"We are building something and it is positive” says Melvin Gaels captain Shane McGloin

For many, Melvin Gaels are heading into Sunday’s Smith Monumental Intermediate final with the tag of underdogs hanging around their necks but for captain Shane McGloin that is not an issue.

“I hear that we are underdogs coming into this, but look, we have been training all year and we have got this far and we were there last year, so  we will thrive off being under dogs, and I feel like we won’t be losing two years in a row,”  the Gaels captain told the Observer.

For Shane, there is an advantage to the underdog label that some are putting on his team so he is happy enough to carry it into the game. “I think going into a game, when people are doubting you, it's nearly always when you play your best, there is not much between the teams, don't get me wrong, but yeah I think it's better going into a game as an underdog.”

Whatever prediction others are making, McGloin is confident that his team has what it takes to get a result in the final. “I think the way we play and the way we set up that we can beat any team when we play this way and I don’t think it will be any different against Allen Gaels.”

Though he is under no illusions about the calibre of opposition they will face in Allen Gaels, it is not something that seems to worry him, instead he is excited for the chance to play the game. “They have some fine footballers, they have lads who have been in county teams, ex-county players, lads that are still playing with the county, so it’ll be a great test for us and I am just looking forward to the game next Sunday.”

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Melvin Gaels may go into the final with what is a very young panel but they have a wealth of experience in playing finals compared to Allen Gaels, with this marking Kinlough’s third major final since manager Aiden Murray took over mid-way through last season, meanwhile it is Allen Gaels first in 22 years.  

Despite his team coming up short in their last two finals, Shane feels that they have learned a lot from those occasions and that that will stand to them now. “I think we gained a lot of experience from those sorts of games, just like the feeling of being around a final, so hopefully lads won’t be too nervous coming into a game.” 

The final marks this Melvin Gaels' second chance  to make the jump back to senior level since they crashed down to intermediate at the hands of Drumahair in 2022. He feels that though being relegated was difficult it was an important step for the development of this team.

“We were in relegation for three years in a row anyway and then unfortunately lost against Drumahair but it probably came at a good time, we probably did not deserve to be up at senior and probably didn’t have the experience around the lads to be up at senior, so coming down was probably a good thing as a building block to build the team.”

That said, he feels that the experience has made his team stronger and that they are now ready to compete in senior football once again: “I believe that the team is ready, if you are in an intermediate championship final two years in a row then you are always knocking on the door of senior football, so I believe the team is ready to be back up with the best … Obviously we are a young team and I do believe we are building something, and if we get through this year and into senior, it will be an absolute benefit to us to be up playing against the best. ”

This year’s intermediate final will be played out in Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin, which is something McGloin is looking forward to, “The difference between Ballinamore and Park Séan is that the crowd is going to be a lot closer so it is going to be a great atmosphere for the game,” he says.

For McGloin, winning the final would be something very special, “You know we have been a young team the last couple years, there are not many lads who are over the age of 25 or 26 on our team so it would mean the absolute world to us … It will mean everything to a lot of people, it’ll be a great thing for the village if we were to get back up, there are a lot of people who are there week in and week out at every game,” he says.