NO school has ever won the Hogan Cup three years in a row, but with back-to-back titles in the bag, Omagh CBS now have the opportunity to make history in 2024.
They will take their first steps towards that challenge with an opening game against newcomers Cathair Dhoire in Group B of the Danske Bank MacRory Cup after the Halloween break.
St Patrick’s, Maghera (1989, 1990) and St Colman’s, Newry (2010, 2011) are the only other Ulster schools to put together successive Hogan titles. Neither managed to retain the MacRory title the following season.
Maghera are the last team to collect the MacRory on three successive occasions (1994-96). Is that one of the targets for Omagh CBS manager Diarmaid McNulty?
“It’s the target for all 18 teams in the MacRory draw this year, isn’t it? But no team will get there if they are not keeping their focus on the next game they have to play.
“We are in a very privileged position in that we have won two Hogan titles, but our toughest opponents over the two years came in the MacRory knock-out stages. We had to dig really deep in all those games.”
Omagh CBS came out in the draw along with St Mary’s, Magherafelt and St Joseph’s, Donaghmore – both of whom reached last winter’s semi-finals – as well as St Macartan’s, Monaghan and newcomers Cathair Dhoire.
“I suppose the first thing you notice is that it’s a group of five and that gives us four games. Boys crave games more than training session. So that’s a bonus.
“We are lucky enough that we don’t have to play in the first round of games (beginning next week) and that the club minor competitions have finished in September. There still will be a bit of juggling to do, but we will look after the players as best we can.
“We have a Tyrone derby. We have to play Magherafelt, that’s the brother-in-law (Kevin Brady) whom we faced in the semi-final back in January. Monaghan’s familiar enough too. Cathair Dhoire is one of those unknown ones,” said McNulty who was also involved in the All-Ireland-winning Tyrone U20 management team the season past.
“In terms of under-age structures, Derry seem to have got a lot right. They are back-to-back All-Ireland minor champions and producing serious talent. The city of Derry is in some ways an untapped resource, but I am sure they will have some top-class footballers and involvement in the MacRory Cup will only bring them on.”
The Omagh boss believes this year’s MacRory race is one of the “strangest yet”.
“If my research is right, I don’t think any school with this group of players has won more than one trophy. Bessbrook won the Rannafast, Magherafelt the Brock, maybe Maghera before that. The Academy are going to be very strong as well, back-boned by last year’s Rannafast squad.
“The quality in Ulster is so high. Over the last two years, the pairings for the Ulster minor finals were the pairings for the All-Ireland final as well, Derry v Monaghan one year and Derry v Armagh last year. The quality and the coaching going on in Ulster at the moment is unbelievably high.
“The MacRory Cup is at the front end of all that, it’s a great breeding ground for stars of the future. There’s 18 teams in the MacRory this year, that’s how attractive it is to every school.
“When you go down south, people bring up the MacRory in conversation and they rave about it. They wish their competitions were as exciting, as competitive, as well-organised and as well marketed as the MacRory.”
Turning to his own team, McNulty has three of last year’s Hogan Cup starting team available once more – goalkeeper Oisín Watson, defender Seán McCann from Beragh and Dromore’s Brian Gallagher.
“We have 13 of the panel back and we are lucky that the school jersey is in a good position at the minute; everyone wants to wear it. Plenty of boys champing at the bit, wanting to get into the team and tie down a position.
“But we can’t be complacent and happy with what we have done. We have more goals and targets to strive for.”
McNulty works under a principal, Foncy McConnell, who coached football in Omagh CBS up to MacRory level and he appreciates the level of support he gets from the school management.
“Mr McConnell is a GAA man and knows that the school is in a great place because of what sport has achieved over the last couple of years. But he tells them at assemblies that the main reason they came through the door as first years is always to achieve in their school work and get on their pathway to the next level.
“We are very proud of the team over the past two years in that they worked away steadily through the MacRory and Hogan campaigns and then, after it was all over, really got their heads into the books to achieve the results they needed to progress to the next level.
“Sport is one of the ways that they can better themselves. They are picking up life skills and learning life lessons through sport. We are confident that our footballers are leaving us with many attributes that are going to be of great value to them in the future.”
Group A
Tuesday, October 22 St Patrick’s, Armagh v St Colman’s, Newry (Abbey Park, 3pm)
Thursday, October 24 Holy Trinity, Cookstown v Southwest Donegal (Banagher, 12pm)
Bye Our Lady’s, Castleblayney
Group B
Friday, October 25 St Joseph’s, Donaghmore v St Mary’s, Magherafelt (Galbally, 12pm)
Thursday, October 31 Cathair Dhoire v St Macartan’s, Monaghan (Garvaghy, 11am)
Bye Omagh CBS
Group C
W/b October 21 (TBC) St Patrick’s, Cavan v St Ronan’s, Lurgan; St Patrick’s, Maghera v St Michael’s, Enniskillen
Group D
W/b October 21 (TBC) Abbey Vocational, Donegal v St Patrick’s, Dungannon;
Abbey CBS, Newry v St Paul’s, Bessbrook
