By Alan Rodgers
BARRY Tierney knows Omagh St Enda’s are in thelast chance saloon as they bid to preserve their Division One status — but he insists they will approach their Championship opener against Moortown with a positive mindset.
The Healy Park-based side finished bottom of Division One after a disappointing league campaign, leaving them with their Championship campaign as their final opportunity to avoid intermediate football for the first time in half a century.
And experienced defender Tierney believes Omagh have reasons for optimism after ending the league season with improved form, including a win over Edendork in their round 15 fixture.
“We are approaching this match as positively as we can,” said Tierney of Saturday’s Senior Championship first-round clash against Moortown at Pomeroy.
“People probably think that this is an easy draw for whoever is playing ourselves considering where we finished on the table. But the players ourselves have to put in a big effort and approach this game in the same way as any other.
“It’s just one of those things to have finished bottom. We got to the end of the season, saw where we were and decided to push on.
“A lot of players have got good gametime, others have improved and there’s young lads who have come into the team as well.
“That experience of playing senior football is definitely going to help them as well.”
Omagh’s first-round opponents Moortown have also endured a difficult league campaign, with their Division One status for 2027 still to be decided.
The St Malachy’s face Edendork in a relegation play-off after the Championship, meaning this weekend’s clash with Omagh represents another opportunity for both sides to make an impact.
Tierney is well aware of the threat posed by a Moortown side who have had the better of Omagh in the league in recent meetings.
“They have got the better of us in the league a few times and we definitely know how good they are,” he added.
“We know that there’s work to be done if we want to get through to the next round. Moortown have been performing well and getting good results.
“Even when they have been beaten, it hasn’t been by much and they are a difficult team to play against.
“There’s a different intensity to the Championship and we’re looking forward to it this year.
“You just have to compete, do your best and do yourself and your team proud.
“We’re in the last chance saloon now to stay in Division One and that’s the target.”
Omagh’s predicament means there is little room for error, but Championship football also offers them the chance to put a disappointing league campaign behind them.
The St Enda’s will be hoping they can produce the kind of run that has been achieved before at lower levels, with Killyman most recently recording an unlikely Paddy Cullen Cup triumph to avoid relegation to Division Three and secure their place in senior ranks. For now though, the immediate priority is Moortown.
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