Ballinamore draw showed joint manager Brian McDonald Glencar Manorhamilton's spirit

Championship victories have their roots in many places and for  Glencar Manorhamilton joint manager Brian McDonald, it was the only game where the champions dropped points in the Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior Championship that showed him the fight in his team.

Speaking after Saturday’s 2-8 to 2-4 victory over St Joseph’s in Shane McGettigan Park, Brian, known to one and all as Bruno, pointed to the dramatic draw with Ballinamore in the first round of the competition as one that revealed the inner drive and spirit of Glencar Manorhamilton.

“Today was a day for grit and Ballinamore showed us we could do that,” recalled Brian, “we were down seven points on two occasions in that game and I was a happy man leaving Ballinamore that day because I believed the girls have it in them to fight and we needed to fight that last ten minutes.”

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Every bit of that resolve was needed against St Joseph’s as Brian admitted he thought the game was almost over when Manor led by seven points early in the second half: “I really thought we were out the door when we were seven points up but St Joseph’s came at us with everything they had and the game was at a point where it could have went anywhere. 

“We were probably holding on a bit, St Joseph’s were pushing for everything and it opened up a bit of room for us to hit them on the counter and for a goal. They still came back and they still pressed hard and again we caught them on the counter attack for another goal. Really challenged us the whole way, I’m wrecked but absolutely delighted with the girls.”

Brian also hailed the impact of Muireann Devaney, singling out her leadership: “The goal that she got, I don’t think there are many other people in the county who could do that. I don’t know what she ran, 60 yards and buried the ball. She is an outstanding player and not only is she an outstanding player but her commitment to training is outstanding.

“Muireann is training soccer and gaelic, makes the effort to be at all our sessions, she trains more than she should train - we actually have to hold her back at times, she is that committed to the cause, she is an outstanding person and an outstanding leader of the team.”

Joint manager with Terry McManus, Brian agreed that being on the sideline was much harder than playing but paid tribute to the players for the inspiration they give him: “Definitely, definitely harder being on the sideline, you control what you do on the pick to an extent but on the sideline, you’re shouting, you’re roaring, encouraging - it is really tough going.

“But such a group of girls, four years now on the go and to keep the motivation levels, to keep that drive going in that last 10 minutes when it looked like St Joseph’s were going to take us, they were pinning us back. They showed outrageous heart, courage and belief and I couldn’t ask any more of them.”

Glencar Manorhamilton celebrate four in a row in Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior A Final - GALLERY

Glencar Manorhamilton claimed the Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior A Championship for the fourth year in a row when they struck for two injury time goals to kill off the challenge of St Joseph’s in Shane McGettigan Park Drumshanbo on Saturday afternoon. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to catalogue the celebrations after the 2-8 to 2-4 victory

Celebrations won’t go on too long with a meeting with Roscommon champions Boyle set for next Sunday in the Provincial championship: “A short turnaround but it is the same for the Roscommon champions, we’re both in the same boat but not thinking about it much this evening or tomorrow but then we’ll have to regroup, start thinking about that one and getting the girls ready to go again.”