Granemore have reached the Armagh SFC Final for the first time.
By Cian O’Connell
“It is very, very special,” Granemore chairperson Peter Carr says about preparing for Sunday’s Armagh SFC Final against Crossmaglen Rangers at the Athletic Grounds.
A first appearance in an Armagh senior decider will reflect decades of work by the proud and progressive club. The fact that Crossmaglen Rangers, such a decorated club, provide the opposition adds to the excitement levels.
Granemore are embracing the hype and excitement that has been generated. “The buzz is brilliant, my phone hasn't stopped,” Carr laughs.
“All of the people and all of the colours that are up around Granemore now, the whole community are getting in behind the players. It is a massive game for us. Cross are going for a 46th title, they are stars of the GAA, Crossmaglen, but we will try to bring it to them on the day.
“It is fantastic for the community. We have been going for 75 years. We had a coffee morning on Sunday, we had 400 or 500 people from Granemore coming to see all of the players - it was fantastic.”
Forging that connection is critical for the long term health and development of Granemore. Carr, though, remains optimistic about how the club competes in the juvenile ranks.
“We are a small community, but at all levels of underage we have got our own team,” he says. “A lot of teams are amalgamating, but Granemore, even as a small community, we are fielding at all levels.”
During the past decade or so Granemore have enjoyed encouraging days in the senior ranks so reaching a final is another boost.
“From 2009 we have been going very well,” he says. “We have been in five semi-finals, not we crossed the line to get to a final. There has been hard work from Niall McAleenan - the manager.
Granemore GFC is hosting a health and wellbeing event on Saturday.
“It is a lot of work for the club to keep a team at 1A in Armagh. We are up there between 1B and 1A, but we are in 1A for six or seven years. We are competing well with them, the teams that are up there.”
McAleenan has made an impact with Granemore, while Carr doesn’t forget what Eamonn Kavanagh did for the club either during his stint in charge.
“Niall McAleenan has done serious, serious work,” Carr says. “We had a fantastic manager in before Niall for three years, Eamonn Kavanagh. Eamonn took us where he took us.
“We all wanted to go a step higher, we have got Niall in. Niall was killed with injuries all year in the league, we stayed up.
“We had to win the last three games to stay up, but we started to get players back. Niall got his full team out in the first round of the championship. The team that finished in the championship last year, that was his full team back.”
Part of the Granemore executive and also a club sponsor, Carr knows the value and importance of this county final appearance for everybody involved. “I'm chairman of this club for four years, we are the main sponsors of the club, Carr Construction, it is a brilliant place to be at this time,” he adds.
“I'm the first chairman with a team in a county final after 75 years, our names are on the jersey, it is just brilliant for us so it is.”
Important matches are arriving thick and fast for Granemore which is certainly providing plenty of hope. “Our camógs won a county final last Friday night, everything is going well at the minute in Granemore,” Carr says.
The future glimmers with promise for Granemore.
