Gerard Gilmore lauds ‘historic’ Setanta win away to Derry champions Ballinascreen

Gerard Gilmore has been Setanta’s standout player all season. 

And his rich vein of form continued against Derry Intermediate champions Ballinascreen on Saturday as he hit a stunning 1-9 with 0-8 of that haul coming from placed balls. 

But it was his brilliantly finished goal in the 38th minute that was the crucial score in this historic win for his club. For this is the first time a team from Donegal has won in an Ulster Intermediate championship tie. 

Speaking after his side’s 3-13 to 1-10 victory, a happy Gilmore said: “We knew it was going to be a big test, especially as there was a 12-week break from our last competitive game. 

”It’s not easy getting back into it after a lay-off like that and it showed there in the first ten minutes. They had a great start but we were a mile off the pace and that was a lack of competitiveness. 

“We had a slow start and Josh Cronolly McGee’s first goal got us on our feet. But the boys worked hard out the field and winter hurling is always a bit of a dogfight. 

“But we played the ball around and tired them out and there was some good ball coming in to me and Ruairi Campbell inside.” 

Gilmore added that Setanta had real belief in the lead-in that they could scale this hurdle.  

“Not many gave us a chance in the whole county of Donegal. In the papers and interviews during the week there were a few doubting us and we had that at the back of our minds too. 

“But Donegal is a tough championship and when you come out of it you can express yourself then. And that was pure hurling today.” 

Gilmore agreed that the loss of Ballinascreen’s Ronan O’Kane to a straight red card before half-time was a crucial moment in the game. But his goal was the real turning point in the 38th minute. 

“I knew the ball was going in over my head and I don’t know what way it fell to me and I just turned and went for the goal and the black spot. I have been trying to do that all year and it was not happening.” 

When reminded of his haul of 1-9 he said the free-taking fell into his hands after Declan Coulter got injured earlier in the year. 

“Yeah, I was just asked to take them and while it is pressure, as a forward when you are pointing frees and in form it is a great feeling. The confidence is high at the minute all through the team.” 

Saturday’s win was extra special as it was a first for a Donegal club at this level. 

“We played Keady of Armagh at this level in 2019 and we got beaten by a last-minute goal. But now we want to push on at this level as this is a special team.

“We are trying to make the best of it and my heart goes out to Mark Callaghan who got a straight red and he could miss the next day. Declan Coulter got a rap on the arm, but he knows how to rest the body. 

“But this is a big boost for us and, like you say, a historic moment for club hurling in Donegal”.