May – Sports Personality

MAY

ADRIAN MCCAFFREY (SOCCER)

There has never been denying Adrian’s talent on the football pitch. The dynamic attacker has an abundance of skills at his disposal and a lethal left peg, but in his younger days his temperment could best be described as ‘firey’. In recent years he has matured dramatically and with the Tummery Athletic captain’s armband on he has proved a strong leader on the pitch, helping the Dromore side clinch a deserved first ever Mercer Cup league title after the division one season was cut short due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Few would argue that Tummery were deserved champions and their average points total proved that, with McCaffrey one of their stand out performers in the process.

Voting Opens Tuesday 2nd March

2020 Ulster Herald Sports Personality Awards in association with MFC Sports, LIVE winners reveal Wednesday 10th March, 7pm. 

Adrian was featured in the Ulster Herald on Thursday, July 9, 2020 

The ‘new’ McCaff leads Tummery to historic Mercer League title

BY TOMMY NETHERY

There was a time when it would have been hard to imagine Adrian McCaffrey as captain material! While the skilful attacker always possessed an abundance of talent, had a lethal left peg and often led by example, there were other times, certainly in his younger day, when he could have flown off the handle, thrown the toys out of then pram and pushed the self-destruct button all in the one go!

In recent seasons though ‘Mc-Caff’ has taken more responsibility, shown greater leadership and a growing maturity and those admirable qualities saw him handed the captain’s armband for the 2019- 20 season.

Mind you it wasn’t all plain sailing for the new skipper. After being pipped at the post in the race for a first Mercer League title and Irish Junior Cup success the previous season, the most recent campaign was only a few games old when Gerry Love resigned as manager to be replaced by Ryan Hanna. Player-manager Hanna cracked the whip and a few weeks into his tenure did the unthinkable by dropping McCaffrey due to what he viewed as a lack of fitness.

The young McCaff would in all likelihood have thrown up the head but the modern day version took that setback square on the chin and inspired those around him to redouble their efforts in a bid to secure a historic first ever Fermanagh and Western League Division One title.

Tummery stormed to the top of the table and when the season was cut short because of the coronavirus pandemic the Dromore side needed just three victories from their final six games to clinch the coveted crown Athletic had graved for what seems like a lifetime.

The Fermanagh and Western League, using average points-per game formula duly crowned Athletic champions – a decision which is subject to an appeal by Enniskillen Town United – and in recognition of that historic achievement and his valuable contribution McCaffrey has been named the UH Sports Personality for the month of May.

Given the near misses of the previous season, not to mention losing Cathal Beacom, who joined Enniskillen Town United, and Emmet McNabb who signed for Championship outfit Dergview, McCaffrey reflects on his side’s remarkable achievement with tremendous satisfaction.

“The club and the players really stepped up to the plate,” said the former Northern Ireland youth international.

“I got dropped myself for six games for not pulling my weight, lack of fitness and being complacent but everybody who came in did really well. To only lose one league game in two seasons is quite unbelievable.

“I can’t speak highly enough of Ryan Hanna, He has been a breath of fresh air. He’s speaks to you as a friend at all times but if he has to speak to you as a boss he will shout and roar at you as well.

“Since he came in he has upped the fitness, the passing, everything and the players have responded.

“Ryan demanded I up my fitness and I did. In fact during lockdown he talked to me about getting super fit and to be honest I have now lost two stone!

That will be music to the ears of the Crawford’s Lane faithful, who will be keeping their fingers crossed that Enniskillen Town’s appeal – due to be heard in the coming days – is unsuccessful. Tummery began training for the forthcoming season on Tuesday evening for what McCaffrey and his team-mates will be hoping is a title defence.

McCaffrey, who throughout his career possessed a drive and determination to win at all costs, insists his team would have preferred finishing the season on the field of play but is in no doubt that the Dromore men deserved to be crowned Division One champions for the first time.

“Last year we signed Gary Lynch, Kevin McAleer and Sonnie McDonagh, who were not considered big names but they have proved themselves real team players,” he continued.

“They fitted into the system like a glove and it has paid off. We had a blip against Dergview Reserves early in the season and after that we vowed we wouldn’t get beat the rest of the season.

“We did the double over defending champions Enniskillen Rangers with two 1-0 victories. Blaine (Campbell) scored a 30-yard shot in the first and Sonnie McDonagh scored in the 90th minute in the second one.

“Against Town at Crawford’s Lane it was a horrendous day. You wouldn’t have put cows on the field that day but again it went our way. Once we won that day I knew we were on the home straight.

“Ryan insists we deserved to win the league, whether on the field or otherwise. I agree Tummery 100% deserved it.

“I don’t know why Enniskillen Town appealed it. I don’t understand what they are hoping to achieve. “They were never going to catch us, I just can’t get my head around it.”