BY ALAN RODGERS

A CHANCE to maintain the momentum of their Tyrone title success now beckons for a Dromore side that will widen their horizons this weekend with an important challenge in the Ulster Club Championship against Derrygonnelly.

It’s only three weeks since Dromore captured the O’Neill Cup courtesy of a famous win over Coalisland at Healy Park. Now that the celebrations at those triumphs have eased, the sides is setting their sights on the provincial stage.

For the St Dympna’s, it’s an opportunity to improve on Tyrone’s poor record at senior level as they face the Fermanagh champions in Carrickmore on Saturday.

It has been six years since Omagh St Enda’s became the last team from the county to reach the Ulster Club decider, but Dromore will be forewarned by the experience of Derrygonnelly, who defeated Trillick in the 2019 Ulster Club.

Their goalkeeper, Mark McGale, was among the stars of their Tyrone campaign. The good break since the county final has allowed them the opportunity to regroup for this latest challenge and hope to repeat the strengths which saw them capture that fourth O’Neill Cup title last month.

“Dromore should be at the top table and thankfully that is where we are now after the Tyrone win,” he said.

“I hadn’t remembered much about the championship finals in 2007, 2008 and 2011, so it was great to get to experience that level of success again.

“We have been playing reasonably well in patches in the league and, of course, in the championship we had four or five really fought games from the preliminary round onwards. The lads achieved that success and hopefully we can now move on and build on that in the Ulster Club.

“Every game takes a different avenue and we just had to find ways to get past all the top teams in Tyrone. It’s mighty to be playing with your own club in the best county final in front of a big crowd.”

But the St Dympna’s are still awaiting their first-ever victory on the provincial stage, and will be under no illusions about the task facing them against a Derrygonnelly side which has dominated the Fermanagh Championship in recent years.

Nevertheless, Dromore are, of course, no strangers to the Ulster Club having experienced the provincial stage previously in 2007, 2009 and 2011. The taste of action again at this level is one that they’re sure to relish, after playing the likes of Mayobridge and Ballinderry in the past.

Their manager, Colm McCullagh, is one important link back to those days, but they have a number of players, too, who were on board a decade ago. Back then fatigue took its toll against Ballinderry as they lost out by 1-11 to 0-12.

Among the players on board that day who are still leading the way for them are Conor O’Hara, Niall Sludden and Ronan McNabb.

BUILDING BLOCKS…Dromore goalkeeper Mark McGale is hoping the Tyrone win can push them onto bigger and better things