This was a real squad effort - Ardara U-21 captain Darragh Hennigan 

Darragh Hennigan says Ardara’s depth as well as their desire, meant they just had that little bit more than Glenfin when it really mattered in Saturday’s U-21 B decider. 

In a game where the margins were so thin, this one really could have gone either way. In the end, it was Adrian Brennan’s team that got the job done on a difference of 2-19 to 1-20. 

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Hennigan, who also collected a HE Freshers Division 2 title with ATU Donegal last week, says it’s been quite a few days on the silverware front. 

“It’s a proud moment and it just means the world to me. Any day you take a cup home is a good day. 

“You love playing and it’s lovely to lift titles if you can. The Freshers was great but, honestly, this tops it all. 

“We knew at the start of this year we’d a good squad and one that could really make a dent in this competition. 

“We focused on the team, Adrian Brennan made sure we’d a gameplan across the board instead of hoping one or two players might step up and win games for us. I think that was the difference. 

“Even the lads in off the bench made a huge contribution, made the difference really. The hope is the tide is turning now and we’ll progress on to more success”.

Hennigan says the younger members of the group already had medals in their back pockets prior to the weekend’s victory. 

And to see that gel so well with the older members of the team, the ones in their last season at this level, can only bode well for the future.  

“There are seven or eight lads there today with senior championship experience and the younger lads are going to make that same step up.

“The minors went back-to-back in Division 2 the last few years so they knew what it took today to get over the line in big games.  

“I’m sure a lot of the lads will progress onto the senior and reserve set-ups in 2026. That has to be the aim”.