A Co Tyrone school football team has returned home to a heroes’ welcome after making history with an All-Ireland title.
St Joseph’s Grammar School, Donaghmore defeated Abbey CBS from Co Tipperary to win the Paddy Drummond Cup in the senior ‘B’ final in Co Mayo on Saturday.
Hundreds of pupils made the three-hour journey by bus to provide vocal support at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence.
Having only started admitting boys less than 20 years ago, the former convent school won Ulster’s MacLarnon Cup for the first time last month.
And in an All-Ireland decider played in atrocious weather conditions, St Joseph’s trailed by three points during the first half and early in the second before blitzing their more experienced opponents, running out nine-point winners on a 2-12 to 0-9 scoreline.
Match report:
Quickfire McNally double puts St Joseph's Donaghmore on the way to All-Ireland glory
After jubilant scenes with supporters on the field, the team were given a guard of honour when they arrived back to St Joseph's on Saturday night as the whole school community came out to celebrate.
They were told how they had put St Joseph’s firmly on the college football map with their remarkable exploits.
The school, whose players are drawn from clubs including Donaghmore, Dungannon, Galbally, Pomeroy, Carrickmore and further afield, have been receiving congratulations from across the county.
Masita Paddy Drummond Cup Final@SJS41 2-12 (18)
— Tyrone GAA (@TyroneGAALive) March 11, 2023
Abbey CBS 0-9 (9)
Congratulations to our new All Ireland Champions, St. Joseph's Donaghmore
A wonderful second half performance ensures that the Paddy Drummond Cup is coming back to Tyrone pic.twitter.com/EaTvj579yq
Principal Geraldine Donnelly said they will hold a special assembly tomorrow in recognition of the team's achievements, and hope to put on a dinner for players, coaches and their families in the coming weeks.
She said they will also be thinking this week of former principal Helen McRory. whose month's mind Mass takes place and who would have taken great delight alongside her husband, former Tyrone football manager Art, in the historic achievement.
"We have been celebrating our centenary this year and when I spoke to staff at the beginning of year and asked for suggestions about what we might do, (GAA coach) Donal Gallagher said 'I'll get you the MacLarnon Cup'. He said it tongue in cheek, but there was definitely a glint in his eye.
"Well, he came through not just with the MacLarnon Cup but with the All-Ireland too and that has just put it into the stratosphere."
Mrs Donnelly paid tribute to all the coaching staff, the players, their families and all who played their part in the team's remarkable success.
"When they came back on Saturday night the lads were so thrilled but they are a modest bunch too. On the field they are tenacious and hard-working but they are humble in all their achievements.
"They are real leaders, renaissance men who are also strong academically and know they they will have to recalibrate now for the remainder of the school year. We are so proud of them."
Tyrone GAA will now be hoping to make it a double All-Ireland success when Omagh CBS compete in the final of the schools ‘A’ competition for the Hogan Cup in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.
