Loughmacrory and Madden celebrate a unique bond

Thirty-five miles and the Tyrone/Armagh border separate Madden and Loughmacrory

Sometimes sport produces an outcome that feels written in the stars with Sunday's county championship action providing another example.

As Madden and the Grimley clan, including brothers Niall and Liam, celebrated their club's first Armagh senior football title at the Athletic Grounds, approximately 35 miles away in Omagh, another of the siblings, Ryan was involved with Loughmacrory whose one-point victory over Trillick saw them break their own duck in Tyrone.

Ryan had grown up as a key figure in Madden teams over the years, but marriage and family took him over county lines where he got involved in the Loughmacrory club.

As a family, they suffered a heart-breaking tragedy in November 2023 when older brother Patrick and sister-in-law Ceira lost their lives along with family friend Ciara McElvanna in a road traffic accident.

On Sunday it was tears of joy for the Grimleys.

The celebrations went long into the night, with the traditional 'Monday Club' then rolling into Tuesday with footage emerging of the Madden team arriving into Loughmacrory for what turned into an impromptu combined title-winning party.

"I suppose there's a special connection between the two clubs now," Loughmacrory captain Nathan Kelly told BBC Sport NI's Mark Sidebottom at Tuesday's launch of the Ulster Club Football Championship.

"I just remember when the Grimley family had the misfortune of that accident, the whole of Loughmacrory turned out to support Ryan and I know the Grimleys were appreciative of that.

"That's what maybe started the bond, so it's like fairy tale stuff with Madden's first championship and Loughmacrory's first championship win. I spoke to Ryan and he was saying he can't put it into words what it means to him and his family, so to see his family down there with all the Madden players is brilliant."

'You feel there's a higher power at play'

For Ryan Grimley, waiting for a senior championship title may well have felt like the proverbial bus as two came along at once.

As he celebrated with his Loughmacrory team-mates, thoughts turned to home and later on Sunday night, there was a journey to be made.

"He spent a few hours celebrating with his team-mates in Loughmacrory, but I was in the car park and a car pulled up outside the community centre in Madden," said Madden joint-manager Mark Harte.

"This giant of a man got out with a huge smile on his face, gave me a big bear hug and it was Ryan Grimley. He went in and the ovation he got - he was up on shoulders and everyone was delighted to see him as he's one of the boys in Madden.

"He played for so long with the boys who got over the line and for him to do the same in Tyrone was one of those occasions you feel there's a higher power at play."

Madden joint-manager Mark Harte said he was proud to have contributed to the club's success

Harte and his family also know tragedy only too well.

In January 2011, Mark's sister Michaela was murdered when on honeymoon in Mauritius, another tragedy that rocked a community.

Being involved with the Madden club which endured its own devastation two years ago is not lost on Harte who feels the community ethos of the GAA is what makes it "special".

"It's something you're aware of," he said.

"Every club, every family, including my own, has had the highest of days and lowest of days. There's that commonality in terms of people's journeys. It's what makes the GAA so special.

"It's easy to back people up on the good days, but you really get into the nitty gritty of the fabric of the GAA on the darkest days. As a club, they've encountered those, but on Sunday was probably the brightest day and to see people so happy is a massive thing."

'It felt like an outer body experience'

Loughmacrory's one-point victory over Trillick ensured their first senior title in Tyrone

That special feeling was shared in Loughmacrory whose dreams came true in Omagh.

Like Madden, they worked their way up through the ranks, from junior to intermediate and on to senior.

Perhaps some thought the ultimate day would never come, but team captain Kelly always sensed they would get their rewards for the work put in throughout the years.

"It was special, a bit of an outer body experience," he said of the moment he got his hands on the O'Neill Cup.

"Standing on those steps and looking down at the people of Loughmacrory is when it started to hit home what we had done, so I was just looking forward to getting that cup.

"We are still in the bubble and spent a lot of time together, having a brilliant time reflecting on everything over the years, so it's great to celebrate it with everyone.

"A lot of times you'll get out of life what you put into it and we put a lot into getting our club into the best place possible. Sunday was the pinnacle to get up the steps in Healy Park."