By Shaun Casey

WHILE the Clann Éireann ladies carried home their second consecutive Ulster title last Sunday, it’s all about the men this weekend and they are keen to follow in the ladies footsteps, says boss Ruairi Lavery.

The huge obstacle of Tyrone champions Errigal Ciaran stand between Clann Éireann and a first-ever appearance in an Ulster men’s decider, but it’s a challenge that the Lurgan lads are looking forward to.

In their last voyage into the provincial series, back in 2021, Clann Éireann made it to the last four as well but lost out to Fermanagh’s Derrygonnelly having conceded a raft of early goals. The club are hoping to take it one step further this time around.

“It’s been an absolutely fabulous year for the club,” said Lavery. “Both the minor girls and the lads won their county titles and the senior ladies and lads won the league and championship double.

“The fact that the ladies have gone on to retain their Ulster title is another magnificent achievement. We’re hoping and preparing to try and get to our first-ever Ulster final, which is what’s at stake here on Sunday.

“It’s been a fantastic year, there’s no denying that, but we’re not stopping to pat ourselves on the back or anything like that at the minute. We’re still very much focused on Sunday.”

On Errigal Ciaran, Lavery continued: “I read somewhere that the starting 15, maybe the last day or the day before, have all played county football at one stage or another and in Tyrone, that’s quite an achievement.

“We have been doing our own analysis on them, including some of the lesser-known names. You’re trying to learn about what they bring and how they fit into the whole system.

“The Canavans, Peter Harte, Joe Oguz are all well-known names, and we know what they can bring. But it’s also important to look at how they play as a team and who the other key players are and that’s where our focus has been.”

Clann Éireann’s preparations have been somewhat hammered as five of their starting line-up have spent a week in Miami on the Armagh team holiday, following their All-Ireland success this season.

Lavery isn’t too concerned however and hopes to get a few training sessions with the lads once they return.

“Some of the lads are off on the warm weather training camp, which is the way we’re framing it,” laughed Lavery.

“But all joking aside, we’ve obviously got the five guys away with Armagh at the moment, but we’re keeping in touch with them. They’re, quite rightly, enjoying themselves after a brilliant year, but they’re also keeping in mind that they have an Ulster semi-final on Sunday.

“I think they’re back on Wednesday night and we’ll get a couple of sessions in before Sunday, but in terms of our preparations, we’re happy enough with the way they’re going.”