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12th January 2022
05:45pm GMT

"We probably do have an older age profile," he adds, "but with that comes experience. We have been gaining experience over the years and I think it's important in this competition, experience is very important. If you look at teams that win their county championship for the first time they don't progress too far normally in Ulster."[caption id="attachment_246536" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Conall Jones of Derrygonnelly Harps celebrates with the cup after the Fermanagh County Senior Club Football Championship Final in 2019. (Photo by Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile)[/caption]
"The club has been very progressive. Not too long ago the club had new clubrooms built and they were built by the members who didn't charge the club. So they were able to get those new changing room facilities built so the club could move on without being in a lot of debt. "I don't know if [that progression] leads directly to this crop of players as such, but I know, moving forward, that a lot of things are being put in place for the underage coming after us. So hopefully there's not a large gap between this spell of players and the success they have brought and to the next crop of success. The club is definitely putting things in place now at underage."Flitting about Derrygonnelly in recent weeks, Jones says there is a serious buzz about the place. "People are going to games now that maybe haven't been in a couple of years so you get a real connection with everyone.
"There have been a few lads out putting up signs and all, a bit of craic, driving from Derrygonnelly into Enniskillen, you see them all nailed to the trees and it has definitely added to the buzz of the game. "I think I might even have seen someone spray-paint a car in the club colours too. It'll be interesting to see where it gets parked up!"[caption id="attachment_246548" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Clann Eireann manager Tommy Coleman speaks to the winning Derrygonnelly Harps team after the AIB Ulster GAA Football Club Senior Championship Semi-Final. (Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile)[/caption]
"Playing with the club, it's more of a community thing. It's all the guys you grew up with and played football throughout the year. All your neighbours and all, everyone's so engaged in it and excited, boys that haven't been at games in five, six, seven years, and they've all got their tickets for the weekend. The whole community is all so excited for it."Harps faced Dromore in the Ulster club quarter final and needed extra time to see off the Tyrone champions. Jones was the man that stepped up to land the late equaliser than saw the game into an extra time decider. "In terms of pressure, the game against Trillick a few years ago, it was a similar situation, but it wasn’t as hard a kick," he reflects. "With the difficulty of the kick, that was probably the biggest kick I’ve ever done."
"What was going through my head was, 'I wonder will Ryan [Jones] actually give me the ball here? He had it in his hands'. "Garvan [Jones], who'd be left-footer free-taker, he was off the pitch. So I don't think there was a whole pile of thought process went into it. I just backed myself and maybe didn't realise the consequences. "When you look back on it now, you kind of realise, how vital it was that we wouldn't be in the position we're in if it didn't go over. But at the time you're that engrossed in the game, that you maybe don't process all those thoughts, you're just thinking of that single kick."In the semi-final, against Clann Eireann, it was Derrygonnelly building the cushion after a first-half goal glut. A red card before half-time softened their cough, though, and all hands were needed at the tiller to reach the final. Heading into the final, Jones say Harps are confident in their own ability and know what they can bring to the table.
"It’s about not changing what has gone well for us before in the championship. You are going to have to try and adjust for Kilcoo, the pace and fitness they have."The Ulster Final takes place at 3:45pm in Athletic Grounds in Armagh this Sunday, January 16. Austin Stacks of Kerry will also battle it out with St Finbarr’s of Cork in the Munster Final on Sunday, at Semple Stadium. Both games will be broadcast live by TG4, with live coverage for the Munster final starting at 1:30pm, while the Ulster final coverage will get underway from 3:30pm. [caption id="attachment_246538" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Derrygonnelly footballer Conall Jones ahead of the AIB Ulster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Final. This year’s AIB Club Championships celebrate #TheToughest players in Gaelic Games - those who keep going and persevere no matter what. (Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile)[/caption]
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