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Captain cap fits Crossmaglen's Paul Hearty just right

Crossmaglen's Paul Hearty is aiming to lift his first Ulster club title as captain on Sunday <br />Picture by S&eacute;amus loughran
Crossmaglen's Paul Hearty is aiming to lift his first Ulster club title as captain on Sunday
Picture by Séamus loughran
Crossmaglen's Paul Hearty is aiming to lift his first Ulster club title as captain on Sunday
Picture by Séamus loughran

CROSSMAGLEN RANGERS captain Paul Hearty is setting aside personal goals ahead of Sunday’s Ulster Senior Club final clash with Scotstown at the Athletic Grounds.

The 37-year-old is the only surviving playing member of the panel to have won all of the club’s 10 provincial titles, six All-Ireland club medals along with 19 Armagh county championships and, having been named as captain by former team-mates and joint-managers John McEntee and Oisín McConville, the veteran 'keeper is simply focusing on clinching more silverware for Cross.

“It would probably be a bit selfish thinking about winning it as captain. The only way we’re going to win this Ulster title is if everybody is pulling together,” said Hearty.

“It is a slightly different role, but you try and show the same leadership and take a bit more responsibility, but it’s probably nothing more than in previous years because I am the oldest player and you try to lead by example all the time. The younger guys would look up to the senior members of the panel, not only me, but the likes of Mickey McNamee, Stephen and Aaron Kernan.”

Rangers have introduced a number of younger faces to the squad this year, with the likes of Oisín O’Neill showing his scoring ability against both Cargin and Kilcoo as Cross made their way to this weekend’s final. Hearty has confidence that the production line at the club shows no sign of slowing down.

“These boys are in line to win their first title, so we try to inspire them and drive them on and show them the way things should be done," he added. 

"Oisín has broken in this year, he’s only 18 and he’s a fantastic talent, as we all know. There are seven other minors in there as well and they are all equally impressive young footballers and great level-headed young fellas.

“I was winning my first county title when some of those boys weren’t born. They’ve been brought up on Cross teams winning All-Ireland, Ulster and county titles and they’ve known nothing else so, when they play football, they automatically want to go to places like Clones and Croke Park and replicate what’s gone on before.

“We’ve brought through eight minors this year and that’s unheard of. There’s another clutch coming through at U16 level and they are fantastic as well. That’s effectively a whole other team coming through in two or three years and that goes right back through the club and the coaching systems that have been set up.”

While Cross will go into Sunday’s match as favourites given their reputation for winning the big games, Hearty is happy to be going up against a Monaghan club side who, he feels, try to play football the right way.

“You have to appreciate and admire the way they approach the game. They play a decent brand of football, which most other clubs and, effectively, counties don’t. Other teams play defensively, with men behind the ball and it’s boring football. It’s pretty hard to watch,” he admits.

“But Scotstown, fair play to them, play an attacking brand of football, which is great. In Darren Hughes at full-forward, they have a great target man and a great quality footballer. He brings great athleticism, pace and power to the position, so he’ll have to be watched.

“They have some good free takers as well. My opposite number for one - you can’t even foul a guy 60 metres from goal because you know Rory [Beggan] is going to step up and have a go at it. They have threats all over the field and their attacking football has been paying dividends for them. It’s going to be a challenge.”