By Jonathan Brown
Drumaness Mills chairman Laurence Clarke says the village of Drumaness is “walking on cloud nine” after Saturday’s Irish Cup win against Armagh City.
The Mills, who sit eighth in the Amateur League Premier Division, brushed aside NIFL Championship outfit Armagh City 4-1 to book their place in the sixth round of the Irish Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
“It’s just put everybody in a fantastic mood. The players are buzzing, the management team is buzzing, the whole village is buzzing about it. We’re just looking forward to the next round.
“We can’t believe we’re there in some respects, but at the same time we know we’ve been playing well and were really hoping that we could get through. We’re walking on cloud nine at the moment,” said Clarke, who has been chairman at Meadowvale for over 30 years.
Clarke praised the work ethic of manager Ciaran Brannigan, his backroom staff and the Drumaness players, while also reserving special mention for the supporters who have followed the Mills home and away this season.
“The application of the players and management team has been fantastic, and the support from people from the village has been unbelievably good,” he said.
According to Clarke, the 2-1 fourth-round victory against Newry City, who sit second in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League, gave Drumaness the belief that they could cause another upset. “The result against Newry City gave us great belief that we could take that step up and challenge any team we came up against. It helped the players, particularly some of the younger ones, realise that they could do it. It’s not about where you are in the league or what league you’re in, it’s about the 11 players on the pitch and the squad of 14 or 15 applying themselves in the right manner on the day.”
With the club currently carrying out renovations at their Meadowvale venue, including the installation of a new 3G training pitch, Clarke believes the historic victory has come at the perfect time.
“We’ve been in the doldrums for a few years for different reasons, but now we’re trying to go forward and build the club. Saturday’s result has coincided with the development work we’re doing around the pitch and the new training pitch, so it just adds to the positivity.”
Attention now turns to Tuesday’s rearranged fifth-round tie between Strabane Athletic and Irish League heavyweights Glentoran, with the winners set to host the Mills. Drumaness players, management and supporters will be hoping another major upset is not on the cards, with a potential trip to Glentoran’s famous Oval ground within touching distance.
Commenting on the prospect of a glamour tie, Clarke outlined what a match against Glentoran would mean to the club, both on and off the pitch, describing it as “a fantastic opportunity.”
“It’s a source of great pride to represent your village on that stage. It would be fantastic for players who have been at the club for a long time, as well as for younger players who have never faced that kind of opposition.
“Hopefully it will attract more local players to the club, as we are always looking to improve and keep local talent coming through. Financially, it would be a great boost as well and help us continue moving the club forward. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us.”
