Derrygonnelly Manager Garry Smyth was full of praise for his players after they battled their way to a five-point victory over Castlerahan/Denn to secure a first-ever Ulster title for the club in Omagh on Sunday.

Indeed, Smyth was keen to stress that it was not just the 30 who were involved in the squad on Sunday that were key to the victory, but also the wider panel who helped to drive everything on.

When asked how it felt to have won an Ulster title, Smyth said: “It probably hasn’t sank in yet; it will take time. These girls have worked so hard and it is great that they have achieved something that when they look back in time will always be there.

“And it is not just the 30 that were involved with the panel today – there is a significant number of other girls who are involved with the wider panel.

“It has been a collective effort over a sustained period of time to get this result.

‘A great effort’

“Securing any title, you have to work for it, and it is not just something that comes along easy, you have to build on it over time, and I’m always conscious that Kinawley put in a great effort last year and got the win, and it is great to see the cup coming back to Fermanagh.”

Derrygonnelly had suffered a narrow defeat in the Fermanagh Senior Championship title to Kinawley, but they regrouped to win the Intermediate grade before pushing on to lift the provincial title. And Smyth feels that getting games under their belt was the key for the players.

“Nothing beats playing games. Earlier in the year, with the inter-county situation, we had maybe five or six of the girls involved with the county panel, and it meant that as a group we only really started to get going when the club competitions started to get going in August, and you can see then the collective improves when everybody is together and working.”

It was a real team effort by the Harps to get over the line, with Eimear Smyth showing a real clinical edge at one end of the pitch, while the defence stood tough when they were under pressure at the other.

“Chances were at a premium at both ends today, so you would have to be happy with how the girls finished when the chances did arrive, and that’s what it is all about – getting the scores on the board.

“At the same time, it was a massive defensive effort; when we were penned back, our defence held firm. They had the territory but we managed to keep them out to limit the damage done during their purple spell,” he added.

It did look at one stage as if it was not going to be Derrygonnelly’s day as Castlerahan/Denn put them under severe pressure after they had levelled the game with 20 minutes to go, but the Harps weathered the storm and managed to pull away in the end.

“At that stage, getting the ball down the field was a relief to take the pressure off our hard-working defence,” smiled Smyth.

“We seemed to struggle at that stage to get the ball down the field, but when we did, we managed to take our chances.”

The Healy Park pitch after the game was a sea of purple and yellow as the supporters travelled in their numbers to get behind the team, and Smyth feels that all helped to take the team to victory.

“As a club, our support is generally fantastic and it does make a difference. It gives everyone a lift, particularly in a tight game, that the support is there, and it adds to things for the team.”

The celebrations got under way on Sunday evening for the Harps but the season is not done yet as they have an All Ireland quarter final to contend away to the British champions.

“We will have to reset, but we’ll enjoy tonight and see what next week brings,” concluded Smyth.