Trillick may have had to exercise a little extra patience in their bid to retain the Tyrone Senior Football Championship title following last week’s postponement due to Storm Ashley, but the waiting game will end for them on Friday night when they meet Errigal Ciaran in the decider at Healy Park, Omagh (7.30pm).
It was in a titanic decider last year that Trillick claimed the title and now manager Jody Gormley is hopeful that his side can retain the silverware.
But there is no doubt that Errigal Ciaran will carry a raging hunger into this contest.
They may still have a doubt over the availability of Darragh Canavan because of a troublesome injury but such is the spirit and hunger within the side that they are capable of rising to the occasion.
Ruairi Canavan, Peter Harte and Joe Oguz, meanwhile, are three pillars of the Errigal Ciaran side who are well versed in Championship fare and if Harte in particular can replicate the form he has been showing of late, he could wield a big influence.
Yet while Trillick have lived in the shadows for a spell, their desire to join the big guns has manifested itself over recent years.
In the Donnelly brothers Ruairi and Mattie and the Brennan siblings Rory and Lee, along with Sean O’Donnell, Trillick boost a quintet of players who are capable of underpinning the team’s thirst for glory.
When they came out on top last year, manager Gormley quite rightly hailed his team as “special” and he would certainly welcome the opportunity to have to do this again. But for now his feet remain planted firmly on the ground.
“We hit the high spots last year and now the challenge is to deliver again. That will not be easy given that Errigal Ciaran will be very keen to come up trumps. We know what to expect and we are very keen to deliver,” insists Gormley.
Errigal Ciaran have looked impressive but could find Trillick’s close marking and ability to launch counter-attacks rather too much.
The possible absence of Darragh Canavan would be a big blow to Errigal Ciaran given that he has been in superb form of late in cementing his reputation as one of the best forwards on the island.
Errigal Ciaran will need to sustain their momentum for the entire game otherwise Trillick’s tenacity and staying power could well take them to another helping of success.