Doire Trasna face tough Ulster test against Cavan champions Lacken Celtic

Doire Trasna v Lacken Celtic

(Sat, Owenbeg, 3pm)

Doire Trasna will be making only their third venture into Ulster competition when they take on Cavan kingpins Lacken Celtic at Find Insurance Owenbeg on Saturday.

Just because an opposing team has a few good players does not mean that they are unbeatable, the word flying around Derry is that Lacken are a cut above. They have the three Galligan brothers who are well known but it takes 15 to make a team! Raymond Galligan is their 39 year old goalkeeper who won an All Star in 2020 and went on to manage his county with some success. His brother Thomas was in the blue of the Breffini men when they shocked Donegal in the 2020(Covid final) . Cain is the youngest and along with big brother Thomas got the goals that saw them take a first ever Cavan junior title when they beat Templeport by 2-19 to 1-11. Like Doire Trasna they play their league football in Division Three. Neither club will be well versed on the strengths of the opposition but streamed games can be sourced. Junior football is generally straightforward, that it is why the entertainment is good. Most teams just go out and try to outscore the opposition with no fancy tactics employed. The Pearses have their own quality players so if they just go for it they have as good a chance as Lacken.

It’s a city v county contest with Doire Trasna based in the Waterside area of Derry against Lacken who are from South Cavan in the parish of Garrymore. They have a thriving club playing at all levels in both male and female football codes. They have an interesting history having been initially formed in 1890 by a group of men returning from seasonal work in Scotland. That is where the Celtic name came in and their first colours were green and white hoops. They folded after a period and returned in 1907 winning their only senior county title the following year. They have four intermediate titles gained in 1967, 1997, 2004 and 2012.

Trasna have the equipment to match any junior club, Lacken like themselves play in the junior league. Manager Collie MacEoin has the perfect mix of youth and experience with physical strength in the central locations and pace on the wings. Caolan Doyle and John McKirvegan have got the better if most midfield combinations in a tough Derry junior campaign. They beat league winners Ballerin in the final with a fair degree of confidence and showed great resilience in battling past a fancied Drum team in the semi final after extra time. They suffered just one defeat in the league and that was away to Drum but they shared the points away to Ballerin and with a bit of fortune could have been promoted.

They have been boosted by the introduction of young players like Oran Donnelly, Conor O’Donnell and Somhairle McFadden. Former Dungiven player Eoghan Quigg along with Oran Donnelly are the players who have been troubling the score board and on the vast Owenbeg pitch they will get the space to pick off scores. Goalkeeper Flynn Doherty has been excellent with his kicking out which is generally aimed at their two tall midfield men.

Manager MacEoin and his assistant Sean McNaught have a panel of over thirty players to select from and they will be reminding their charges that the club is a notable 25 years old! . Thy previously won the county junior championship in 2011 and 2015 and there is progress written all over this relatively young club. Just a few years ago they beat Newbridge in a county minor final and on Sunday Newbrige are battling for three senior titles in a row. If the Pearses go out and play their normal game there is no good reason why they should not be meeting the Armagh champions Ballyhegan the following week in the quarter final.

For the record Cavan teams have won the Ulster junior times four times. Derry have contested five finals and lost them all.