By Shaun Casey

WHEN Conor McConville punched home Clann Éireann’s third and final goal on Saturday evening, the team captain knew he had sealed their second championship title in four seasons and the club’s fourth ever in their history.

They were the better team throughout the refixed Armagh decider, against their Lurgan rivals Clan na Gael, and deservingly got their hands on the Gerry Fagan Cup, named after a former Clann Éireann championship winning captain.

Only four men have ever captained the club to a championship title, and McConville was delighted to join that iconic list of names. “It’s special, really, really special,” said the Clann Éireann midfielder after the game.

“There are only four men that have ever done that in Clann Éireann history and to be one of them is a phenomenal feeling. To be honest with you, any one of those boys could have been captain. I’ve taken the mantle all year, it’s been a challenge over the last few years but I think I’ve made up for it now so I’m happy.”

Since winning the title in 2021, their first in 67 years, the Lurgan side had failed to push on and deliver on the talent at their disposal, and getting back to the showpiece, Clann Éireann were motivated to right the wrongs of the past few years.

“I suppose the first one is always special just given the length of time,” added McConville, “but you know what they say, good teams win one, great teams win two and that was put to us in the last three years. It’s been a tough three years.

“The boys have been challenged internally and externally and to get over the line again, that’s what makes us a great Clann Éireann team. And I think there were only two boys in Clann Éireann history with two medals, there’s a rack of boys now with two.”

McConville’s goal was the nail in the Clan na Gael coffin and Clann Éireann also rattled the net twice in the opening period, once at the start and once at the end, with Emmet Magee and Jack Conlon both raising green flags.

But McConville’s major, set up by his younger cousin Aodhan who came off the bench to help his side over the line, was the main score. “He’s usually on the other end of that,” laughed the Clann Éireann skipper.

“We’ve got about four or five square balls all year, I thought that was another one. I was looking around and do you know what, thankfully it wasn’t.”

“We knew the last few games, the way the Clans have started, we couldn’t let them get a run on us and to be fair, not until the very last minute was that game out of reach for them. We got our goals at crucial times, and I think that was probably the difference in the end.”