Burt hero Gartland never in doubt Inishowen men could lift Ulster title
Burt's Ulster Final hero Conor Gartland says Saturday's dramatic Championship final victory over Lavey was the best moment of his sporting career.
The 22-year-old Donegal player was the inspiration behind a remarkable performance that upset the odds following Ronan McDermott's red card in the last minute of the opening half. McDermott's dismissal saw Burt play - including extra-time - 55 minutes with 14 men during which they twice hit crucial injury time points, first through Liam Og McKinney to force the extra period and then through Fiachra Gill's historic winner in the dying embers.
And at the heart of everything was Gartland who hit 0-6, including two 90m plus frees and almost single-handedly turned the tide when Lavey looked to have the upper hand. It was a remarkable display from a player who made his championship debut against Buncrana back in 2021 and who has become a cornerstone for both his club and county over the past four seasons.
"I’m not sure if I can put that into words," he smiled after the 0-20 to 1-16 victory in Celtic Park, "I was asked would this have been the best moment of my sporting career and to tell the truth, it probably would be.
"I mean there’s something really special about doing this with the same boys you've grown up with. Burt is such a tight knit parish, we're all like family and this would be one of the best sporting days I have ever had."
Gartland revealed he never had any doubt his team could lift the trophy despite trailing by 1-07 to 0-6 at half-time and facing the second half a player short.
"To tell you the honest truth I didn't (have any doubts)," he reveals, "I said to those boys at half-time that I fully believed in every one of them. We had Ronan (McDermott) sent off and you could argue it was harsh, you could argue it wasn't. It was no odds, it happened but I went in at half-time and I said I fully believed we were going to win this game and thank God we did.
"We'll not be telling Ronan to get sent off any more often (laughing) but, no, thank God we were able to pull it out in the end. Fair play to every one of those boys.
"It means the absolute world and the thing that drove us on is the kids. You look at the hundreds of kids here (gesturing to the celebrations). We saw all the pictures of them at their schools with their Burt colours on and I was just thinking coming into this game that I couldn't let those wains down."