Loughmacrory revels in Ciaran’s triumph with Oak Leafers

THERE will be celebrations around Loughmacrory this evening after Ciaran Meenagh’s success in guiding Derry to the Ulster senior title.

The St Teresa’s stalwart stepped in as manager of the Oak Leafers after Rory Gallagher stepped aside on Friday.

At St Tiernach’s Park in Clones, Derry defeated Armagh on penalties to clinch their second consecutive Anglo Celt Cup triumph.

It was an especially proud moment for Meenagh, who has been involved with the team alongside another Tyrone man, Peter Hughes, of Eskra and Hugh Gallagher of Omagh, who is the team doctor.

Spwaking afterwards, Meenagh, who won an All-Ireland U-21 title with Tyrone in 2000, said he always believed that the team would seal the win and the county’s tenth provincial title.

“The way these Derry players have won two Ulster titles in a row, I don’t think their character can be questioned,” he said.

“I operate in life with the motto of no fuss and no drama and that’s the way life goes. I had a job to do today and I just got on with it.”

While Derry now enter the All-Ireland title-race as a top seed, the losers from this final, Armagh, face a group that includes a Tyrone team which lost to Monaghan in the first round of the Ulster championship on April 16.

The game between them takes place at the Athletic Grounds, while the Red Hands open their Sam Maguire campaign with an away clash against Galway in Salthill next weekend.