Errigal Ciaran manager, Enda McGinley had reason to be grateful for the late intervention of half back Peter Og McCartan at Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge. McCartan’s well executed score in the final minute of injury time saved his side from defeat to Killarney’s Dr Crokes.
Pat O’Shea’s side looked destined for the All-Ireland final for the first time since 2019 and to deny Errigal a first ever appearance in a senior club decider after Micheal Burns kicked what seemed the winning score before McCartan sent the match to extra-time.
“Yeah, obviously he got a famous one at the end of the Ulster final so I was delighted he took it on,” said McGinley, referring to McCartan’s spectacular late winner against Kilcoo in the Ulster final five weeks earlier.
“I thought we had made poor enough work of two or three attacking opportunities before that, but again you are going to make mistakes and it has to be next ball, next ball, have faith in yourself and keep faith it is going to come good. Thankfully the boys done it, got to extra-time and we pushed on from there.”
McGinley described the performances of the two Canavan brothers, Ruairi and Darragh, as “magnificent” – they scored 1-13 between them of the team’s total of 2-18. But he stressed the strength of the team which has won no match comfortably with the exception of the Ulster victory over Cargin since they started out in the Tyrone championship.
The Canavans were a cut above all others on the field with some dazzling football and finishing, Darragh hitting 1-6 and Ruairi 0-7.
“They were looking really sharp in training and you were really hoping that they were going to cut loose because they are especially talented lads,” said McGinley. “They are just driven, they are hungry for the team, they just want to work hard for the team. There have been other days where they have been quiet and other boys have stood up – not so much they have been quiet but they have been more curtailed.
“We’ll face a different challenge the next day, probably because of today it is going to be harder for them to do that because they (Cuala) are going to put in more effort to stop them. Then the wheel will turn and we’ll see who can stand up.”
Errigal, also the first Tyrone team to reach an All-Ireland final, will meet Cuala in Croke Park on Sunday next.
“Getting there is a huge achievement that we’ll take huge pride in, so I would take exception to that it means nothing unless you win it,” McGinley said.