

“The school is definitely doing things in the right way, the foundations are there and we just have to build on it.”

Sweeney is also confident that if they play to their potential, there will be a positive outcome next Thursday in the McCormack showdown.

“We created a lot of chances in the semi-final and missed quite a few but we managed to turn it around and win the game.

“We scored five of the last six scores and finished the game out well. From a coaching perspective, I’d say if we can kick half the scores we create, we should be winning the final.”