By 
INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
CLONOE enhanced their reputation as championship specialists when they captured the Tyrone Intermediate title with a strong second half display seeing them over the line after a classic clash against Eglish at Dungannon on Sunday night.
Both clubs had already secured promotion prior to this final at O’Neill Park. But there was absolutely no doubting their determination as the Rahilly’s eventually prevailed thanks to a late flurry of scores.
Now they will bid for Ulster glory in the coming weeks, and the evidence presented during a marvellous 2025 season suggests that they will be strong contenders for provincial honours this autumn.
For the moment, though, there will be time for celebrations at a fifth Paddy Cullen Cup success. It was their first since 1995 and definitely pleased their manager, Kevin Madden, who relished a memorable triumph.
“This was an amazing game of football and credit to Eglish who brought an unbelievable desire. They asked so many questions of us tonight, but thankfully our boys kept coming up with the answers and turned the game at the right time,” he said.
“We have brought through a number of young players who added energy in taking players on. The experienced players really show their worth in the closing stages when the game was still in the balance.
“The lads seized the opportunity when it mattered most. I said to the boys on Friday night that the script would look one way towards the end and then turn and that was how things proved.
“People asked whether the same hunger was going to be there after winning promotion. You have absolutely no idea how hungry these boys were to get a championship title because they don’t come around that often.”
Clonoe will now play Down champions, Saval, in the opening round of the Ulster Club Intermediate championship in a few weeks time, and it’s certainly one that they will be targeting in the hope of making progress on the provincial stage.
“Some of these players savoured senior championships in 2008 and 2013 and it has been a long time since the club has tasted championship success,” added Madden.
“Once the league was done, this was very much a major target and thankfully we got the job done today.
“Nobody was thinking about Ulster because we weren’t in it, but we’re there now. I said to the boys that as soon as the final whistle went in this game we’d be looking at Ulster and it is an adventure for the players.
“But we’ll not be looking past Saval in the first round. We know the challenge that we’ll be facing.”