ULSTER IHC FINAL
THE memory of the much-loved Vanessa Whyte and her children James and Sara will be “in the minds” of the Lisbellaw players when they take to Clones on Sunday in the Ulster Intermediate Hurling Final.
Earlier this year, the Lisbellaw and extended Fermanagh community was devastated when the three respected club members were tragically killed in their home in Maguiresbridge.
Lisbellaw manager Davey Teague said that winning the Ulster Intermediate Club Championship title on Sunday, in memory of the late Vanessa, James and Sara, would be a big boost for the club.
“It would be unbelievable. This year, for us in the club, it has been devastating in losing Vanessa [Whyte] and James and Sara [Rutledge],” Teague told the ‘Herald.
“They have been in our minds all year and we’re trying to give the club a bit of a lift in such a tough time.”
The Teague family has been deep-rooted in Lisbellaw hurling for many years and Davey will lead the Fermanagh side into their second Ulster final in six years.
He stepped down following the provincial final defeat in 2021 but he’s now returned to the fold, where he’s hoping that his charges can go a step further and get their hands on the Ulster title.
“I’m loving it again. I stepped down when I moved to Dublin, but I’m back home now and I was mad to get back involved,” explained Teague.
The Fermanagh side had a difficult run to the Ulster Final, beating the fancied Swatragh in the quarter-final, before they overpowered Monaghan champions Castleblaney in the semi-final.
There’s plenty of quality in the Lisbellaw squad, in the likes of captain Luca McCusker and Fermanagh county players Caolan and Ciaran Duffy, Tom Keenan and Aidan Flanagan.
Experience is also plentiful in the ‘Law ranks with Ryan Bogue, Sean Corrigan, John Duffy and Francie McBrien all representing the Erne side for almost two decades.
Teague feels that his squad is in a good place as they prepare for the Ulster Final in Clones on Sunday.
“At the start of every year for Lisbellaw, yes you be looking at the league, but your main priority for the year is the Ulster quarter-final,” he said.
“We were drawn against the toughest draw possible in getting the Derry champions. Once we got over that one, we were very confident going forward.
“We have a great squad this year. I was even saying to the lads, after the Castleblaney semi-final, some of the lads got on that day and started that didn’t even play against Swatragh. There’s a massive competition for places which is exactly what you need if you’re going to compete in Ulster.”
But Teague knows that there’s nothing easy handed out in Ulster and he’s preparing his side for what he expects to be the “best team we’ve faced” this season in Carrickmore.
“We’ve played them twice already this year. It was in the league and both teams were a shadow of what will be lining out on Sunday with football and people missing,” added Teague.
“They’re only after beating the Antrim winners so they’re going to be the best team we’ve faced by any distance.”
