Last year’s final pain is driving us on – McElroy

INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL

AN AGHALOO team which just a year ago dramatically missed out on Junior Championship glory is now relishing the role of big underdogs as they prepare to cause what would be the shock of the knock-out race so far against Clonoe.

Most involved with the O’Neill’s will prefer to forgot the sensational manner in which they lost to neighbours Killeeshil in the 2024 Final.

An indication of the task facing them this Friday evening at 7pm in Dungannon can be gauged by the fact that while they were bidding for Junior glory, the Rahilly’s were coming agonisingly close to defeating the future All-Ireland Club Finalists, Errigal Ciaran.

Now, though, the two clubs are clashing for a place in the Paddy Cullen Cup showdown in mid-October. Suffice to say, then, that when the action begins, the once wide gap between Tyrone senior and junior action won’t seem so insurmountable.

Aghaloo proved their worth with a fully deserved victory over Beragh in the quarter final two weeks ago. It has earned them a last four berth, and the memory of last year’s Championship journey and the way that they responded to that final disappointment to win promotion is standing them in good stead so far in 2025.

“It’s a class achievement for us to be just up from Junior at the start of this year and now to be looking forward to an Intermediate semi-final,” said Niall McElroy, whose performance in that quarter final clash was widely lauded.

“We were able to sit back and enjoy the draw knowing that our place in the last four was secured. Obviously after last year, this is all that we can dream about.

“The whole community is buzzing looking forward to this semi-final.

“The disappointment of last year losing the Junior Final has been used by all the players and the management everytime we go out onto the pitch. Both in the league and championship the lads tried to be within touching distance of our opponents going into the last five or 10 minutes.

“That gave ourselves a chance of getting points on the board. Our league record at home was also good which really helped.”

Aghaloo entered this year’s Championship with their survival in Division Two firmly secured for 2025. It has also meant a chance to really focus on the Championship, and the freedom which they’ve displayed so far could count for a lot when the action begins against the fancied Rahilly’s.

“Anything can happen now, we’ll be going in as underdogs again and will just target another performance to be proud of and see where that takes us.

“We played well in the game against Beragh, got off to a really good start and kept things going after that.

“They were a good team and we needed to start well.

“Everytime Beragh came back at us it was about trying to chip on a score and then that was our aim as well in the second half.

“We’re looking forward to the semi-final, the buzz is great around the training at the moment and hopefully we can keep the journey going longer.”