Since his return from America, Stephen McGuillion has played a massive role in Derrygonnelly’s fifth consecutive Fermanagh Championship title and their run to the semi-final of the Ulster Club competition.
The towering midfielder has provided a strong platform for the Harps alongside captain Ryan Jones, with their partnership one of the strongest in Ulster at the minute.
They have dominated all those they have come up against. McGullion is happy to do the grafting to leave Jones to play a bit of ball. And since his return to these shores, he is just glad to get back into the squad and get the chance. 
“I was away in Liverpool last year and didn’t really get playing much of the league so thought I’d go to America for the summer. It would probably be the only time I would get away if I was going to do it. 
“To be honest the wee break done me no harm and since I came back as each game has went on the confidence has grown. Me and Ryan bounce well off each other.
“Ryan would probably be the footballer of the two of us. I’m happy enough that way. I’m happy to contest for the kickouts and try and get us started that way. We both bring different strengths to it. Ryan would be sort of our quarterback to set up stuff and I’d be happy to do most of the running, catch kickouts, drop back if needed.”
But he is aware that although the pair are working well together, there are 13 other players who are also pulling their weight when they put on the Harps jersey.
“The more you play with someone, the more you are going to get to know them. But at the same time people looking and saying we have a good partnership but the whole team has been on the road for the last five years. It’s definitely the boys around us that help us as well. We don’t win every kick out. It’s the boys winning the dirty breaks that make the whole thing stick together.”
And on Sunday in Armagh, they will all have to be at their best again when they face Down champions Kilcoo.
Like the Harps in Fermanagh, Kilcoo have dominated club football in Down for most of the decade.
And McGullion knows its going to be a massive challenge. 
“It’s well documented that they are a serious outfit. You don’t win and get seven out of the last eight championships in Down without being a good team. 
“They have a few big names like Conor Laverty, the Johnstons, the Brannigans so they have good footballers littered throughout their team and we are going to have bring our A game like we did against Trillick to get a result.
“But the feeling within the camp is we are quietly confident. Not too many people will give us a chance but we just know if we go in and give a good account of ourselves we should be able to give any team within Ulster a good rattle.”
McGullion feels the dramatic penalty shoot out victory over Trillick showed that Derrygonnelly are able to compete at that level and now the focus is on Kilcoo. 
“We have learned we are good enough to be at this level. We have won the five titles and each year you go in to Ulster, are you improving each year, are you progressing enough with each game? You might only get one game if you are put out in the first round so we feel like we are making good progress.  
“The big thing is just getting familiar with Kilcoo. Doing our homework on Kilcoo, finding out who their key players are and trying to set yourself up to try and limit them as much as you can. 
And that’s as far as they are looking. With an Ulster Final one step away, McGullion refuses to get carried away. 
“You’ll get no thanks if you look any further than the next game.
“At the minute we still feel like we are in bonus territory. 
“Obviously our goal was to get a run in Ulster and we are doing that.
“But all we are focussing on is going to Armagh on Sunday and giving a good account of ourselves,” Stephen added.