ST Patrick’s Donagh manager Gary Maguire has urged his players to embrace the opportunity ahead this weekend as they prepare to kick off their Ulster Junior Club Championship campaign.
The Donagh men face Belfast side St Agnes GAC in Brewster Park on Saturday in the Ulster quarter-final and Maguire is calling on his players to make the most of the moment in Enniskillen.
“The Junior Ulster is something to have a good go at,” Maguire told the ‘Herald.
“Fermanagh teams haven’t been doing well in it so we want to give it a rattle and you could get a game under your belt in it and it raises the spirits again.
“It’s bonus territory and it’s easy to say it, but at junior, there’s a good opportunity there. It has to be someone, so why not us?”
St Patrick’s got their hands on the coveted Fermanagh Junior Football Championship following a 3-14 to 1-17 victory over Newtownbutler in Shamrock Park in Roslea a few weeks ago.
Newtownbutler were the strong favourites for the title from the outset, but Maguire said his charges weren’t perturbed by the underdogs tag.
“We knew we were going to be in the final. Percentage wise, it was going to end up between the two of us, so to get over the line was a big thing,” explained Maguire.
“There was only a kick of a ball between us and to come out the other side, you take a lot from it. If it ends the other way, you don’t know where you are.
“The boys earned it and worked hard for it and they know they’re only starting to play.”
St Patrick’s Donagh boast a formidable attacking unit with Brian McDermott, who scored two goals in the Fermanagh decider, hugely accurate in front of goal.
Dual player Jimmy Tormey, Tiernan Wray and Nathan Beattie are also very clinical forwards and all pose a big threat for Maguire’s side.
There’s huge experience in the Donagh side, with veteran Eamon Maguire playing some of his best football, along with the likes of Cameron McBrien, Johnny O’Reilly and Conor McDermott.
The St Patrick’s men face Belfast winners St Agnes GAC in the Ulster quarter-final and while Maguire anticipates a tough challenge, he’s remaining focused on his own team.
“We know very little about them [St Agnes GAC]. They’ve won all of their games pretty well,” said the St Patrick’s manager.
“When you get into Ulster, you don’t know what you’re getting and it’s the same for them against us. You can overprepare for a team within your county, but in Ulster, it’s a whole different ball game.
“You just hope that what we have done fitness wise and work wise is enough to get us through.”
With an Ulster Junior Club Championship semi-final spot up for grabs, Maguire is urging his players to embrace this weekend’s challenge.
“Any day you get to play a big game in Brewster Park, it’s a big thing,” he said.
“The junior final was in Roslea and the last few years, we’ve played all of our championship games in Roslea. It’s nice to get into Brewster Park and I think it will suit us.”
