Gaelic Games

Errigal Ciaran edge Trillick to reclaim O’Neill Cup in Tyrone

2024 Tyrone Senior Football Final was a rematch of last year’s decider

Errigal Ciaran's Tiarnan Calhoun with Trillick's Liam Gray. Photograph: John McVitty/Inpho
Errigal Ciaran's Tiarnan Calhoun with Trillick's Liam Gray. Photograph: John McVitty/Inpho
Francis Mooney at Healy Park
Fri Oct 25 2024 - 21:30
Tyrone SFC Final: Errigal Ciaran 0-12 Trillick 1-8

Errigal Ciaran held on for a narrow victory and a second Tyrone Senior Football Championship title in three years as they got the better of holders Trillick in a griping decider at O’Neills Healy Park.

Ruairi Canavan led the way with six points as the men from Dunmoyle were reunited with the O’Neill Cup.

With the wind in their backs, Trillick made the early running, easing into a two-point lead through Lee Brennan and Mattie Donnelly, while their well-organised defence frustrated an Errigal side that took some time to settle into the contest.

The Canavan brothers got them going with a couple of scores, Darragh dispelling all doubts over a damaged shoulder that had threatened to keep him out of the game.

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Brennan regained the lead for the champions from a 45-metre free, but a long range effort from Peter Óg McCartan had the sides level at the end of the opening quarter.

Joe Oguz stamped his authority on the midfield battle, with Peter Harte also emerging as a key figure for an Errigal side growing into the game, and Ruairi Canavan’s cheeky dummy and classy finish regained the lead.

They looked suspect at the back at times, though Ryan Gray allowed too much space to pick off a point, but the Dunmoyle men were moving well up front, Ruairi Canavan and Ben McDonnell edging them two ahead.

Mattie Donnelly’s influence was growing, the Tyrone star driving Trillick forward and playing a central role in the scores that brought them level, finished by Lee Brennan.

But a trademark Darragh Canavan point sent Errigal in with a 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the interval, which was quickly cancelled out as Ryan Gray brought the sides level for the fifth time.

However, Errigal were gradually building themselves into a position of control, with Peter Harte, Oguz, Ben McDonnell and Niall Kelly leading waves of attack.

Trillick were putting out fires, struggling to contain an opponent attacking from all angles, and a run of four points on the spin, two of them from Ruairi Canavan, opened out a four-point lead by the 40th minute.

Assured in defence as well, they forced a string of turnovers as the holders looked increasingly vulnerable.

But the game took another twist at the beginning of the final quarter. After Mattie Donnelly had pulled back an inspirational point, Stevie O’Donnell sent Ciaran Daly in for an angled finish to the net, and the sides were level.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, Ruairi Canavan regained the lead for the challengers, and their defensive discipline and game management saw them through, with the help of vital turnovers from Eoin Kelly and Joe Oguz.

ERRIGAL CIARAN: D McAnenly; Cormac Quinn, A McCrory, Ciaran Quinn; T Colhoun, N Kelly, P Óg McCartan (0-1); B McDonnell (0-1), J Oguz; C McGinley, P Harte (0-1, f), P McGirr; D Canavan (0-2), O Robinson (0-1), R Canavan (0-6, 3f).

Subs: T Canavan for McGinley (39 mins), M Kavanagh for Colhoun (HT), E Kelly for McCartan (55), P Traynor for McGirr (57).

TRILLICK: J Maguire; Stevie O’Donnell, P McCaughey, D Gallagher; C Garrity, R Brennan, Seanie O’Donnell; R Donnelly, L Gray; C Daly (1-0), M Donnelly (0-2), R Gray (0-2); D Donnelly, L Brennan (0-3, 3f), J Garrity (0-1).

Subs: M Gallagher for R Gray (46 mins), D Tunney for Stevie O’Donnell (59).

Referee: S Hurson (Galbally).