Canavan’s class settles Ulster Senior semi in Errigal’s favour

Errigal Ciaran 0-14 Clann Éireann 1-10

THIS isn’t something that happens every day. It’s not something that happens every year either. Errigal Ciaran have reached the Ulster SFC final for the first time in a full 22 seasons with a thrilling victory over Armagh representatives Clann Éireann. And they’re the first Tyrone team to do so since Omagh St Enda’s back in 2014.

That’s an obvious place to start, but there was so much more to yesterday’s game at a blustery Páirc Esler than the cold, hard facts of victory.

It was one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss it matches that spun into a frenzied conclusion where tackles and turnovers were flying in everywhere with a place in the Ulster final on the line.

Both teams did themselves proud in that regard, but it was the moments of class – the moments of genius, even – that finally swung the tie in Errigal’s favour.

Ruairi Canavan landed nine points across the hour, but again, this is a case where mere facts alone don’t do full justice to what was a stunning individual performance from the young Tyrone star. His final two points were worth the admission fee alone – the first an exquisite effort with the outside of his boot that had ‘winner’ written all over it.

Clann Éireann subsequently equalised as the clock ticked into injury time, but Canavan wasn’t to be denied. Errigal, as composed as you like, moved the ball around before finding Ruairi in a pocket of space. Though it was no gimme, from the microsecond it left his boot, you knew what the outcome would be.

As for how it all panned out, Clann Éireann had the better of the opening exchanges, moving into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead by the 10th minute.

Midfield duo Tiernan Kelly and Conor McConville got their names on the scoresheet while All-Star Conor Turbitt knocked over an early free, but Errigal still looked lively and conjured up a fine point from Ruairi Canavan after a judicious cross-field ball from Ciaran McGinley.

Errigal soon found themselves level, Ruairi knocking over a free before Odhran Robinson got on the end of a sweeping up-field move, burning Michael O’Shea for pace and finding his range from a tight angle.

Barry McCambridge, another recently named All-Star, was at the heart of all that was good about Clann Éireann’s play early on and sent through a lovely pass for Dan McCarthy, re-establishing the Lurgan side’s lead as the clock ticked into the second quarter.

They added another not long after. Errigal Ciaran looked like they were out of the woods when Cormac Quinn was in the right place to avert a possible goal-chance, but he was stripped off possession, by no means his own fault as he’d found himself pounced upon, and Daniel Magee did the needful.

Clann Éireann led 0-5 to 0-3 but Errigal were game for the challenge and rattled off three points on the trot. Darragh Canavan combined with Peter Harte to get themselves going again, preceding two lucious efforts in the space of a minute from the Canavan siblings – Darragh finding his range superbly from the left flank, Ruairi from the right, and they were back in the hunt.

Both teams looked vulnerable at times at the back and Clann Éireann almost had a goal only for the alertness of Niall Kelly. Conor Turbitt’s effort at a point rattled off the post and fortuitously into the arms of Daniel Magee, whose goal-bound effort was thwarted by Kelly, who was stationed on the goal-line.

But it wasn’t long before Clann Éireann made amends, winning a penalty in stoppage-time after the dangerous Magee made a beeline for goal and was fouled by Ciaran Quinn. Conor Turbitt stepped up and coolly slotted the ball to the left-hand corner of the net. It couldn’t have been much more insouciant if he tried.

Clann Éireann led 1-5 to 0-6 but Errigal issued a great response deep in the half with two late frees from Ruairi Canavan, one of which was a picture-perfect effort outside of the hands from a good 50 metres
out.

That left it all square at the break with the Lurgan side getting the first point of the second-half from the massively influential Daniel Magee. They got another with Ruairi McDonald’s effort just about creeping over the crossbar as they exerted massive pressure on the middle third.

Errigal coughed up a free following a flurry of fast-hands from Clann Éireann from which Turbitt was never going to miss.

Then came what looked downright inevitable. Armagh midfielder Tiernan Kelly was walking a tightrope after picking up a yellow card in the first-half and after a few more lapses of discipline was sent to the line after a rash challenge on Darragh Canavan. Thomas Canavan, introduced for the second-half scored the resultant free, leaving a two-point deficit with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Errigal’s tails were up and Tommy Canavan knocked over another free before Ruairi Canavan was tasked with a difficult effort. Prudently he played a quick one-two and split the posts leaving it all square with quarter of an hour remaining.

Played at an increasingly frantic pace with a place in the Ulster final at stake, Darragh Canavan was wreaking havoc and won another free, again converted by Ruairi, his seventh of the day.
Cool heads were required and Ciaran Quinn made a fine block on Conor Turbitt to prevent what looked like a certain score.

But Clann Éireann were by no means out of it and drew level via Dan McCarthy with 52 minutes on the clock.
Attacks were breaking down at both ends of the pitch and that was no surprise as both teams had played the shirts off their backs and extra-time was looking increasingly likely.

There was still time for both teams to clinch victory and it was Errigal that seized the initiative with a gem of a point from the outstanding Ruairi Canavan as the clock ticked into injury time.

Clann Éireann responded with a point from Rioghan Meehan but there was time for one more intervention from that man Ruairi Canavan, who curled over a beautiful winner 60 seconds from the final whistle. And that was that, Errigal are through to the Ulster final – what an occasion that promises to be.

Scorers
Errigal Ciaran: Ruairi Canavan (0-9, 4f), Thomas Canavan (0-2f), Darragh Canavan (0-2), Odhran Robinson (0-1)

Clann Éireann: Conor Turbitt (1-2, 2f), Dan McCarthy and Daniel Magee (0-2 each), Tiernan Kelly, Conor McConville and Rioghan Meehan (0-1 each)

Teams

Errigal Ciaran: Darragh McAnenly, Niall Kelly, Ciaran Quinn, Aidan McCrory, Cormac Quinn, Tiarnan Colhoun, Peter Og Macartan, Padraig McGirr, Ben McDonnell, Joe Oguz, Ciaran McGinley, Peter Harte, Ruairi Canavan, Odhran Robinson, Darragh Canavan. Subs: Mark Kavanagh for Padraig McGirr, Thomas Canavan for Ciaran McGinley, Pauric Traynor for Kelly

Clann Éireann: Eoghan Mulholland, Shea Heffron, Michael O’Shea, Conan O’Carroll, Barry McCambridge, Sean McCarthy, Redmond French, Tiernan Kelly, Conor McConville, Jack Conlon, Daniel Magee, Emmet Magee, Ruairi McDonald, Conor Turbitt, Dan McCarthy Subs: Adam Kelly for McCarthy, Rioghan Meehan for McDonald, Ethan McKenna for Conlon