Harte: Tough tests stood to Errigal

By Niall Gartland

ERRIGAL Ciaran are back at the summit of Tyrone Club Football for the second time in three years following last Friday night’s victory over a gallant Trillick side.

It was a superb performance from Enda McGinley and Stevie Quinn’s team – and a significant slice of redemption having lost out to Trillick in two previous deciders (2019 and 2023).

There were hearty scenes of celebration in Ballygawley as the O’Neill Cup was paraded through the village, but at this stage their focus has switched to Saturday night’s Ulster Senior Championship preliminary round encounter against Donegal representatives St Eunan’s.

Errigal have landed the Ulster title twice in their illustrious history – 1993 and 2002 – and how they’d love to add to their tally, but St Eunan’s are a strong side in their own right so they can’t afford to look beyond this Saturday night at O’Neill’s Healy Park.

Speaking in the aftermath of last weekend’s victory over Trillick, Errigal mainstay Peter Harte described his elation at picking up his third county medal.

“I think three points was our biggest margin of victory over the course of our five games.

“It just shows that anybody can beat you, there’s a kick of the ball between most teams in Tyrone and that’s why we love this format and championship, and it’s class to represent your club.

“You saw Trillick and Errigal players giving it their all to try and get over the line, and thank God it was us who prevailed by the minimum.”

Errigal were right at the peak of their powers in an enthralling county final showdown that went right down to the wire. It was never going to be any other way and Harte emphasised the efforts of both sets of players.

“Both clubs and teams are very similar, they’re full of boys who love playing football and love representing their club, and there’s no greater stage to do it on.

“You can see how much it means to people on both sides, there’s heartache and there’s joy and it’s unbelievable to be a part of – these are the days of your life that you live for.”

Errigal Ciaran were thoroughly road-tested en route to the final, needing a replay to see off Clonoe at the quarter-final juncture before edging out Killyclogher by a single point in the last four. Harte acknowledged that those games stood to them at the final furlong.

“It probably does you no harm – we had very tight games, and it’s not that you’re ever comfortable, but you’re used to being in tough positions and trying to battle your way through them.

“Sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it doesn’t, but thank God this year it went for us and we managed to get over the line.”