No panic: Something different about this Errigal Ciarán team, says Ronan McRory

A young team, they've shown composure in clutch moments on their final run. 

Ronan McRory (Errigal Ciaran), pictured ahead of the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Final against Cuala (Dublin) and Errigal Ciaran (Tyrone). Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Seeing as Nemo Rangers weren’t the opposition, there was always a chance Errigal Ciarán were going to come out on top in last Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final.

The Cork men had foiled them at that stage in 1994 after extra-time and they came out on top again in 2003, Colin Corkery and Peter Canavan shooting it out on both occasions.

Ronan McRory’s father Ciarán was centre-back in '94 and he vividly remembers those times. “I have four other siblings and mummy used to be spooning the hot dinners into us at 8 o'clock in the morning to head to these Ulster club games and ensure we weren’t hungry.” 

McRory is 20 years a member of Errigal Ciarán’s senior panel and he senses there is a resilience in this current group that wasn’t there in previous set-ups. The finishes against the likes of Dr Crokes, Clonoe and Kilcoo have proved that. “Years gone by, when we would have been down by a point or two in the closing stages, you may not necessarily have that belief that we’d get a chance.

“But no, something's different about this team. I always feel that if we get our hands on the ball, that we'll work a chance, and the same as if we're a point up in a game. There's never a stage where I feel like it's out of our control, which is maybe a bit strange to say, but there's no real panic sets in in that team.

“I know it's a fairly young team. Obviously, it's littered with the experience of Petey Harte, Aidan McRory, Ciarán McGinley and a few of the older boys that have been there a brave long time, but there doesn't seem to be any panic, maybe there's just a good head and a lot of young shoulders.” 

OLD HEAD: Skipper Darragh Canavan celebrates with a supporter after victory over Dr Crokes. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

McRory has been coming on later in games when Errigal Ciarán have been showing their mettle. He had a front row seat for the dazzling displays Darragh and Ruairi Canavan put on against Dr Crokes last Saturday and obviously there will be more of the same in Sunday’s showdown with Cuala.

“The only additional compliment I can give them is they're as good as lads as they are players and that's some compliment. They're really good to be about. Darragh's our captain this year. They're both true leaders. They're really, really good lads. I know that's again another cliché, but they really are. They're caring lads at heart and they are really, really good to play with.”

McRory  remembers playing alongside their father Peter and “Ruairí used to come with the goalkeeper tees and a big pair of gloves. I don't know if he wanted to be a goalkeeper or he thought it was cool or maybe he saw himself as a future Stephen Cluxton. Thankfully, he's moved out of goals and he's now up at the forward end.

“In terms of Darragh, I suppose he was the first-born son and there was a lot of air time with him. I remember him from an U14 school game for St Kieran’s and he was interviewed after.”