NIALL MORGAN STEPPED up to make himself a hero with a sweet orange-flag winner and a first ever Tyrone SFC triumph for Edendork.
A gripping replay went right down to the wire at O’Neills Healy Park, with Morgan’s former Tyrone team-mate Peter Harte edging Errigal Ciarán ahead in the 62nd minute.
But they were unable to hold on for a third title in five years, and the St Malachy’s goalkeeper held his nerve to strike sweetly from a 45 metre free with vitually the last kick of the game.
Niall Morgan seals Edendork’s first ever Tyrone SFC title in their history 🏆
Morgan with a two-point free at the death to beat Errigal Ciarán, absolute scenes on Tyrone GAA TV 📺 #GAA https://t.co/M4BhZDReIh
The tears of joy flowed in an emotional release on the greatest day in the club’s 94-year history.
For the second successive year, the O’Neill Cup has been claimed by a first-time finalists, a reminder of the fiercely competitive nature of a championship that’s been won by 10 different clubs in the last 20 years.
Now Edendork are about to break new ground as Tyrone’s representatives in the Ulster Club Championship, taking their bow in next Saturday’s first round meeting with Down champions Clonduff.
Errigal started strongly with scores from Odhran Robinson and Shea McDermott, but McCurry was on song in the Edendork attack, and he proved too hot to handle for his Tyrone team-mate Cormac Quinn, firing over four points from play.
However, it was Errigal who reached the end of the opening quarter with a slender 0-5 to 0-4 lead, Peter Harte and McDermott on target.
They went four clear with a 20th-minute Padraig McGirr goal. McCartan swapped passes with Harte before sending McGirr in to slide the ball low past Niall Morgan.
McDermott missed a chance to stretch the gap to six as a two-point free tailed just wide, and Edendork took full advantage, finishing the half with a flourish, and 1-3 without reply.
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Fiachra Nelis intercepted a shot Errigal kick-out to release Luke Ferguson, who was fouled by ‘keeper Darragh McAnenly, and McCurry stepped up to slot the penalty to the bottom corner of the net.
They went in with a 1-8 to 1-6 interval lead, but Harte was the driving force Errigal needed to get them back on terms, and another brace of scores from the former Tyrone stars had his side level.
The St Malachy’s had their own inspirational figure in centre back Ben Cullen, who powered through to send over two crucial scores, sending them into the final quarter ahead by 1-10 to 1-8.
Ruairi Canavan came off the bench to add a spark to the Errigal attack, hitting a couple of scores to set the game on a knife-edge, and it was Harte who brought them level, before hitting the 62nd-minute lead point.
Edendork refused to accept it was gone, and when Con Kilpatrick was fouled on the 45 metre line, Morgan stepped up to send the free sailing between the posts with virtually the last kick of the game.
Edendork scorers: D McCurry 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), N Morgan 0-3 (1tpf, 1 ’45), B Cullen 0-2, P McLernon, J McLernon, C Bell 0-1 each.
Errigal Ciarán scorers: P McGirr 1-0, P Harte 0-5, S McDermott 0-4 (3f), R Canavan 0-2, P Og McCartan, O Robinson 0-1 each.
Edendork: N Morgan; D Maneely, F Devlin, N Kilpatrick; F Nelis, B Cullen, C Bell; C Kilpatrick, L Ferguson; P McLernon, C Mallon, J Ferguson; D McCurry, H Og Conlan, J McLernon.
Subs: J Fearon for L Ferguson (33), S Corr for F Nelis (51).
Errigal Ciarán: D McAnenly; C Quinn; A McCrory, R O’Sullivan; T Colhoun, N Kelly, P Og McCartan; B McDonnell, P McGirr; P Traynor, P Harte, A Quinn; S McDermott, O Robinson, J Oguz.
Subs: R Canavan for Traynor (36), M Mullin for McCartan (40), E Kelly for McGirr (42), C McGinley for O’Sullivan (54), T Canavan for Oguz (57).
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Niall Morgan kicks two-point winner as Edendork claim first-ever Tyrone SFC title
Edendork 1-14
Errigal Ciarán 1-13
NIALL MORGAN STEPPED up to make himself a hero with a sweet orange-flag winner and a first ever Tyrone SFC triumph for Edendork.
A gripping replay went right down to the wire at O’Neills Healy Park, with Morgan’s former Tyrone team-mate Peter Harte edging Errigal Ciarán ahead in the 62nd minute.
But they were unable to hold on for a third title in five years, and the St Malachy’s goalkeeper held his nerve to strike sweetly from a 45 metre free with vitually the last kick of the game.
The tears of joy flowed in an emotional release on the greatest day in the club’s 94-year history.
For the second successive year, the O’Neill Cup has been claimed by a first-time finalists, a reminder of the fiercely competitive nature of a championship that’s been won by 10 different clubs in the last 20 years.
Now Edendork are about to break new ground as Tyrone’s representatives in the Ulster Club Championship, taking their bow in next Saturday’s first round meeting with Down champions Clonduff.
Errigal started strongly with scores from Odhran Robinson and Shea McDermott, but McCurry was on song in the Edendork attack, and he proved too hot to handle for his Tyrone team-mate Cormac Quinn, firing over four points from play.
However, it was Errigal who reached the end of the opening quarter with a slender 0-5 to 0-4 lead, Peter Harte and McDermott on target.
They went four clear with a 20th-minute Padraig McGirr goal. McCartan swapped passes with Harte before sending McGirr in to slide the ball low past Niall Morgan.
McDermott missed a chance to stretch the gap to six as a two-point free tailed just wide, and Edendork took full advantage, finishing the half with a flourish, and 1-3 without reply.
Fiachra Nelis intercepted a shot Errigal kick-out to release Luke Ferguson, who was fouled by ‘keeper Darragh McAnenly, and McCurry stepped up to slot the penalty to the bottom corner of the net.
They went in with a 1-8 to 1-6 interval lead, but Harte was the driving force Errigal needed to get them back on terms, and another brace of scores from the former Tyrone stars had his side level.
The St Malachy’s had their own inspirational figure in centre back Ben Cullen, who powered through to send over two crucial scores, sending them into the final quarter ahead by 1-10 to 1-8.
Ruairi Canavan came off the bench to add a spark to the Errigal attack, hitting a couple of scores to set the game on a knife-edge, and it was Harte who brought them level, before hitting the 62nd-minute lead point.
Edendork refused to accept it was gone, and when Con Kilpatrick was fouled on the 45 metre line, Morgan stepped up to send the free sailing between the posts with virtually the last kick of the game.
Edendork scorers: D McCurry 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), N Morgan 0-3 (1tpf, 1 ’45), B Cullen 0-2, P McLernon, J McLernon, C Bell 0-1 each.
Errigal Ciarán scorers: P McGirr 1-0, P Harte 0-5, S McDermott 0-4 (3f), R Canavan 0-2, P Og McCartan, O Robinson 0-1 each.
Edendork: N Morgan; D Maneely, F Devlin, N Kilpatrick; F Nelis, B Cullen, C Bell; C Kilpatrick, L Ferguson; P McLernon, C Mallon, J Ferguson; D McCurry, H Og Conlan, J McLernon.
Subs: J Fearon for L Ferguson (33), S Corr for F Nelis (51).
Errigal Ciarán: D McAnenly; C Quinn; A McCrory, R O’Sullivan; T Colhoun, N Kelly, P Og McCartan; B McDonnell, P McGirr; P Traynor, P Harte, A Quinn; S McDermott, O Robinson, J Oguz.
Subs: R Canavan for Traynor (36), M Mullin for McCartan (40), E Kelly for McGirr (42), C McGinley for O’Sullivan (54), T Canavan for Oguz (57).
Referee: C Forbes (Ardboe).
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