Willie McAteer set to lead St Pat's Maghera’s next generation to Hogan Cup final

Willie McAteer has spent most of his adult life walking through the doors of St Patrick’s College, Maghera, but this year has been different.  

For the first time, the man from Fanad is the one calling the shots from the sideline, leading the school’s senior footballers on a journey that now has them one step away from Hogan Cup glory. 

On Monday, St Pat’s will contest their 12th All-Ireland final, facing St Colman’s, Claremorris, at Croke Park. They’ve been here before, five times victorious, and in most people’s eyes, they’ll go in as favourites.

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But McAteer knows past glories count for little when a fresh batch of players lace up their boots every September. 

“Tradition is great, but it’s not a trophy,” he says. “It’s only as good as the work you put in to keep it alive. The reason Maghera has that history of success is because the players and the coaches buy into a way of doing things. That’s what gets you back to these big days.” 

McAteer has seen it all. First as a teacher, then as a coach, and now as the man at the helm. Before stepping up this year, he’d spent over a decade guiding the younger teams, laying the foundations.  

He ran the school’s first-year tournament, drilled the basics into players who, in time, would grow into MacRory Cup contenders. Some of them are now on the brink of an All-Ireland title. 

This season tight games have been the story of the campaign. A quarter-final escape against St Mary’s, Magherafelt, when they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. A semi-final arm-wrestle against St Pat’s, Armagh, where five points were enough to get the job done. McAteer’s side haven’t just played their way into the final; they’ve fought their way there. 

The latest hurdle is St Colman’s, a team that has shown its own grit and quality to reach this stage. The Mayo school boasts a defensive unit stacked with county minor experience, and McAteer knows breaking them down will take patience. 

“They’re in the final on merit,” he says. “You don’t get here by accident. They’ve got serious footballers, especially at the back, so we know we’re in for a battle.” 

And then there’s the small matter of Croke Park itself. For young players, the occasion can be as big an opponent as anything the opposition throws at them. But Maghera’s message will be a simple one: embrace it. 

“Every lad dreams of playing in Croke Park,” McAteer says. “Some of our boys have won All-Ireland minor titles, but even they haven’t had the chance to play there yet. It’s a privilege, but you don’t want to be coming back up the road empty-handed. The focus has to be on the game, not the occasion.” 

For Maghera, it’s another shot at history. For McAteer, it’s the culmination of years of work, years of waiting. A chance to take his place among the names that have shaped the school’s legacy. 

And if the past few months have proven anything, it’s that his team will leave nothing behind in the pursuit of their sixth Hogan Cup title.