Excitement building at Kildrum Tigers ahead of Ulster Junior Cup final

All roads lead to Donegal League HQ at Ballyare on Sunday afternoon, where the Ulster Junior Cup is up for grabs.

Kildrum Tigers are determined to upset the odds against recently crowned Premier Division champions Letterkenny Rovers and can draw on the fact that both league meetings between the teams ended up scoreless.

Kildrum concluded their league campaign last weekend with a draw against Fanad United, while Rovers still have one fixture left to fulfil.

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Reflecting on the season so far, manager Shane McGinty said: “To be honest, it's been mixed. At the start of the season, we were in a difficult position because we lost a few players to Australia and some to college. We became stronger than we expected after a few games and remained competitive throughout. We sat among the top three or four teams, but unfortunately, we petered out a bit towards the end. 

“I'm quite happy with how we played, and I don't think we were well beaten in any game, so with an Ulster final to look forward to, we're reasonably happy.”

At junior level, matchweek preparation tends to be fairly routine, nothing over the top. McGinty noted that straying from the norm can actually be a hindrance, though he acknowledged there are a few differences when preparing for a final.

“Our game week will be very similar,” he said. “There’s no point in changing what you usually do. If we were to overstep that, we might just end up creating more nerves.

“I think the main difference going into a final, as opposed to a normal match, is the excitement. There's a buzz in the air with all the families and friends. I hope they all enjoy it because the game will be over very quickly. I hope they enjoy the build-up and being part of something this big. Days like this don’t come around too often - it’ll be nice.”

“Personally, I’ve played in finals,” he continued. “I’ve won them and lost them. I’ve coached a couple now and won and lost as well. I hope that on the day, people’s family and friends come out to watch and make an occasion of it. It’ll be over very fast, win or lose—and we’ll all be back to work on Monday.”

Having contested many battles with Rovers in recent seasons, not just in the league, McGinty spoke highly of his counterparts and emphasised the friendly atmosphere between the clubs.

“For me, I hope this game is much the same as the two in the league,” he said. “I’d like it to be decided by the odd goal or a moment of brilliance, rather than one team outshining the other, although it would be nice if that team was us, of course.

“Look at the league table, Letterkenny Rovers won the title with four games to spare. That’s an incredible feat in an 18-game league. They’ve shown they’re the best team in the league and that’s not to create pressure; they’re deservedly champions.
“We’ve faced them twice in the league, and in the semi-finals of the Brian McCormick Cup in the last two years. The players know each other really well.

“We’re very friendly with Stephen McConnell and Anthony Gorman, he used to coach me. It’s not like we don’t know each other. The players, the people who help behind the scenes, we all know each other, and most of us grew up playing against one another. That’s quite rare.

“From our point of view, we’ll make sure everyone is fit, and it’ll be nice for the whole panel to be involved. We want to be the best version of ourselves and of course, we want to win. We want to be champions.”