“IF ANYONE wants to know how to manage a team, take a leaf out of their books”, bellowed Aghagallon senior captain David McAlernon minutes after lifting the Antrim intermediate title.
The reference was directed at management trio Liam Lavery, Ollie and Neil McStravick, a token for their Herculean efforts. For a sizeable chunk of their young squad, the glory didn’t end there. After beating Rossa in the U21 final, the club brought home a third piece of silverware of the season.
A cavalcade of cars arriving into Aghagallon on the first Sunday in December wasn’t any run of the mill celebration - it marked a club milestone: “It was a big thing for the club, getting our first grade A title,” said Lavery.
“We were pipped at the post last year [by St John’s] and we exceeded expectations.”
Losing just one player, Lavery’s side had the tools for the 2016 tilt at glory. With nine of the team having senior experience and losing a heart-breaking one-point defeat to Donaghmoyne in Ulster, the impetus was there.
“We lost, deservedly, to St John’s, they were the best team,” admitted Lavery.
“We knew, this year, we had a half-decent side, we were determined to give it another go and, thankfully, that’s the way it turned out.”
The Antrim champions will now face Gaoth Dobhair, a fresh challenge and something Lavery is already relishing: “We know nothing about them, that’s the beauty of this competition," he added.
"Apart from Donaghmoyne, we don’t know anyone here, so it’s new territory.”
Having the same management team across both teams made sense, ensuring a familiarity and, when training resumes next week, they will set a new set of targets, as Lavery explains.
Aghagallon have made a habit of bouncing back and resetting the goals: “With this [U21] competition, everything takes a step up. After coming up from division three, at the start of the year, we aimed to do as well as we could in division two - but to win it has exceeded our expectations,” he said.
Coming from a low base, nobody expected Aghagallon to win the intermediate championship. Now, it’s time to follow on and make a better fist of life in the top-flight: “Our aim for now is to establish ourselves as a division one club,” said Lavery.
“The last time we got promoted, we came straight back down, but we didn’t have as strong a squad or youth coming through. At U16s and minors, we are always competing with the best in the county - getting beat in semi-finals and getting to finals, but not winning.
"However, we are playing all the big teams and, next year, we are up with the big boys.”
