ULSTER CLUB MINOR TOURNAMENT FINAL PREVIEW
by Ronan McSherry
WHILE GAA followers across Tyrone are resting after their Christmas and New Year's Eve revelries, Coalisland Fianna is buzzing as their minors go in search of Ulster glory.
All roads from the town lead to Shaw's Road, Belfast today (Monday) where they meet Cavan Gaels in the St Paul's Ulster Club Minor tournament final. Two buses and car loads of Fianna supporters will make their way down the M1 hoping the first day of 2007 will see the Jimmy McConville Cup coming back to the Annagher clubrooms.
On their way to the final Coalisland beat Crossmaglen and Killybegs while the Cavan champions accounted for Castlewellan and St Galls. The Tyrone champions are bidding to become the third team from the county to lift the Ulster minor crown following the successes of Dungannon in 1989 and Errigal Ciaran last year. Their illustrious opponents are the only side from the Breffini county to have won this competition, their previous triumph coming in 1999.
Tyrone Youth Footballer of the Year, Brian Toner has had a long gruelling season for club and county but is looking forward to the game." It is the end of the season though I will be straight into more football with the under 21 trails still going on. It is great to be involved in a game like this."
His season began with Dungannon Academy who reached the quarter final of the MacRory Cup. He also lined out for Tyrone minors and was part of the Fianna under 21 and senior sides who reached the final and semi-finals of their respective championships. With the club minor side he captured both league and championship medals.
The old adage is that the club is your community and the people you grew up with. Toner added, "Our team has been playing together a long time and there is a good bond between us. We won nothing at under 14 level and at under 16 we won the double and went on to win the Paul McGirr Cup. We are quietly confident. Everyone is excited about being in an Ulster final and can't wait to get playing."
This has been felt throughout the club as he explained, "There is big excitement around the town with people coming up to us on the street wishing us good luck for Monday and saying, 'I hope you bring home the Cup for us.'"
Standing between the Fianna and the Ulster title is a highly rated Cavan Gael team. Recently they won the Ulster under 17 Paul McGirr Memorial trophy. They are the most experienced club in the Ulster minor competition having competed in eight of the last nine tournaments. The Gaels side is backboned by Sean Higgins and Martin Dunne with Malachy Gurry, Dallan McCormack, Chris Quinn and Daniel Graham also showing excellent recent form.
The Fianna management and several of the players saw their final opponents in action in their semi-final win over St Galls. Toner has no illusions regarding the task ahead, "They have a very good forward line. They are very fast and move the ball quick. We will really need to be on our toes from the throw-in. We know we are up against it and it will be hard. That is what you expect at this level."
The Fianna however, is an exceptional side with five of last year's Tyrone minor team in their line-out. They are half back Stephen McNally and in the forward division Toner, Tiarnan O'Hagan and Paddy McNiece. Kevin Corr who has been plagued with injury over the last year lined out at full back in the semi-final and had a terrific game. They can also call on backs of the calibre of Louis O'Neill, Mickey Hagan, Shane Hughes, Liam Wylie and Sean Galvin with Patrick Donnelly between the posts in sparkling form. Paddy Lyons and Stephen Curran are likely to start in the middle of the field while Dermott Thornton, Niall Fox and Eoghain Carberry have been their biggest scoring threats up front.
This side has lit up football for Coalisland over the last number of years with their brand of open attacking football and support play. Today's game has all the makings of a classic if both sides play to their potential.
The Coalisland lads had a low key Christmas in preparation for today's Ulster showdown. There is a disco and party organised for the players tonight. The 2006 Youth Player of the Year concluded, "It would be a great way to start the year with a trophy. Hopefully on Monday night the Ulster trophy will be in the Coalisland clubrooms.
The Fianna's hour of destiny throws in at 1.30 this afternoon at the St Paul's playing complex on the Shaw's Road in Belfast.
