Clann Eireann Men Aim to Emulate Ladies’ Ulster Success

Clodagh McCambridge, who captained the Armagh ladies’ team to both the National League and Ulster titles this year, is now focused on assisting Clann Eireann in securing the All-Ireland Club crown. This follows the Clann Eireann ladies’ successful defense of their Ulster Club Football title last weekend. Their achievement has sustained the possibility of a historic first in the province, as the Lurgan-based men’s team prepares for their semi-final match against Errigal Ciaran on Sunday. No club in Ulster has previously claimed both the men’s and women’s provincial titles within the same year. This dual provincial success has occurred in other provinces, notably with Kilmacud Crokes’ men’s and women’s teams securing the Leinster Club Football titles in both 2022 and last year. Clodagh McCambridge, captain of the Armagh ladies’ team for Clann Eireann, subtly admitted that their 2-17 to 2-8 victory over Lurgan of Cavan last weekend (the score is accurate) has likely put “probably feeling a bit of pressure now” on the club’s men’s team, which includes her All-Star brother Barry. She then promptly reverted to a more focused statement, adding that “they’ll just be focusing on themselves”. The Clann Eireann men’s team will face two-time Ulster champions Errigal Ciaran in their semi-final match, scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Newry. Clodagh and her sister and teammate, Meabh, plan to attend Pairc Esler to support Barry and the remainder of Ruairi Lavery’s squad. This squad advanced after a provincial opener against a Newbridge team that had previously caused an upset by defeating All-Ireland champions Glen in the Derry county final. Clodagh, 27, who captained the Orchard County (Armagh) to both the National League Division One and Ulster titles this year, remarked, “Having got over the line in Armagh a second time in three years, I’d say Ulster is a big focus for them.” Clodagh expressed her thoughts, stating, “Obviously the challenge against Errigal Ciaran at the weekend will be a tough one but it would be amazing for them to reach the final and be in the same position that we were a week ago.” Barry McCambridge (pictured right) is set to participate for Clann Eireann in Sunday’s match against Errigal Ciaran, having returned on Thursday morning from the Armagh team’s holiday in Florida. Barry was unable to attend the ladies’ provincial victory because he was on the Armagh team’s holiday in Florida, a benefit earned from their Sam Maguire Cup triumph. Nevertheless, the squad’s early Thursday return to Ireland is expected to provide McCambridge, along with fellow All-Ireland heroes Conor Turbitt and Tiernan Kelly, ample time to adjust from jet lag. Despite not being a consistent starter for a significant portion of the season, Barry’s remarkable conclusion to Armagh’s campaign led to him being considered the frontrunner for footballer of the year at the All-Star awards. His performance included effectively containing David Clifford and scoring the pivotal goal in the semi-final victory against Kerry, followed by limiting Shane Walsh in the final match. However, Galway veteran Paul Conroy ultimately received that accolade. Clodagh further commented on Barry’s season, stating, “At the start of the year, you weren’t sure how much football he was going to get but he kept plugging away and then to get his opportunity and he really took it.” She continued, “And he had those big moments in big games which helped get them over the line. It’s a bit mad to be honest looking back at it.” Following their celebration of consecutive provincial titles, the Clann Eireann ladies’ team resumed training on Wednesday night to prepare for their semi-final match on Sunday week. This upcoming game is against the Galway club Kilkerrin-Clonberne, who are aiming for their fourth consecutive title. Last year, Clann Eireann was defeated by the Waterford side Ballymacarby in the All-Ireland Club semi-final. Similar to 12 months prior, when they experienced a 1-10 to 0-5 loss to the Waterford team Ballymacarbry, Clann Eireann will benefit from home advantage for this upcoming last-four encounter. Clodagh reflected on the previous year’s semi-final, recalling, “We were probably slow to start in last year’s semi-final and you could probably tell we were nervous but even though we settled into it a bit they got a goal at the start of the second half and we were chasing the game after that.” She added, “Hopefully that experience of being in an All-Ireland semi-final will stand to us this year and there will be fewer nerves.” The McCambridge sisters, along with skipper Niamh Henderson, are part of the “seven or eight – I’d have to count” Clann Eireann members on the Armagh panel. Supporters of the Lurgan club are optimistic that the inter-county experience of these players will prove to be a significant advantage on Sunday week. McCambridge further stated, “A lot of their players do or have played for Galway but we have a lot of players playing for Armagh so you can take confidence from that.” She elaborated, “A lot of our players have had exposure to that quality of player so that experience will definitely add to the squad and hopefully support the other girls around who might be a bit nervous.” Due to Clann Eireann’s successes in Armagh and Ulster, Clodagh has had limited involvement with the county team under new managers Darnell Parkinson and Joe Feeney. However, Wednesday’s announcement of their initial Division One fixture against All-Ireland champions Kerry served as a reminder that late January is approaching rapidly. Armagh had triumphed over Kerry to secure the Division One title in April, but the unavailability of Aimee Mackin, who sustained a season-ending injury during the Ulster Final victory against Donegal, significantly hampered their All-Ireland campaign. This campaign concluded at the semi-final stage with a disappointing 1-8 to 0-7 loss to the Kingdom. Clodagh, who is two years older than Barry and four years older than Meabh, commented, “We hadn’t got over a quarter-final in so long but I think we still feel that semi-final is something we left behind us.” She further noted, “Obviously Aimee was a big miss but within ourselves, we knew we could perform better on the day.” Barry’s participation in his All-Ireland Final a week subsequent to this was likely advantageous, as the county entered a period of intense football excitement that has hardly diminished. The Clann Eireann ladies’ team appears to have also benefited from this momentum, and all associated with the club are hoping that ‘Barry, Turbo and TK’ can contribute to extending this successful run on Sunday afternoon.