By Shaun Casey

AT half-time of Sunday’s Paul McGirr U-16 Ulster Club Championship final, the youngsters in the Magherafelt dressing room could have been forgiven for thinking the game was over, but joint-manager Damien Donnelly insisted that wasn’t the case.

With 10 points the difference at the turnaround against Dromintee, Rossa had one hand on their first-ever Ulster title, but with the wind picking up and the reigning champs playing with it, nothing was going to be taken for granted.

Donnelly, who manages the team alongside Kevin Purvis, was pleased with their first-half display that gave them a comfortable 2-6 to 0-2 cushion but demanded that his side didn’t take their foot off the gas.

“When you go into a game, you want to start well, and we had scored 2-5 or 2-6 in the space of 10 or 15 minutes,” said Donnelly “We were well aware that Dromintee would give us a good battle, we knew at half-time that the game wasn’t over.

“We told the boys that at half-time that 10 points was nothing because the wind had picked up at half-time as well and Dromintee were playing with that strong wind, and fair play to them, they’re a real good side, they battled back and got it back to three points near the end.”

Keeping the scoreboard ticking was key and that’s just what the eventual champs managed.

“We just kept saying for the boys to keep that four-point lead and just try and keep that gap. As long as it was a two-score game, four points or five points.

“We wanted to try and keep that gap in it, and they did that. When it came to it, they knuckled down and they got that extra score at the end just to keep us ahead. We moved the ball well, we probably gave the ball away uncharacteristically for us, four or five times.

“We got up and we got the score, I think it was maybe Daultagh (Donnelly) that got the final score and just kept us that four points ahead and that was crucial.”

Donnelly, who finished with a personal tally of 2-1 on the day, is Damien’s son but there’s no nepotism here. Donnelly feels a tight bond with all the Magherafelt boys in the changing room.

“To take your son from u-10 to u-16 is massive but it’s not just that, we’re a tight group. I treat them all like my sons, that’s the way I see it,” Donnelly added. “We’re just one big team and one big family, and that’s just how it is.”

It’s been a historic couple of seasons for the club and the success and trophies just keep on coming at this level. Last year, this same team swept up all the silverware in front of them and the 2024 campaign has been no different.

Success has followed this side and Donnelly, along with a few others, has been involved with the group since they were u-10 so there’s a huge bulk of work that has gone on beyond the scenes to produce the goods on the biggest of days.

“It’s our first Ulster title and if there was ever going to be a team to do it, it was going to be this one. They’re a fantastic team, a great attitude, great work rate, and a great bunch of lads,” Donnelly continued.

“It’s massive for the club, massive for the boys, and it’s something we will always remember. We’ve been with this bunch of lads since u-10 so obviously there has been four or five years of hard work there.

“Some of the lads have improved, there’s seriously improving the lads, and what more can you say about them? Last year, they won the four titles. They won the league and the Derry Championship, they won the Derry Féile, they won the All-Ireland Féile. This year they have cleaned up as well. A league, a championship and now an Ulster title. They put the work in, they have a massive, massive work rate, and everything they get is thoroughly deserved.”

While the u-16 team can put their feet up and enjoy the fruits of their labour, the club are still striving for greatness in the final few days of the year. The minors are out to make it a double delight of Ulster titles as they eye up provincial glory at St Paul’s.

There’s a large number of players across both camps and this weekend they hope to go one step further towards the final.

They take on Armagh champions Clann Éireann on Sunday and the momentum in the Magherafelt club won’t be easy halted.

“The minors play Clann Éireann now on Sunday and we have six or seven of the u-16 lads that start in that minor team as well,” Donnelly explained.

“It’ll be massive for the club, an u-16 Ulster title and hopefully a second for the minors in the space of two weeks, it would be absolutely massive.

“I wish those lads all the best this weekend and hopefully the minors can get over the line.”