Heady days for Brennan and Trillick

THIS has been a Championship journey for Trillick which has gathered real momentum since beginning with a nail-biting victory in the opening round of the race for the O’Neill Cup back in September.

Now, as the club prepares for a provincial semi-final clash against Scotstown on Sunday, the sense of excitement within the St Macartan’s club community is clear. It’s another major milestone for them to overcome, and all the evidence suggests that they are well capable of grabbing this latest opportunity and progressing to the provincial final at the start of next month.

Each match along that journey has provided key challenges. Loughmacrory were defeated on penalties in the first round domestically, and the win over Errigal Ciaran in the County final really set them on the road. But this weekend’s clash against the Monaghan champions at the Athletic Grounds promises to be especially intriguing.

Scotstown’s last gasp win over Kilcoo has set them up as real contenders for the Ulster Club title. They are one of the province’s aristocrats, having won been kingpins on numerous occasions in the seventies and eighties. Trillick’s record is less impressive, but there’s still big incentives for them to make their mark.

Ace scorer, Lee Brennan, is well aware of what days like Sunday mean for the club and its supporters. The ‘Reds’ have always been big contenders, and this contest offers them the chance to reach a level not seen since the heady days of 1974.

“Our win over Crossmaglen was brilliant, especially against a team with such a massive pedigree. For the club to have reached this stage of Ulster just means so much for everyone,” he said.

“It’s a great time for the community and the wins so far have only helped that. Obviously everyone is behind us, and the crowds which were at our Tyrone games and then in the quarter final against Cross was amazing.

“Everyone wants us to do well, and I suppose as players we want to give back to them and repay that support. We’re trying to give a good account of ourselves every time we go out, as much as for the fans as ourselves.”

In 1974, Trillick lost out in the provincial final to the all-conquering Clann na nGael team from Lurgan in Armagh.

Half a century on, many of the players who starred on the teams of the seventies and eighties, have sons or other relatives leading the present charge for glory.

It all goes to increase the real sense of community within the club. Their run has also been enhanced by being a rare excursion for a county which has generally struggled to make any mark at senior provincial club level.

“We wanted to build on our County Final and beating Cross was great,” added Brennan.

“But in saying everything, our players had to be brave and they were.

“We’re a good team as well and have put the shoulder to the wheel. Hopefully we can do that again in the semi-final.

“Luckily we gave a good account of ourselves in the second half in the quarter final. We hadn’t played the way we wanted for the first half because and were a bit cagey. But then we became brave, started to run at them and took our chances.”

More of the same would do nicely indeed for Trillick when their campaign resumes on Sunday. They are bidding to become the first team from the O’Neill county to reach the final since Omagh were defeated by Slaughtneill in the 2014 final.

It’s a tantalising target for the Reds, but one that both the manager, Jody Gormley, and the players are fully embracing as they prepare for the club’s biggest game at provincial level since the seventies.

“We looking forward to a brilliant game. Scotstown have massive experience in Ulster and the All-Ireland series and we’ll have to try and match that,” he said.

“It’s a game that could go either way and we’re definitely looking forward to it. But we’re not going into it with any sense of inferiority.

“We are a good team and I think people saw against Cross what we’re capable of. We’ll not be afraid.”