Erne Gaels Captain Brian Mullin is hoping he can keep his run of lifting silverware going this Sunday.

When he leads his side out at Brewster Park, it will be an opportunity for him to captain his club to their first Senior Championship title in 41 years to add to their Intermediate triumph in 2021 and this year’s league title.

For Mullin, who returned to the Belleek club after two very successful years playing for Tir Chonaill Gaels in London, to see them drop down to Intermediate football he knew there was talent in the team to reach the top.

“I came back from London and played in a relegation game against Belnaleck [in 2020] and we lost that and went down to Intermediate,” explained the 32-year-old.

“Me and Seamy [Ryder], who was playing full forward for us that day, we had a conversation after the game and the talent that was in that changing room didn’t show that day.

“The amount of players we have that are top, top players. And we came together and said. ‘We have got to go at this’.”

And have a go they did. It was a quick return to Senior football for 2022 and Erne Gaels have flourished.

There is a real belief amongst the side and while the players are doing the job on the pitch, Mullin pays tribute to the work of the management team that has allowed them to get into that position.

“Ciaran Smith would be a big part of that.

“He talks about believing in ourselves and as I said, we have always had great players in Erne Gaels, it was just that we didn’t maybe sometimes believe in ourselves, but he has really instilled that this year.

“We have gone out, even from the Intermediate last year, and believed that we can win big games and finals.”

And this has shown with some of their victories coming right at the death, with Mullin adding:

“We seem to be coming out on the right end of these games, which is good, but that goes down to the management as well. They are pushing us all the way.

“We train for these situations so they have to get a lot of the credit as well, not just the players.”

Mullin would admit they would prefer to avoid those situations, but he won’t complain too much if it gets them over the line against Enniskillen.

Looking at the final, Mullin does see it being a more cagey affair between the sides than normal.

With it being a final and more on the line, the opening exchanges may be more “tentative”.

“When we play Enniskillen it’s just like a real Western, it’s just a shoot-out.

“Whether it’s going to be like we played them in the league the last few years, I don’t think so. Especially the first 10-15 minutes, it will be a bit more tentative, feeling each other out, and then the pace will pick up.”

At the end of it all, and no matter how Erne Gaels may win it, Mullin is proud to be captaining the side as they bid to end a four-decade-long wait for the New York Cup:

“We love these opportunities. This is where we wanted to be two years ago when we put out a plan.

“I’m proud to be Captain of this team.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for us. It’s been 42 years, so it’s about time.”