Dungloe's Dylan Sweeney says Ulster 'chance may never come around again'

Dylan Sweeney’s point at the start of the second half was perhaps the catalyst for Dungloe’s turnaround in their Ulster IFC quarter-final win against Dunloy Cúchullains earlier this month.

The Rosses Park outfit were, by their own admission, lacklustre in the opening half and trailed the Antrim champions 0-6 to 0-3 as they headed for the dressing-room at the interval at Fr McGuigan Park in Ahoghill.

Manager Dessie Gallagher had no need to tear strips of paint from the walls at the break, with his panel accepting collective responsibility and determined to get back to the type of form that saw them win the Donegal IFC in convincing fashion closer to home.

Twelve seconds into the second half, Sweeney cut Dungloe’s deficit down to two and continuing that forward momentum, with a seismic change in intensity and better use of the ball in possession, they came back to post a convincing win in the end on a 1-11 to 0-7 scoreline. Sweeney ended up with four points on the day in a victory for the club and town as a whole.

“There wasn’t even that much that had to be said at half-time,” Sweeney said. “We started OK for the first 10 minutes but the rest of the half wasn’t great. They were putting in good hits on us and we had to stop that and put in the tackles ourselves and try and get tighter with them. We have good confidence in our back-line and they’re always in there, winning balls and turning it over. 

“We had a lot of first half possession but didn’t do the right thing and tried to force a goal at times when it wasn’t on. We could’ve just tapped it over the bar but it’s our first time in Ulster so maybe there was a bit of nerves there as well.

“The backs never let us down so it was up to the forwards to do their bit and put on the press. We did that much better. After half-time we calmed it down then and started to go about it. We knew we had to lift it for the second half and we did that in the end. Once we got the first score or two after the break we settled and started to play."

On Sunday, the next step on Dungloe’s journey is a semi-final clash against Galbally Pearses at Celtic Park in Derry. The Tyrone champions played their quarter-final at the same venue, hammering Derry champions Glenullin 7-12 to 1-11 and in 2019 enjoyed a comprehensive 1-22 to 0-11 win over St Naul's on the banks of the Foyle.

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For Dungloe, it’s a momentous occasion on their first ever provincial escapade having lost the 2021 domestic final replay to Cloughaneely, they bounced back to win the IFC for the second time in their history this year. The first team that took the Donegal IFC to Dungloe included Dylan’s father John back in 1986 - in the days when the various county champions didn’t have an Ulster campaign in which to pit their wits.

“Ulster is never going to be easy,” Dylan Sweeney added. “My dad played with Dungloe back then and there was no Ulster for them. He’s delighted as he had the nerves all week. There were boys up at the house there and talking about it. The win is great for the town and gives everyone a lift as there’s some passion there. 

“After last year, it was building to this and we would love more now. This chance may never come around again and we’re aware of that. Training at the same level or even more since we won the championship at home. We really want to give this a rattle and we’re in game nine now as we call it and we’d love to get to game 10.”