'Skiing in Italy and winning an Ulster final, it's the best of both worlds' - McGinty

Skiing in the Italian mountains and playing on an Ulster football final winning team are two things that few people ever do in their life, but MacLarnon Cup winning goalkeeper Daniel McGinty got to do both in the space of two days of each other. 

They seem like worlds apart, but the Ulster school winning ’keeper simply looks at it as, ‘the best of both worlds’. 

The Four Masters and Abbey Vocational School goalkeeper returned home from school trip in Italy a day early to man the sticks for the Donegal Town school as they clinched their first ever MacLarnon Cup with a 2-10 to 0-8 point win over Our Lady & St Patrick’s College, Knock in the Athletic Grounds. 

The young goalkeeper talks us through his decision making on whether to stay in Ireland or go skiing in Italy. “A few of us had an opportunity to go skiing with the school for the midterm or stay at home with the rest of the lads,” McGinty said.  

“I just thought to myself, ‘this final is a once and a lifetime opportunity . . . but so is the chance to go skiing’. So, I got the best of both worlds by doing both,” the Abbey ’keeper laughs. 

“Conor McCahill and I went on the school trip and came back a day early. I think the rest of the school are probably in the airport right now coming home from that trip. I think it was important that we both put in a performance today for the lads and luckily we did that and didn’t pick up any injury up in the mountains.” 

Despite cruising 1-7 to 0-3 at half-time, the Belfast side hit a purple patch, with the Abbey not scoring for 18 minutes in the second after Seanan Carr knocked the first point over on the 34th minute. 

However, with a strong attacking play, largely led by the Carr brother, Seanán and Turlough, and Kevin Muldoon, along with tight defensive structure, marshalled by David Monaghan and Callum McCrea, Knock were really up against it from the off. 

Reflecting on his side’s performance, McGinty adds the unique achievement of winning two Ulster titles in the space of two months, having won an Ulster club title with Four Masters on New Year’s Day. 

“It’s just pure joy at the minute, we’ve been in two Ulster finals now this year between the club and the school, there’s not many lads that can say they’ve been in two Ulster finals in the one year. It’s really just a great feeling,” McGinty added. 

Yet despite carrying the favourite tag for this final and the dominance of the Abbey through the competition, McGinty states the level of nerves he and his team had to deal with before the match. 

“I was a bit nervous today, but there are nerves before every game. Coming in on the bus and having the opportunity to play in this big ground, I’ve never played in anything like it.  

“We all love the pressure in playing in such a big game, but for us, it was important to perform today and get over the line, and luckily we did that. 

“I thought the tournament up in Naomh Pól for the Ulster minor club final was massive, and it is massive, but it’s really nothing compared to this. It’s hard to put into words. I’m just so happy to get over the line and win this tournament.  

“The lads have put in a massive effort, on and off the field, and this is the reward today.” 

The Abbey Vocational School now march to the semi-final of the All-Ireland B semi-final against Dunmore in a few weeks' time as the homecoming for the team gets underway in Donegal Town.  

With an all-round performance throughout the tournament and with such large level of support for the team across St Naul’s, Four Masters and Naomh Bríd, one would nearly forget that they’re underage players representing a local school.  

With so much success recently, they very much appear like wise heads on young shoulders.