Eglish Camogs prepare for All Ireland Semi Final

All roads will lead to Westmeath on Sunday as Ulster Intermediate and Tyrone champions St Patricks of Eglish pit their skills against Eyrecourt of Galway in the All Ireland Intermediate semi-final. The game will take place in Carolstown, Westmeath at 2:00pm. It’s a very special year for the Tyrone kingpins as they celebrate fifty years since their formation in 1966 coinciding with the sixty years of their football team.
It was way back in 1991 that the club reached such heights in an All Ireland competition and their chairperson and backbone of the current defence Brenda Horsfield had this to say,
“I don’t remember too much about the last semi-final I played in as I was very young then. We played a club called Celtic in St Vincent’s Athletic Grounds in Dublin. I remember it being a privilege that day to represent my club and fortunately we won a tight contest. The club is looking forward to the game on Sunday and there’s a great buzz around the community. I’m sure we will do ourselves proud no matter the outcome. The Connaught champions will surely be strong and we have such great supporters traveling to the game to cheer us on. We are eager for the game and we will give it our all.”
Leona Gallagher who played in the 1991 team is an active part of the management of the team this year. Leona would have herself still been playing this year if it were not for an operation she was postponing for years. Leona had this to say,
“When we were in the semi-final in 1991 it was a 12 aside and there was only one grade which was Senior. I’m personally glad to be involved with the team and even though I wish I was playing I’ll be doing my bit on the side-line on Sunday. We’ve trained hard all year and we couldn’t have prepared any more than we have”
The team was managed by Harold Heron back in 1991 and current manager Martin Curry of Middletown commends the girls for all their hard work,
“Our goal at the start of the season was to win the Ulster Championship and having succeeded in that our reward is a place in an All Ireland semi-final. This is unknown territory for us and we know to beat the Connaught champions is a big challenge. Having said that we have prepared well and the girls have put in great commitment and are ready for that challenge. We know that not only are we representing Eglish but Tyrone and Ulster as well and we will carry out our responsibilities to the best of our ability”
The Eglish community kicked off their 50th anniversary of their club with a mass on Saturday for all members past and present at their local chapel. A Gala ball will be held on Saturday April 9th in the Hillgrove Hotel county Monaghan.
All the camogie clubs in the county wish the team and management all the best in their quest for All Ireland glory.