Killyclogher footsoldier McFadden expects another battle

BATTLE-HARDENED Killyclogher face into Sunday night’s Senior Championship semi-final showdown with Errigal Ciaran knowing that few can match them when it comes to the demands of trench warfare.

St Mary’s have now survived three teak-tough contests in advancing to the last four of the O’Neill Cup, coming through their latest assignment last Thursday in the quarter-final replay against Carrickmore.

It wasn’t an occasion for the faint-hearted, with the high-octane exchanges littered with shuddering challenges and demonic tackling, even if scores were relatively thin on the ground.

Few epitomise the spirit and diligence of this Killyclogher team more than Emmett McFadden who produced an excellent job, sweeping along his own defensive sector and helping to repel repeated attacking sorties by Carmen.

He acknowledged that the replay was never going to provide any type of high scoring spectacle given how familiar the sides are with each other.

“ It was a real battle. There was never going to be much free flowing football. We worked hard in the week doing our preparations as there were aspects of our game from the first night we weren’t happy with.

“ Fair play to our coaching staff they had their homework done and we knew what they were going to do for a large majority of the game. They would be happy to give us the ball and bottle us up so we tried to keep the ball out of the tackle. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t perfect and we did give them a few chances again but the main thing is that we got over the line.”

Haing bossed the territorial stakes for much of the opening period, when playing against the wind, McFadden admitted that they felt unfortunate to be trailing (0-4 to 0-3) at half-time.

“The first half played out the way we hoped though we were probably a bit disappointed to be trailing at half-time. In fairness there was a bit of a breeze but it wasn’t a real factor.

“We started well but towards the end of the first half we got back to our bad habits giving the ball away and they got belief from that to get a few scores. I did think we should have been up at the break but in saying that we were still doing plenty of things right and it was a matter of repeating that in the second half.”

Dramatic late goals have helped to keep alive Killyclogher’s Championship dreams in the previous two rounds and McFadden expects their semi-final outing to go all the way to the wire as well.

“Errigal are a very good team that goes without saying. But as we have seen in the Tyrone Championship so far there is usually just a kick of the ball between any team and that’s the way it will be again.

“That was a great Carrickmore team and the same with Omagh the round before. A lot of people probably had us as favourites going into that game but Omagh have plenty of quality so we knew it would take some effort to get past them. Sometimes you need a wee bit of luck and we have had it so far. Long may it continue.”

Killyclogher will have to go to the well for the third weekend running now, though their opponents Errigal find themselves in the same position.

Emmett is happy enough with the busy schedule if it means that St Mary’s are still alive and kicking in the Championship.

“Sometimes a replay is the best thing that can happen a team. You get plenty of football.

Everybody is looking for games so we are happy enough to be set for a third Championship game in three weeks.

“We were happy enough to get the replay the last day so we definitely won’t be complaining about it. We could easily have been out of the Championship so the more games the better.”