Joey Clarke is hoping this will be the year that sees Donaghmore’s golden generation of young talent blossom and fulfil their potential.
The club has had sizeable representation in Tyrone underage teams in recent seasons, contributing strongly to success at minor and U20 levels.
Earlier this year Clarke captained the Red Hands to All-Ireland U20 triumph, along with club-mates Ben Hughes, Conor O’Neill and Noah Grimes, all four picking up their second successive medals.
That rich vein of young talent has fuelled expectation that it’s only a matter of time before the St Patrick’s make the breakthrough at senior level.
“That’s something we say among ourselves, but there comes a time you have to stop waiting and you have to start winning, so that’s hopefully this year for us,” said Clarke.
The 20-year-old defender believes success with the county, allied with a clutch of Tyrone MFC titles, can help breed success with the club.
Read more: Tyrone’s Eoin McElholm named U20 Player of the Year
“There’s four of us in it, me, Noah, Ben and Conor, and we have a good bit of chemistry between the four of us, and we’ve all played the whole way up, so it definitely helps whenever you’ve played the full way up in a number of different teams and you’re winning.
“So, whenever you’re still winning, you don’t want that to stop, so that’s the aim.”
The opposing players are neighbours and friends, former classmates and current college house sharers.
“I live with Joe Corrigan up in Belfast, and he’s playing in the Galbally team. We know each other inside out, but that probably makes for a more heated game, so we’re all looking forward to it.
Like their parish rivals, Donaghmore are yearning for a long-awaited championship run, early exits having been a feature of their O’Neill Cup history over an extended period.
“That’s the aim for us. We want to become contenders in the championship as any other team does, but I think we need to get over a bit of a hump, get a first win in the championship in a few years, and just push on from there because the talent’s there. We just need to start winning.”
To do that they will have to build a level of consistency that eluded them during the league, a problem partly attributable to injuries to important players such as Ben Hughes and Clarke himself.
“The other boys in the squad have stepped up really have pushed us on.
“It’s always about the next man up, and the boys that have filled in really have done well. And you need everyone pushing at this time of the year.
“So if we can get everyone else back in, the full squad, you’re stronger altogether. So it might have been a good thing.
“We’ve been trying to string together form all year, but you know how difficult Division One is.
“It’s nail on nail every week. You’re going to be up against it. Galbally have been going well as well, but we’re trying to focus on ourselves and keep improving every week.
“The results might not be there, but as long as you’re improving every week, you’ll be going in the right direction.”