Champions Trillick embracing back-to-back challenge- McGinnity

IT’S a feat that’s proven beyond even the finest of teams in recent decades, but Trillick coach Peter McGinnity says the measure of the task makes the challenge of retaining the O’Neill Cup an even more tantalising opportunity.

Carrickmore were the last team to achieve the elusive back-to-back in 2004/5 and other teams have come desperately close – the Reds among them – but none have managed to seal the deal.

Reigning champions Trillick surmounted the first of four potential hurdles with their first-round win over Eglish nearly a fortnight ago and can take another step towards the pinnacle if they get past the challenge of Ardboe this Sunday at Carrickmore.

It would be a quite momentous achievement if they go all the way and their vastly experienced and hugely respected coach Peter McGinnity says they won’t shirk away from the challenge ahead of them.

“ It seems insurmountable, but for all that, it makes it well, well worthwhile. Carrickmore are still talking about theirs in 2005, so it is something that every team would like to achieve.

“ You have to win the first one, and then the second year you have to withstand all the flak that comes at you but we’ll do our best.”

Trillick didn’t have it all their own way against rank outsiders Eglish on their opening day out but pulled away down the home stretch to record a 1-17 to 1-9 victory on a sunny day in Galbally. It wasn’t the perfect Trillick performance but McGinnity says the efforts of a now-relegated Eglish team shouldn’t be neglected in the post-match analysis.

“Is this not the Tyrone Championship? Who decides who wins? The team that works hardest on the day.

“And in fairness to Eglish, they worked as hard as possible, they got men back, they attacked us well.

“The goal, obviously, in the first half, did them the world of good, but they still had to manufacture it. Look, I’d give them a lot of credit.”

He continued: “Getting by the first round is the most important thing. Okay, so you would like to do it in a certain way, but the bottom line was that we got through it.

“In fairness to Eglish, they put it up to us. We went five ahead, they came right back into it, and in the second half they caused us a lot of problems.

“We realise how much work we have to put in before the next round.”

Standing in their way of a place in the last four is an Ardboe team that were full value for their win over Edendork in a first-round clash under lights in Dungannon. McGinnity also cites an hard-fought league encounter between the two teams back in August, which Trillick edged by 0-12 to 2-4.

“Yes they were [impressive against Edendork], and against Trillick in the league they were very impressive as well.

“Great pace, good in the tackle and in supporting each other, the scores they took – all of those things they did very well.

“They did impress me, and in their Championship match, they impressed me even more. So we’ll work hard to get ourselves ready for that.”