WINNING an All-Ireland title requires the right mixture of ingredients; hard work, determination, talent, a solid team and, among other things, luck.
The last thing on that list is what Armagh defender Barry McCambridge humbly attributed his stellar performances for the Orchard County too.
McCambridge was an Ulster All-Star selection at corner-back and the Men’s Footballer of the Year after his second half of the season saw him become invaluable to Kieran McGeeney and his side.
However, if you were to tell the Clann Eireann clubman that he would be up for the accolade at the start of the season, he wouldn’t have believed you.
“From where I started it’s a bit crazy because obviously I wasn’t getting on the team for about half the year and everyone needs a bit of luck and I got plenty of it this year,” said McCambridge.
“I’d say that anyone who plays any inter-county sport has their ups and downs and there’s times that you’re sitting in your room saying, ‘Why am I doing this?’ and then you just have to keep going and keep working hard.
“I was able to get a break, a bit of luck and take my chance when I got it and hold my spot toward the end of the year.”
“The ball fell right for me a couple of times and I was able to put it in the net and then it’s just amazing that we were able to achieve something as a county, as everyone, and win an All-Ireland.”
Picture: Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. (Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye/Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye )
Although McCambridge was thanking his lucky stars, GAA is also in his DNA, with links to hurling in Cushendall and two sisters, Maeve and captain Clodagh, on the Armagh LGFA panel.
The Lurgan native said: “If my dad had the choice I’m sure I’d have been up playing hurling in Cushendall but my mum brought me back to Armagh and that’s where I’ve ended up.”
Despite the family ties that bind him to the Glens, he ended up in the north Armagh town which, along with the wider county, erupted in orange and white, with cars, vans and even animals donning the colours coming up to and after the victory against Galway.
“Lurgan’s been amazing”, said McCambridge.
“The place was decked out and a couple of days afterwards there was a huge street party and everywhere was closed, you couldn’t move at all in it.
“I’m sure [it was] like everywhere in Armagh, the buzz, you could see people everywhere just so happy and just on behalf of all the players, it means so much how, you can understand, the fans were always behind us no matter what we did.
“They’re always there throughout and it’s unbelievable to see how they felt after we got across the line in the final.”