BY BARRY O'DONNELL

FESTIVE celebrations got underway early in Greencastle when the St Patrick's put the seal on an historic year by clinching the Ulster Junior Club Championship title on the first weekend in December.

Their tight-fought but engrossing victory over Donegal's Naomh Brid in the final at Casement Park sparked off scenes of undiluted joy within the small Tyrone village, Sean Teague's conquering heroes receiving a rapturous welcome on their return to the foothills of the Sperrins.

One man who more than played his role in helping the team attain not only the Ulster crown but also the Tyrone League and Championship double earlier in the campaign was their influential captain Martin Conway. The 24-year old right half-back led by example throughout the season, forming part of a tenacious, well-drilled 'Castle defence which provided a solid platform for their successful assault on both domestic and provincial honours.

A series of accomplished, authoritative displays during St Patrick's jubilant hat-trick quest have also helped Martin secure our Ulster Herald/Lairdesign Sports Personality of the Month Award for December.

Five weeks down the line the local construction worker naturally recalls the back end of the 2006 season with some fondness as Greencastle emerged from the shadows of the county's traditional forces to deservedly steal the limelight.

UNBELIEVABLE

" It was an unbelievable season for us. To get to an Ulster Championship Final and win it is something special for a club like our own. Nobody could have expected it to turn out the way it did.

" We were slow enough getting going at the outset of the year and did just enough in our early Championship matches against Derrytresk and the Rock. Slowly though we managed to pick up momentum and go from strength to strength."

Greencastle squared up against old adversaries Tattyreagh in the County decider and after two titanic struggles eventually took the spoils after a replay. Conway admitted to expecting nothing less.

" We've had many a battle with them in the past and the two recent Championships matches were as tough as we thought they'd be. They were also two good entertaining games and it was nice afterwards to hear people commenting on that. It was too close to call throughout but we just managed to edge home on the second day."

After that triumph 'Castle earned their passage into the Ulster Championship for the very first time and having easily squashed the pretty feeble resistance of Antrim champions Ardoyne in their opener, they faced a much more formidable hurdle in the semi-final against Monaghan junior kingpins Drumhowan.

" After winning our own Championship Sean looked to refocus our sights on a new challenge and told us this sort of opportunity mightn't come along too often. We decided among ourselves that we might as well give it a serious shot. It's a great chance to play against teams from other counties in competitive matches

" Ardoyne in the first match weren't as good as we thought they might be but the Drumhowan match in the semi-final and then Naomh Brid in the final were real tough games.

" We had to fight back from five or six points down in the semi and then withstood a late rally in the final. But even when it looked bleak enough for us at times we were able to keep plugging away, something that Sean always hammers home to us."

Back in the spring however when former Tyrone captain Teague took over the managerial reigns at his home club, Greencastle's ambitions were a lot more modest than focusing on winning Tyrone and Ulster Championships.

" Our main priority was to get back to Division Two through the league after having been relegated the season before. Anything else in terms of winning the Championship was regarded as a bonus."

Despite their historic treble in '06 Greencastle aren't content to rest on their laurels and as the captain points out the generally youthful make-up of the panel suggest that the future remains bright as they look to bigger challenges ahead in the Intermediate flight in the coming season.

" When we were coming home from the Ulster semi-final we were working out the average age of the squad which is around 21. So we've a pretty young team and hopefully it will continue to improve as time progresses."

The next assignment for this young squad is an All-Ireland semi-final assignment with Killila of Mayo in the middle of February though overall as he peers ahead Martin's primary goal in 2007 is to preserve their Division Two status in the Tyrone All-County League.

" The All-Ireland semi will be another great experience when it comes along but our main aim has to be doing well in the League especially with the changes planned for the next season. We have to set out to finish in the top half which will be a stiff enough task. But come the 18th February our only thoughts will be on trying to reach an All-Ireland Final."

Croke Park beckons? Who'd bet against it!