Errigal Ciaran dethrone Trillick in gripping decider

Errigal Ciaran 0-12  Trillick 1-8

BLUE and gold flares lit up the skies above Omagh on Friday night as the celebrations marking another title for Errigal Ciaran began following their fully-deserved victory over the reigning Tyrone Senior champions Trillick in the O’Neill Cup Final.

Last year, the Dunmoyle-based side were thwarted by the St Macartan’s in their bid to retain the title. But all that was forgotten as team captain, Darragh Canavan held aloft the Paddy O’Neill Cup before several thousand of the club’s adoring and esctatic fans.

There was no doubting Errigal’s overall control of this final clash. They always looked like the stronger team and a blitz of scores midway through the second half, combined with their sheer determination, made this a memorable triumph.

It was a difficult evening for the champions, and they can have no real complaints about the result here. As the Reds contemplate where the game was lost, the new winners celebrated at the weekend and will begin their preparations this week for a tilt at Ulster honours.

Perfect conditions prevailed at Healy Park when compared to the heavy winds of the past Sunday. An attendance of some 5000 arrived for only the second ever County Final under the Friday Night lights and in anticipation of a clash to remember between these very modern rivals.

Both teams responded with a meeting that bubbled and boiled throughout and was always enthralling. It was a tempo set firm in the opening period, and maintained right to the finish as the respective teams enjoyed periods of sustained control.

Early points from Lee Brennan and Mattie Donnelly settled the Reds, as Errigal misfired on four occasions. But whatever frustrations that they must have felt after a shaky start were quickly expelled as they proceeded to produce a control display in those opening 30 minutes.

Aidan McCrory, Peter Og McCartan and Niall Kelly worked hard to curb the space available to Trillick. Their patient approach work was then capitalised upon by the speed of Darragh and Ruairi Canavan, and the vision of Peter Harte and Odhran Robinson up front.

The teams were level at 0-2 apiece by the end of the first quarter. Both were working hard to create space, with Mattie Donnelly, Lee Brennan and the roving James Garrity making an impact for the St Macartan’s. However, it was Errigal who were enjoying the better of the exchanges.

Their scoring rate of 0-4 to 0-1 in the 10 minute spell between the 16th and 25th minutes saw them forge ahead. Peter Og McCartan initially brought them level, then Ruairi Canavan produced a characterised dummy to score and put them ahead.

Ryan Gray did respond for the champions, but further scores from a Ruairi Canavan free and then a well-taken Ben McDonnell point left Errigal enjoying a deserved 0-6 to 0-4 lead. Importantly, they looked capable of adding to that total and extending their lead.

It was all down to Trillick to respond. While their defence was working hard and was being well led by Peter McCaughey, Daire Gallagher and Rory Brennan, their attacks seemed to fall down in the crucial central area.

Nevertheless, they remained patient, and the tide turned thanks to the promptings of Mattie Donnelly. He set up James Garrity to reduce the deficit to the minimum and was fouled with Lee Brennan converting the resultant free to bring the teams level.

There was no surprise, then, when the issue was still very much in the balance at half-time.

Darragh Canavan jinked his way through to edge Errigal ahead, and they were probably the happier of the two going in at the break. But that would count for little on the resumption.

Swapped points at the start of that second half between Ryan Gray and Ruairi Canavan seemed set to herald the start of another closely contested spell of action. But it was Errigal Ciaran who subsequently threatened to run away with the title.

A brilliant spell of football backboned by midfield control really set them on the way. A narrow lead was soon turned into what had the potential to be a winning advantage. Within minutes, four points in quick succession had them enjoying a 0-11 to 0-7 lead.

Pointed frees from Peter Harte and Ruairi Canavan got them going. Then Padraig McGirr and Ben McDonnell combined to set up Ruairi Canavan for a well-taken point, before Odhran Robinson sent high and accurately over the bar.

It was all looking so good for the Dunmoyle-based side, before the pendulum swung as it must surely do.

That four point lead was suddenly whittled away to set up an intriguing finale to this roller-coaster tussle.

Trillick absorbed the attacking pressure thanks to the efforts of Peter McCaughey and Rory Brennan in particular. Veteran Mattie Donnelly stepped up to give them hope with a long range point, and suddenly they began playing with the kind of vigour which has been largely missing up until then.

But the big turning point came with the only goal of the game. Stevie O’Donnell edged forward and set up Ciaran Daly. His low hard shot whizzed past the goalkeeper. Suddenly, the teams were level at 0-11 to 1-8 and it was most certainly game on.

There was tension and anxiety in the performances of both teams as this clash reached its conclusion. A point from Ruairi Canavan edged Errigal ahead at 0-12 to 1-8, and they worked feriously hard to protect that slender advantage.

Ultimately, though, small margins made the difference.

Errigal won the crucial individual battles, Trillick’s handling was just off and as the seconds ebbed away it was clear that the champions of two years ago were on course to regain their title.

Tommy Canavan came close to making it certain with a late free.

But that didn’t matter as they broke clear to clinch the O’Neill Cup once more.

 Scorers
Errigal Ciaran
Ruairi Canavan 0-6 (3f), Darragh Canavan 0-2, Peter Og McCartan 0-1, Ben McDonnell 0-1, Peter Harte 0-1 (1f), Odhran Robinson 0-1.

Trillick
Lee Brennan 0-3 (3f), Ciaran Daly 1-0, Mattie Donnelly 0-2, Ryan Gray 0-2, James Garrity 0-1.

Teams
Trillick
Joe Maguire, Stevie O’Donnell, Peter McCaughey, Daire Gallagher, Colm Garrity, Rory Brennan, Seanie O’Donnell, Richard Donnelly, Liam Gray, Ciaran Daly, Mattie Donnelly, Ryan Gray, Daniel Donnelly, Lee Brennan, James Garrity.
Subs – Michael Gallagher for R Gray (48), Daley Tunney for St O’Donnell (60)

Errigal Ciaran
Darragh McAnenly, Cormac Quinn, Aidan McCrory, Ciaran Quinn, Peter Og McCartan, Niall Kelly, Tiarnan Colhoun, Ben McDonnell, Joe Oguz, Padraig McGirr, Peter Harte, Ciaran McGinley, Darragh Canavan, Odhran Robinson, Ruairi Canavan.
Subs – Mark Kavanagh for T Colhoun (half-time), Tommy Canavan for C McGinley (40), Eoin Kelly for P Og McCartan (55), Pauric Traynor for P McGirr (57).
Referee: Sean Hurson, Galbally.