FORMER Down and Ulster hurling goalkeeper Graham Clarke has suggested that the ‘Team Ulster’ concept should be re-visited by administrators.
Looking back, the Ballygalget clubman has chosen the top Ulster team from his playing days, from 15 different clubs (see pages 52-53).
Looking forward, he argues that the northern province should amalgamate, perhaps without Antrim involvement, in order to have an Ulster presence on the big stage again.
“Could you imagine that team 10 or so years ago going into an All-Ireland quarter-final being some way prepared? The whole of Ulster going to that match? There’s 15 clubs represented there, so all those clubs would be going there.
“I can’t understand why we as a province aren’t doing that. They talk about the logistics and the time, say that there’s so much emphasis on the county that there wouldn’t be time for an Ulster team.
“Sure, they wouldn’t be able to train together that much but my attitude is this: Derry and Down are Division 2 [2B, effectively a Division Four], Tyrone are coming but they’re in Division 3, along with Armagh and Donegal and Monaghan – why not give the kids in Ulster an opportunity to get into that team?
“The year we got to the Railway Cup final when I was sub [1995], a Tyrone man started at corner-forward against Munster [Vinny Owens of Killyclogher].”
Antrim were looking good to break back into the top 12 of the hurling league, qualified for the Division 2A Final against Kerry before coronavirus halted all sport, and Clarke accepts that the Saffrons may believe they can be strong enough themselves:
“There’s a big push in Antrim with Club Antrim and Gaelfast – if they want to stay on their own then go with the rest of Ulster.
“We have a province. Ulster should be saying ‘Antrim can get Darren Gleeson, logistically, two or three times a week, so why can’t we get a person interested in putting this together?’”
When Clarke’s career began the Ulster champions went into an All-Ireland quarter-final but northern hurling has slipped back and he believes it needs helping hands to get back up again – and new approaches:
“People go on about inclusiveness in the GAA… I know a Carlow player, for example, wouldn’t get a similar opportunity.
“For me, though, if there’s no Ulster Championship there should be an Ulster team. All you have to do is get the managers of the main Ulster counties together, get a wee management team together. Get a training camp organised and train that team.
“I’m sure the Down, Derry, and Antrim managers wouldn’t even want to hear about this, but I’m just thinking about the kids in our province.
“My wee boy is entering his teens: what division is he going to be playing in? Where will Antrim be in four or five years’ time?
“He might say ‘Daddy, I’m not going to be on the TV so I’m not going to play hurling, I’m going to play golf.’
“This is not trying to push Ulster into anything but I would love to be going in a car with my wee lad to watch John McManus from Ballygalget on that [Ulster] team, because he would be on it, or Danny Toner.
“Would it be competitive? I don’t know - but give it a go.”
