By 
TYRONE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Loughmacrory 0-18 Trillick 2-11
SUNDAY, October 26, 2025. A historic day that will never, ever be forgotten by Loughmacrory and its people. O’Neill Cup champions for the first time ever – it’s an achievement that speaks for itself.
With the clock reading 5.31pm, referee Mark Loughran sounded the final whistle at Healy Park on an absolutely enthralling Tyrone Senior Championship final, sparking scenes of incredible jubilation among throngs of black and amber-clad Loughmacrory supporters who had just witnessed their heroes overcome the mighty Trillick with a single point to spare.
Younger fans hopped about and chanted and more or less went buck mad – and rightly so. Older folk stood, soaked it all in and embraced one another. Naturally enough, there were plenty of tearful eyes.
And then the moment they’ve dreamt about for decades since their very formation back in 1972. A Loughmacrory captain holding aloft the O’Neill Cup. Nathan Kelly was that man.
Fittingly, the game itself was an absolute wonder. Both teams played the shirts off their backs on the biggest day in Tyrone Club Football, and it was a late point from Gareth Donaghy that ultimately settled matters in Loughmacrory’s favour.
Amid the post-match euphoria, Trillick weren’t forgotten. Tyrone chairman Martin Sludden and Loughmacrory skipper Nathan Kelly made special mention of the late Jody Gormley in their respective speeches. Indeed, how Trillick have conducted themselves this year in such hugely difficult circumstances is a testament to all involved with their club. As for their senior footballers – they have and continue to be an exceptional group.
Once the speeches were done and dusted, Loughmacrory players and their families and friends mingled for more than half an hour on the Healy Park sod. Having waited more than half a century for this, they were understandably in no rush home. The celebrations, at least among supporters, will last long into the week, and that’s possibly a conservative estimate! It’s only your first time once and this was the biggest day in the club’s history and frankly there’s no comparison on that front – that’s how significant yesterday was for the St Teresa’s.
As for how it all panned out, Trillick enjoyed a sprightly start, surging into a 0-3 to no score lead. Charlie Donnelly, appearing in his first county final, opened their account, skipper Lee Brennan nailed a 45 and Simon Garrity dummied and pointed.
Their early supremacy wasn’t to last, however. Ruairi McCullagh powered through two Trillick defenders before curling over an exquisite effort, kickstarting a sustained period of dominance for the championship final newcomers.
The springboard for their productive spell was their dominance in the middle sector, mopping up restart after restart and the scores flowed like confetti. Eoin McElholm, a constant thorn in the Trillick side throughout the opening period, played a clever one-two with Cathaoir Gallagher before splitting the posts and they kept on coming back for more.
Cathal Donaghy scored a sublime two-pointer, and then Mr. McElholm came inches away from scoring a sensational goal, his laser-guided missile pinging back off the crossbar. He’d actually been fouled in the build-up and McCullagh made no mistake from the free.
Loughmacrory were rampant and extended their advantage further from Gallagher and the effervescent McElholm, wedging open a 0-7 to 0-3 lead as the clock ticked into the second quarter. Even the most cautious St Teresa’s supporter must have been daring to dream.
Trillick weren’t quite in dire straits but they needed a flash of inspiration – and fast — and they got it. Rory Brennan ghosted forward to clip over a corner forward’s point, while Seanie O’Donnell put the skates on, beating four Loughmacrory lads in a foot-race before his fisted effort dropped just short of the target.
Still, they were getting their hands on possession again and that was the main thing from a Trillick perspective after a prolonged spell where Loughmacrory completely bossed the midfield exchanges.
Trillick were back in business and fashioned a goal out of virtually nowhere when Lee Brennan’s long-range effort somehow ended up in the grateful clutches of Ciarán Daly. He didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and it was now all square on the scoreboard at 1-4 to 0-7.
The county final newcomers needed a quick response and McCullagh curled over a lovely point as they edged their noses back in front in the 20th minute. The two teams traded further blows with points from Lee Brennan (two of them – one a hard-earned effort from play) and McCullagh.
It was enthralling stuff from a spectator’s perspective and Loughmacrory finished the half with a real flourish to open up a three-point advantage at the interval. Eoin McElholm gathered possession yards from the sideline and with a shake of the hips, burst into space and boomed over an outrageous two-pointer. McElholm was again involved with the final score of the half, picking out Aodhan Donaghy who did the rest.
Cathal Donaghy, who has had an exceptional championship from start to finish, fired over two points on the spin to extend Loughmacrory’s advantage. Trillick delivered their response in emphatic fashion – a booming kick-out was gobbled up by Mattie Donnelly who must have instinctively known that the goal was on. He made a beeline forward, played the ball across to Ciarán Daly, who had plenty of work to do but picked his spot beautifully. Game back on, you could say.
Guess who got the next score? Cathal Donaghy – again, for his fifth of the day, an incredible return from the midfielder with 25 minutes to play. Mattie Donnelly replied for Trillick leaving it delicately poised 2-7 to 0-15 on the scoreboard.
An intricate move saw McCullagh grab Loughmacrory’s latest point of the day though Liam Gray was his equal down the other end with a tidy strike from distance.
Trillick then reduced the deficit to a single point heading into the final quarter with a Brennan free while Daley Tunney, Rich Donnelly and Liam Corry had now entered the fray.
While not quite as free-scoring as the first-half, it was gripping stuff with the game really there for the taking at either end.
McCullagh converted from a free while Richie Donnelly palmed the ball over the bar after a sweeping attacking move with fewer than ten minutes remaining.
Next up, a Loughmacrory breach was punished by Lee Brennan, leaving it all square on the scoreboard as full-time began to hover into view. It was tense, it was nervy and every single moment seemed to be of the utmost significance.
There were a couple of miscued efforts – understandable given the circumstances, not to mention the blustery breeze.
It was a time for cool heads and McElholm played in Gareth Donaghy who steered over a magnificent point as Loughmacrory edged 0-18 to 2-11 on the scoreboard. Would that be the winner?
Three minutes of injury time were called, so the outcome was still in doubt.
All Loughmacrory had to do at this late stage was hang in there – easier said than done against a Trillick team accustomed to finding a way. But they kept their composure, didn’t do anything rash and they got their reward. Loughmacrory have reached the promised land – kings of Tyrone for the first time ever.
Scorers
Loughmacrory: Ruairi McCullagh (0-7, 4f), Cathal Donaghy (0-5, 1 2pt), Eoin McElholm (0-4, 1 2pt), Aodhan Donaghy and Cathaoir Gallagher (0-1 each)
Trillick: Lee Brennan (0-5, 3f, 1 45), Ciarán Daly (2-0), Rory Brennan, Simon Garrity, Mattie Donnelly, Rory Brennan, Liam Gray and Charlie Donnelly (0-1 each)
Teams
Loughmacrory: Oisin O’Kane, Dara Curran, Nathan Kelly, Arnoldas Macidulskas, Shane Dobbs, Ronan Fox, Shea Conway, Aodhan Donaghy, Cathal Donaghy, Gareth Donaghy, Eoin McElholm, Cathaoir Gallagher, Pauraic Meenagh, Ruairi McCullagh, Michael McNamee. Subs: Ryan Grimley for Pauraic Meenagh
Trillick: Joe Maguire, Daire Gallagher, Peter McCaughey, Stephen O’Donnell, Colm Garrity, Rory Brennan, Michael Gallagher, Liam Gray, Ciarán Daly, Seanie O’Donnell, Mattie Donnelly, Charlie Donnelly, James Garrity, Lee Brennan, Simon Garrity. Subs: Daley Tunney for Stephen O’Donnell, Richard Donnelly for Charlie Donnelly, Liam Corry for Simon Garrity
Referee: Mark Loughran (Errigal Ciaran)