Hurling & Camogie

Ryan Gaffney savours Ulster Intermediate success with Middletown

Ryan Gaffney from Middletown gets away from Paddy Henry from Lavey during Sunday's Ulster Intermediate final. Picture by Cliff Donaldson.
Ryan Gaffney from Middletown gets away from Paddy Henry from Lavey during Sunday's Ulster Intermediate final. Picture by Cliff Donaldson. Ryan Gaffney from Middletown gets away from Paddy Henry from Lavey during Sunday's Ulster Intermediate final. Picture by Cliff Donaldson.

RYAN Gaffney says Middletown’s recently acquired Ulster Intermediate crown means more to him than the one the club won back in 2011.

The Middletown free-taker notched nine points (0-8 frees) in Sunday’s magnificent victory over Derry champions Lavey in the provincial decider.

The 31-year-old was also delighted the Armagh club was back playing intermediate hurling.

“As a club this means everything to us,” said Gaffney.

“We’ve been playing senior for five years. We did our time and we gave other teams a fair rattle, we always gave our best.

“But five years at senior level is a very long time for a club like ours.

“If you take a player’s career, five years is an awful length of time. You don’t have too many chances.

“We gave it our best shot. We played Cushendall and Slaughtneil and they are top teams in Ireland.

“We’ve done the club and our families proud. We’re just glad to get back to this level [intermediate] and we feel comfortable here. We did well to get over the line against Lavey.”

Three points separated the sides in Sunday’s enthralling decider at Corrigan Park but the Armagh club could find itself returning to the senior ranks again as the intermediate champions of Ulster automatically move up.

That’s why Gaffney plans to savour his second winner’s medal at provincial level before they look ahead to the All-Ireland series at the end of January.

In 2011, they hammered Castleblayney Faughs in the Ulster final before suffering a two-point All-Ireland final defeat to Mount Leinster Rangers of Carlow.

“2011 feels that long ago I can hardly remember it, but this victory does feel a wee bit better because in 2011 I was a lot younger and I probably thought I’d get a lot more chances and you realise when you’re older that you have to grab these opportunities when you can.

“So this feels special and there are a lot of young fellas there now and it’s great for them to experience this.

“To come here for the final and to win it means a hell of a lot to us. We’re a very tight community and a very tight group and we will enjoy this.”

Lavey pushed Middletown all the way at the weekend, with the Derry men fashioning a six-point lead after 39 minutes and they still led by a point with three minutes of normal time remaining before hero of the hour Martin Maguire grabbed a stoppage-time goal that swung the game in the Armagh club’s favour.

“We always knew we’d get a purple patch towards the end,” said Gaffney.

“We did well in the first 15 minutes and then we let them back into it. And again we let them back into it in the second half but even when we were behind we kept tipping the ball over the bar and in the last five minutes it swung our way.”

Both Gaffney and Lavey’s Paddy Henry gave an exhibition of free-taking.

Henry top-scored with an incredible 1-11 while Gaffney’s pressure free in the 47th minute kept Middletown in the game.

“I just tried to focus more on my game rather than just hitting the frees and it worked for me. I’ve missed many frees but lucky enough they went over for me.”