BY KIERAN LYNCH

EOGHAN RUA Coleraine became the first team to claim an Ulster camogie title at Senior, Intermediate and Junior, when they defeated Loughgiel to win the junior crown 0-12 to 0-7.

Their manager Brendan McLernon detailed how his team used their experience to win the provincial decider.

“We knew that Loughgiel were going to be a very difficult team to beat,” he said.

“I think at the end of the day, it was just our experience when it was really tight, that saw us through.

“We were unusually nervous in the first half – we just didn’t settle. But in the last 10 minutes or so we just managed to put it all together.

“We scored the last five points, and it was just that experience and the fact that there is no quit in these girls, that pulled us through.”

Eoghan Rua are clearly a side filled to the brim with expertise, as they still have eight players on the panel from their All-Ireland Intermediate winning team, and McLernon explained the importance of having that know-how in the squad.

“We have a lot of leaders in the dressing room,” said the Eoghan Rua manager.

“Grainne McGoldrick (Holmes) was an All-Star, her sister Meabh and Megan Kerr are Ulster Camogs of the Year, so we have a lot of strong voices in the dressing room – including Maria Mooney, the captain Éilis McNamee and so on.

“Very often at half-time or when we had water breaks, the girls themselves would sort stuff out and because they’ve been together for such a long time, if somebody points something out, nobody is going to take offence to it.

“We have a couple of strong young players too: Kate Doherty and
Anna Morrison, as well as a couple of 16-year-olds too, so the age range is from 16 to Grace McMullan, who is 48.

“It’s a more mature team than it was in 2011 and 2012, so therefore in clutch games, like against Loughgiel, you have girls who know how to win and expect to win.”

They will once again be reliant on those leaders on Saturday when they take on Athleague in the All-Ireland Semi-Final.

“Whatever happens to us, we’re not going to panic,” said McLernon.

“That’s a big plus – having that experience, and it’s particularly important as we’re playing the Roscommon senior champions, Athleague. You don’t get to this stage of an All-Ireland series without being a good team.

“Back in the day, a lot of teams from down south didn’t rate Ulster teams, and we found that in 2011 some of the teams didn’t know how good we really were.

“But this Roscommon team will fully respect us and be ready for a huge challenge.”