Lavey captain Eamon McGill has fond memories of the venue for this weekend’s Ulster Club IHC final.
He won an Ulster U21 medal with Derry at Corrigan Park earlier this year, and on Sunday he returns to the West Belfast ground in pursuit of a provincial double.
The 21-year-old will become one of the youngest men to accept an Ulster trophy if he can lead his side to victory over Middletown on Sunday.
And he’s grateful to manager Johnny McGarvey for trusting him with the role at such a tender age.
“I was surprised. I didn’t see myself in this position at all, but Johnny has the faith in me, and I’m more than happy to do it,” he said.
Paddy Henry and Cailean O’Boyle provide the scoring power that has taken the Erins’ Own men to the decider, hitting the target with consistency in the wins over Liatroim of Down and Sarsfields of Antrim.
“Paddy has been in the county panel for a lot of years, and he has always been an outstanding player for us. He’s consistent from frees. Big Cailean came back this year after a bad cruciate injury, and he’s coming into things rightly,” said McGill.
“We’ll just play the way we have been playing. We have a good threat up front, and we’ll try to keep supplying them with the balls we have been giving them.”
After coasting to a 4-25 to 0-10 win over Liatroim, Lavey were pushed all the way by Antrim champions Patrick Sarsfields, but emerged with a narrow 3-16 to 2-17 semi-final success.
It was a tight, testing contest which McGill hopes will stand to the Derry men in the decider.
“Sarsfields ran us close, but it’s probably a better thing, getting a tight game like that, rather than another game like the one against Liatroim.
“I think the last 20 minutes of the Sarsfields game really showed what heart our team has.
“We’re flying at the minute. In my time being there, it’s probably a record as regards numbers at training. And it’s serious competitive training, we’re playing matches, with boys standing on the sideline looking to play, there’s great competition for places. Things are going well, the spirit’s good.”
Middletown askes serious questions of Slaughtneil in last year’s senior semi-final, and the Armagh champions have invested massive effort into their quest for an IFC title.
“They were in the senior semi-final last year, and they gave Slaughtneil a good enough tight game, so we’ll not be taking them lightly.”
Lavey were once the kingpins of Derry hurling, but since the spectacular emergence of Slaughtneil as a major force of county and province, they have slipped down the pecking order.
They face a few more seasons of rebuilding and transition, but wing back McGill dearly wants to see the club return to greatness.
“In years gone by we would be aspiring to win that competition, but if you look at our results over the last five years, we’re not a team that’s going to be competing with the likes of Slaughtneil.
“We haven’t been going as well as the club has done in the past. I see us as an Intermediate team at the minute, that’s the way it is, but hopefully we can build on it after this year.
“At the minute, there’s no chance in Derry, with Slaughtneil, but we’ll try and push our way there. We got beat by Dungiven in the senior quarter-final, and that put us into Intermediate. We beat Swatragh in the final.
“There’s no easy games in Derry at the minute. Apart from Slaughtneil, everyone is on a level par.”
