Callum’s year keeps getting better and better

CALLUM Daly’s year just keeps getting better and better.

Having captained Omagh CBS to MacRory Cup and Hogan Cup honours, he added another medal to his growing collection with the Tyrone Under-20s last Wednesday night when they defeated Derry after a penalty shootout in the Ulster Championship Final.

While he has donned the Number 15 jersey for most of this campaign, the young St Enda’s star has operated so efficiently as the side’s sweeper, patrolling along his own ’45’ and helping to instigate attacks from that central berth.

Reflecting on Tyrone’s dramatic triumph over Derry after extra-time at the Athletic Grounds, Daly praised the side’s resilience and refusal to buckle even when the odds seemed stacked against them.

“ It’s unbelievable really. Every since that (school season) ended I have been all in with the county.

“ Derry are some outfit and they really showed it. I suppose we really showed the character in this team. We were four points down in extra-time. Not many other teams would have done that and come back so I am very very happy.”

Callum stated that at no stage did the side lose the faith, even when momentum appeared very firmly in Derry’s favour.

“ The message was that we had committed a lot of mistakes but it was about staying calm and gritting it out. McHugh got the goal and we kept our foot on the throat from there. Conor (Owens) got a great score with the outside of the left foot to level it, you just can’t say enough about him. That just shows the quality of players we have in the team.”

And he stated that once it came to the dreaded penalty deciders he had every confidence his former CBS school mate was going to deliver between the posts.

“ We practiced penalties in the lead up and we know that Conor McAneny is some keeper. He saved a few of mine in club games. We had no doubting his ability and he showed it there. He was unreal. I didn’t get to take one as I was to go up last but thankfully the boys before me did the job.”