Errigal have a team of leaders, says captain Canavan

ERRIGAL Ciaran captain Tommy Canavan insists that the side have been properly tested in their three Championship matches to date despite the emphatic final scorelines.

Killyclogher, Moortown and Ardboe were each dispatched in clinical fashion by the rampant Dunmoyle boys who are intent on sealing back-to-back Senior titles. That might suggest that Errigal could be somewhat undercooked for their meeting with Trillick in the County Final this Sunday afternoon, but Canavan maintains that his side were provided with a genuine challenge during their path to the decider.

“ We have been tested in different ways in all three games so far. The first one against Killyclogher was always going to be a tough physical battle as they are a formidable outfit. It was the same against Moortown and Ardboe as well. We hopefully have taken something from all three games and look to bring those learnings into the next game.”

Tommy admitted however that the eye-catching result they registered in the semi-final against Ardboe (2-19 to 0-7) was out of keeping with the traditional dog-eat-dog nature of Tyrone football at the highest level.

“ It probably was unexpected the margin of victory but they don’t come around too often in Tyrone Championship football so whether it was one point or more than ten points we would have taken it. We were just happy to progress to the next game.”

Much has been made in the build-up to this Final about the holders ‘curse’ with no side having retained the O’Neill Cup in almost twenty years. Canavan plays down the significance of Errigal breaking that losing sequence.

“ We are delighted to be back in another Final. These days don’t come around too easily in Tyrone Championship football so we are here to make the most of it. Hopefully we can deliver another performance.

“ It’s a great challenge (retaining the title) but to fair it is not something that we have really talked about. We would just focus on what we can control to give our best performances each day that we go out. For us that is the next training session and the next game and taking things step by step in order to get a performance.”

Canavan became the first Errigal man in a decade to get his hands on the O’Neill Cup after they came out on the right side of an epic tussle with Carrickmore in last year’s final. He acknowledges that it remains a honour to captain the side.

“ It is a massive honour just as it was last year. All I ever wanted to do growing up was to play for Errigal so to be captain of the club in another county final is a huge honour and I just strive to do it justice for the club and for everybody involved.”

However he is quick to point out that being flanked by a team of leaders makes his role much easier.

“ It has probably helped me over the last number of years the fact that we have so many leaders right throughout the field from the goalkeeper right up to the full-forward line. There is many lads keeping the standards high and pushing each other on. It’s good for me to be able to lean on them.”

While Tommy’s cousins Darragh and Ruairi regularly hog the headlines, the captain stresses that across the board they have men capable of stepping up on any given day.

“ We know the quality that we face each day that we go out in Tyrone. There is quality defenders and set-ups. Every team can snuff out a forward or two so we have to have lads chipping in right across the field.

“ Thankfully we have had that, it hasn’t just been the top boys up front. There has been defenders chipping in with scores and midfielders. So as good as it is to see Darragh and Ruairi go well it takes the rest of the panel to keep pushing those boys on at training every night and keep them on their toes. It has been a full team effort.”

And he appreciates that it will take a full team effort to navigate a route past Trillick this Sunday afternoon.

“ Anytime we have met Trillick it has always been a huge battle. They are a very strong traditional club in Tyrone who have had a lot of success too. They overcame a really strong Dungannon side in the semi-final in what was a tough battle for them. Apparently they were very impressive in that. We will have to be at the top of our game and prepare as well as we can to try and match that.”

These are golden times for the Errigal club with the Ladies having also recently annexed the Senior Championship title for the first time in eight seasons. Tommy hopes that the men can now follow their lead.

“ I was delighted for the Ladies. That also brings energy throughout the club. There is a lot of family ties between the ladies and mens teams so hopefully we can emulate the great work the Ladies have done this year. We were out supporting them and I’m sure they will be out supporting us too. There is great backing right across the club.

“ Not every year is like this so you have to make the most of these days and enjoy them. It’s all about making sure your preparations are right and putting in a performance that is worthy of getting a victory. It is all about enjoying these days because they don’t come around too often.”