By Michael McMullan

ULSTER GAA got their Wheelchair Sports programme back up and running earlier this month and are planning to add a juvenile section this year.

Ulster, who handed out eight debuts, hosted the other three provinces in the opening run of the league in Omagh Leisure Centre and plans are already in place to get football fully integrated to the programme which has been mainly hurling to date.

It was a steep learning curve for many of the new players up against some seasoned players from the likes of Munster and Connacht, many with over ten years’ experience.

The concept began 20 years ago through Kerry native Tim Maher who taught in a Dublin residential school for children with disabilities attached to St Mary’s Hospital.

It began with players playing tennis and he swapped the rackets for small hurls and the game build momentum from there.

When everyone is available, Ulster coaches Shane McCann and Paul Callaghan have 28 players.

FLYING THE FLAG…Members of the Ulster GAA Wheelchair Sports team

“There are not that many opportunities for them to be playing competitive sports, especially if they are into the GAA, it’s their only outlet,” McCann stated.

“We have the National League and the All-Ireland Championship, but we have the potential for some of them making the Compromise Rules Floorball team.

“We only did it once and it was in the programme for every two years, but obviously Covid impacted on that. This year’s focus is to get our own competitions back up and running.”

Ulster have always had both football and hurlingcamogie coaching at their sessions and they trialled having football involved at the opening round of games this season.

“We demonstrated it to all the other provinces and it is on the agenda, at national level, to bring it into the competition structure,” McCann pointed out.

In the beginning, there was a ‘non-competitive’ third period added to the games to enable more players to get more action, but with numbers not always available across the provinces it fell away.

“We are now going to bring that extra period back, as football,” McCann added.

“I suggested at the last meeting to get that third period and have it as football as everybody is going to the venues anyway.

“The sports are going well, but Covid didn’t help us at all. We are now looking at starting a juvenile section as we have a wide range of ages, all the way to players in their 40s.”

For further information, contact Shane McCann on shane.mccann.ulster@gaa.ie 07920528793.

ULSTER GAA WHEELCHAIR SPORTS SQUAD: Emma Clarke (no club), Colm Brady (Clonoe, Tyrone), Kevin Cassidy, (Rock, Tyrone), Brandon Kelly (Dungiven Derry), Ciaran Bradley (Clann na Banna, Down), David Doherty (no club), Joe Forbes (Ardoyne, Antrim), Kirstin Beggs (no club), Gabriel Mallon (Grange, Armagh), Ruairi McDermott (Kinawley, Fermanagh), Cormac Carberry (Galbally, Tyrone), Catherine Quinn (East Belfast Gaels, Down), Conor McGrotty, (Limavady, Derry), Geraldine McGarrigle (Strabane, Tyrone), Martin Lavery (Dungannon, Tyrone), John McElhatton (Cookstown, Tyrone), Barry McElhatton (Cookstown, Tyrone), Conor Connolly (Beragh, Tyrone), Cathal McAtamney (Swatragh, Derry) and Peadar Heffron (Hollywood, Down).

Coaches: Shane McCann (Clonoe, Tyrone) and Paul Callaghan (Burt, Donegal).