Errigal and Clonoe must go again after gripping draw

Errigal Ciaran 2-9  Clonoe 2-9

WELL that was unexpected. Red hot favourites Errigal Ciaran were held to a draw by Clonoe in an utterly absorbing Senior Championship quarter-final clash under lights in Dungannon on Sunday night.

Few realistically expected anything other than a comfortable Errigal victory, but perhaps we shouldn’t have been so surprised – the Tyrone Senior Championship rarely goes according to script.

It was evident from early on that the Rahillys had come to the party with a sense of confidence and adventure (one onlooker described it as a ‘shot to nothing’ for them ) but what was perhaps more surprising is that they didn’t falter in the white-knuckle ride of a frenzied second-half.

When the impressive Odhran Robinson palmed home his second goal of the game early in the second period, it could’ve upset the plucky underdogs, but not a bit of it – Clonoe responded with a goal of their own and they kept on battering at the door for the remainder of the contest.

Errigal Ciaran may even feel fortunate that they’ll have a second bite of the cherry in Saturday evening’s replay encounter back in Dungannon. Darragh McAnenly pulled off a crucial save from a wicked shot from Ronan Corey with ten minutes remaining, and not long after that Clonoe were inches away when Pascal McClure got a hand to a long ball and it spilled just wide of the post.

It was chaotic stuff in its most positive sense and Clonoe also deserve credit for their diligent efforts in limiting a formidable Errigal Ciaran attacking unit to a combined total of 2-9.

They hassled and harried – and crucially, there were no lapses of discipline when the game was in the melting pot and every score was of the utmost importance.

The O’Rahilly’s landed the first three scores of the game – a Connor McAliskey free, a Connor McAliskey sideline and a monstrous point from Danny McNulty.

Errigal were struggling to find their groove but they rattled off three points in as many minutes midway through the half with Peter Og McCartan, Peter Harte and Odhran Robinson restoring parity at 0-3 apiece.

Clonoe were still giving it plenty, however, with the likes of Ryan Morrow and Shea Coney getting through a mountain of work and it took a slice of genius from Darragh Canavan to edge Errigal in front for the first time as half-time approached.

Then came the opening goal of the game, a surrounded Darragh Canavan somehow playing through an exquisite cross-field pass in the direction of Odhran Robinson, who applied a fine finish to the net.

In literally the next play, Declan McClure was fouled in the box and Connor McAliskey made no mistake from the spot leaving it 1-4 apiece at the half-time whistle following McAliskey’s latest free.

Errigal regained their three-point advantage when Robinson palmed the ball to the net after a Ruairi Canavan free dropped short, but once again, Clonoe hit back when they mustered their second goal of the game, Pascal McClure first to a long dropping ball in the 37th minute.

The O’Rahilly’s were hugely tenacious in defence, exemplified by the efforts of their full-back Shane Hughes, but Errigal made their move midway through the half with scores from Joe Oguz (who really stood up to the plate with some big plays in the engine room), Ciaran McGinley, Darragh Canavan and Ben McDonnell.

The pre-match favourites carried a 2-8 to 2-5 lead heading into the final ten minutes but Clonoe drove forward in waves with their championship hopes on the line and they reduced the deficit from a Danny McNulty ’45’, while they also came close on two occasions to rattling the net for a third occasion.

Errigal looked the more likely to prevail but Clonoe didn’t throw in the towel with substitute Ryan Quinn polishing off a sweeping attacking move after the leaders were turned over at the other end.

Padraig McGirr flashed over a brilliant point for Errigal, leaving it 2-9 to 2-7 in their favour but Clonoe weren’t done yet, Connor McAliskey nailing a late free before sub Ryan Quinn had the final say of the contest with a wonderful strike in injury time.

Both sides went in search of a winner but it wasn’t to be and they’ll have to do it all over again this Saturday night.

The Scorers

Errigal Ciaran

Odhran Robinson (2-2, 1 ’45’), Darragh Canavan (0-2), Peter Harte, Joe Oguz, Ben McDonnell, Ciaran McGinley and Padraig McGirr (0-1 each)

Clonoe

Connor McAliskey (1-4, 4f), Ryan Quinn (0-2), Danny McNulty (0-2, 1 ’45’), Declan McClure (0-1)