Glory Loughmacrory as Donaghy seals first Tyrone title

Loughmacrory St Teresa's 0-18 Trillick St Macartan's 2-11

Loughmacrory are the new high kings of Tyrone football after winning their first senior championship title in a tumultuous decider.

The Lough had never even contested a semi-final prior to this season, and while they have been building towards a breakthrough for a number of years, this was a stunning success for one of the county’s smaller clubs.

Trillick, going for a second title in three years, drew level late on, but Gareth Donaghy’s glorious winner capped a historic day for the first-timers, who never lost sight of the game plan, despite suffering a couple of serious setbacks in the game, when Ciaran Daly got in for a couple of goals.

Cathal Donaghy was a towering figure at midfield for St Teresa’s, while Tyrone U20 All-Ireland winning stars Eoin McElholm and Ruairi Mc Cullagh were attacking sensations.

Trillick threw themselves into attack straight from the outset, picking off three early scores through Charlie Donnelly, Lee Brennan, from a ’45, and Simon Garrity.

It looked as if Loughmacrory were suffering from nerves until they burst into action and went four clear by the end of the opening quarter.

Eoin McElholm was at the heart of it all, his movement and vision carving holes in the Reds’ defence, sending Ruairi McCullagh through for their opening score.

McElholm added a tidy score, before Cathaoir Gallagher gave them the lead with a two-pointer from close to the sideline.

Pressing the Trillick kick-out, and winning clean and broken possession in the middle third, they maintained the pressure, with McCullagh and Cathaoir Gallagher also on target.

McElholm smashed a fiercely struck shot against the crossbar, before edging his side into a 0-07 to 0-04 interval lead.

But Trillick got themselves back level with a Ciaran Daly goal in the 19th minute, finished from close range after Lee Brennan's effort had dropped short.

Loughmacrory recovered, for McCullagh, McElholm (a two-pointer) and Aodhan Donaghy to hit the target for a 0-12 to 1-06 interval lead.

Midfielder Cathal Donaghy led the Lough charge early in the second half with three quickfire points, but Daly cut through to collect a Mattie Donelly pass and rifle his second goal into the bottom corner of Oisin O’Kane’s net in the 33rd minute.

Mattie Donnelly led by example as St Macartan’s dug in to get themselves back in a winning position, sending over a point, while his brother Richie came off the bench to add further experience.

Seanie O’Donnell ran strongly at the Loughmacrory defence, but Nathan Kelly and Arnoldas Macidulskas stood firm, while Ronan Fox was a rock at back.

Richie Donnelly punched over a point, and a breach gave Lee Brennan an opportunity to equaliser from a 55th minute free.

But as both sides went in search of a winner, it was McElholm who cut through the Reds’ defence to send Gareth Donaghy away for the decisive score in the 60th minute.

Loughmacrory: O O’Kane; D Curran, N Kelly, A Macidulskas; S Dobbs, R Fox, S Conway; A Donaghy, C Donaghy (0-05 (1tp); G Donaghy (0-01), E McElholm (0-4, 1tp), C Gallager (0-1); P Meenagh, R McCullagh (0-6, 3f), M McNamee.

Subs: R Grimley for Meenagh (61)

Trillick: J Maguire; D Gallagher, P McCaughey, Stephen O’Donnell; C Garrity, R Brennan (0-01), M Gallagher; L Gray (0-01), C Daly (2-00); Seanie O’Donnell, M Donnelly (0-01), C Donnelly (0-01); J Garrity, L Brennan (0-05, 3f, 1 ’45), S Garrity (0-01).

Subs: D Tunney for Stephen O’Donnell (39), R Donnelly (0-01) for C Donnelly (43), L Corry for S Garrity (48)

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