CHEERS erupted from Brewster Park on Sunday night, as Ederney ended their 52 year wait to capture the Fermanagh Senior Football
Championship.
Spectators for the St Joseph’s side leaped for joy as the final whistle blew after a nail biting eight minute addition to extra time.
“It’s been 52 years since Ederney had the New York cup, but for most of the men on this team it’s been 10-15 years of hard work and disappointment,” revealed Ederney player Oran McGee to the Herald.
“For me personally this trophy goes beyond just the 30 squad members and management on this current team. But those who have put in the time to move the club forward.
“From the time I have been involved with Ederney there are players and management who are as entitled to this championship as anyone who was on the pitch yesterday.”
The club won its first Fermanagh championship title since 1968 and in doing so stopped Derrygonnelly’s bid for a sixth consecutive title.
Fermanagh GAA took to social media to highlight the “historic night” describing scenes of “men crying in the stand” stating that they thought they would “never see it.”
Key to leading Ederney in their victory was long serving St Joseph’s player and 2004 county star Martin McGrath. Speaking after the win he said, “We’ve been knocking on the door this past ten years to be truthful.
“We’ve had our fair share of defeats and finals and eventually it came right here today. It’s a team game with your club, the ones that you’ve grown up with.
“The hub of the parish is the club and when you put it into perspective it means so much not only to me or the players but to the whole village and every individual in that village.
“My father and his six brothers were playing in the final back in 1968. Thankfully, the photograph up at the house will not just be them, it’ll be us.
“I kept playing because I enjoyed the camaraderie and the spirit. I wanted my children to see me out playing football, to encourage them into it is as well.”
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