Unlike many of his team-mates, Enniskillen Gaels captain Richard O’Callaghan is closer to the age of 31 than 21.

O’Callaghan has soldiered through as the Gaels even flirted with the Junior championship, won an Intermediate title or two, before eventually returning to the senior echelons with the tools to make an impact.

Indeed it was oft said, the group did not have enough Richies in the team, guys with that experience and know how to help navigate the young guns through the tough times in a game.

Well, I suppose that cannot be said now and while it may have been a coming of age for many, for Richie it was the sweetest of sweet tastes that only a long and winding road can bring.

As you can imagine, post-match, having just lifted the New York Cup, he was not the most difficult man to chat to.

And like many leaders he is quick to praise the effort of the people around him, past and present, in helping Enniskillen end a 16 year wait for senior glory.

“It’s fantastic the effort they have put in over the last two or three years is unbelievable. Yes I have been soldiering for a long time. There’s a lot of boys who have missed out on this, boys I have soldiered along with in maybe poorer times and times that were bleak enough.

“It was the boys that kept us through those times and kept us in Intermediate, it is probably them we have to thank now. But this group, the last couple of years, they have put in a massive effort in terms of any questions that have been asked.”

For O’Callaghan and Enniskillen, the experience of losing to Derrygonnelly in 2021 was a massive motivating factor.

Outmuscled and outplayed they saw what was required to reach the top level: “We were very honest and Simon was very honest and told us what we had to do at the start of this year, it wasn’t even the start of this year it was the end of last year.

“He outlined they were fitter, they were stronger and you have to get fitter you have to get stronger and we have and you seen it there today.

“It is testament to Charlie [Kane], it is testament to Darragh [McManus], it is testament to Mick [Cunningham] as well who has come in.

“We are definitely one of the, if not the most conditioned teams in the county at the minute and that is testament to those lads and the difference they have made coming in.”

That conditioning allowed this team to peak just at the right time and helped them to respond when questions were asked of them, such as following the loss to Kinawley in the group stages: “It was a wake up but we knew we had it physically after that game and there were hard questions asked of a lot of boys and again they responded.

“They responded and today, look, it spoke for itself the best performance and we peaked at the right time.”

Having grown up watching dominant Gaels sides in Fermanagh, O’Callaghan now hopes this latest victory will whet the appetite for the younger generation coming up and ensure the club does not have to wait as long for further glory.

“Its immense seeing the amount of youth here cheering us on. Seeing the youth system coming on again and doing very well. Hopefully this will stay with these wee ones and say I want to get there someday.

“The same way it stayed with me when I was watching boys in ‘06 and ‘04.”