By 
TYRONE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
THE world’s leading tennis player Carlos Alcaraz recorded many firsts during the embryonic stages of his so far brilliant career, achievements which helped earn him the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year in 2022.
Taking a wrecking ball to the established order (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic) to not only reach but win the US Open Final for the first time that year the Spanish whizzkid became the youngest man to secure the world No. 1 singles ranking, at 19 years, 4 months and 7 days old.
Sometimes in sport you just need to toss a fly in the ointment to mix things up a bit. Predictable narratives featuring the same cast eventually has that Groundhog day feel to it.
So in a year of firsts for Tyrone GAA (new rules, new county manager) it’s refreshing to see a new team take its place in the final of the 2025 Senior Championship as Loughmacrory get set to tackle Trillick this Sunday afternoon at Healy Park.
St Teresa’s are only the fourth rookie side to make an appearance in the O’Neill Cup showpiece in the past fifty years and ominously for them those other three (Owen Roes ’75, Gortin ’85 and Killyclogher’ 99) each suffered defeat.
Can the Lough boys buck the trend against an emotionally charged Trillick chasing their tenth Senior crown overall and fourth in a decade?
A victory for the Reds would be hugely poignant of course, with the world of GAA left reeling at the death of their young manager Jody Gormley prior to Christmas last year. The squad deserve enormous credit for the manner in which they have regrouped to mount another assault on top honours in 2025.
Trillick boost a litany of players who have been there and done it with club and county, and history and tradition alone will ensure they carry the favourite’s mantle into Sunday’s showdown. Their impressive semi-final victory over last year’s Tyrone and Ulster champions Errigal Ciaran suggests they are coming to the boil just nicely.
Loughmacrory though won’t pull up at the County Ground in Omagh content to roll over and have their tummy tickled. They have invested too much into this season to let this occasion pass without making their mark.
Back to that man Alcaraz again. On the back of his crushing loss to current foe Jannik Sinner in this summer’s Wimbledon Final, Alcaraz was asked to write a message to himself on a skip of paper in the rematch in the US Open Final two months later.
The Spaniard scribbled: “Go for it. Don’t be afraid.” Handed the paper after his stunning performance to beat Sinner in the final in New York, securing a sixth Grand Slam title, Alcaraz smiled and said: “I think that’s something I did today”.
If Loughmacrory follow that mantra at Healy Park we should be in for a heck of a battle.