Errigal's talisman is no saviour

Tyrone SFC Final: Killyclogher 2-6 Errigal Ciaran 1-7 Killyclogher shocked Ulster champions Errigal Ciarán to win a first ever Tyrone senior football championship title at Omagh yesterday.

First-half goals by Leo Meenan and Dan McElroy set them up for a historic win, and even a substitute appearance by Peter Canavan couldn't rescue Errigal.

Killyclogher struck the first blow after just four minutes when Damien Meenan crossed for cousin Leo to punch to the net at the far post.

Eoin Gormley represented Errigal's only genuine scoring threat, hitting three points in the opening quarter, two of them from play. Errigal did have a great goal chance, but Mark O'Kane saved superbly from David Harte.

It was the Ulster champions, however, who looked much more suspect at the back, with the Meenans and Vinny Owens frequently stretching their opponents.

And when goalkeeper John Devine failed to collect cleanly from a Damien Meenan 45, towering midfielder Dan McElroy punched home a second goal in the 22nd minute.

They added points through Gary Martin and Leo Meenan, and suddenly Errigal looked in disarray. A Mark Harte free was their first score in 20 minutes, and at the break, Killyclogher led by 2-3 to 0-4.

Pascal Canavan had a punched goal disallowed for a square ball offence, but Errigal did pull a goal back through Peter Loughran in the 36th minute.

Damien McDermott and Harte narrowed the gap to a point, and when Harte converted a free 10 minutes from the end, the sides were level.

And at that stage most in the 8,000-strong Healy Park crowd expected the holders, with Peter Canavan now on board, to tighten their grip on the game, but with Dermot Carlin and Eoin Bradley performing heroics at the back, Killyclogher dug deep.

McElroy was a heroic figure at midfield, and Leo Meenan was always looking to create something on the breakaway.

And they produced the big finish, Ciaran Carland converting a free, before substitute Peter O'Kane hit the clincher in the final minute.

KILLYCLOGHER: M O'Kane, D Carlin, T McKenna, E Bradley, N Bradley, K Howe, S O'Kane, B Meenan, D McElroy (1-0), N McFadden, C Carland (0-1), D Meenan, L Meenan (1-3), V Owens, G Martin (0-1). Substitutes: P O'Kane (0-1) for McFadden, T McCann for Martin.

ERRIGAL CIARÁN: J Devine, B O'Donnell, C McGinley, D Neill, E McGinley, P Horisk, D Harte, Pascal Canavan, P Loughran (1-0), A McGinley, M Harte (0-3), A O'Donnell, R McCann, E Gormley (0-3), D McDermott (0-1). Substitutes: Peter Canavan for A McGinley, D Tierney for McCann

Referee: K Kelly (Kildress).