He’s done it all at the highest level, but All-Ireland winner and former Allstar Brian Kennedy admits that finding a way out of the second tier of Tyrone club football has been one of the most difficult challenges of his career.
Derrylaughan reclaimed senior status with an emotional Tyrone Intermediate Championship final triumph, a reset for the club and a new beginning for a passionate lough shore community.
Kennedy was the leader, the captain and the architect of a 1-10 to 0-11 victory over Moy, guiding the Barry’s back to the top level after two seasons in Division Two.
“Division Two is not easy got out of. You think you’re there or thereabouts, and then you get nipped,” he said.
“There’s five of six teams that are all within a kick of a ball.
“We knew that finals go down to the wee rub of the green, and we’re just delighted to get it.”
The last of Derrylaughan’s two senior championship successes dates back to 1981, and for a club not accustomed to frequent success, this latest breakthrough means everything
“It’s unbelievable, and the scenes show what it means to the club.”
An IFC title in 2010 was the last taste of glory, and in the meantime, there have been many disappointments, including defeat to Moy in the 2017 final.
“It’s been a long 14 years since we have had some sort of a championship banner, and the scenes make it all worthwhile, and we’re back up to senior football.
“We’re just happy to come out the right side of the result. The Moy did us in 2017, and the hurt was there. They went on to win the All-Ireland.
“So it was in the back of the heads, definitely, and it was good to get a bit of redemption.”
The Derrylaughan skipper was one of three former Allstar midfielders contesting control of the crucial middle third, challenged by Moy’s Cavanagh brothers, Colm and 41-year-old Sean.
It was Kennedy who pinged the inch-perfect pass for the only goal of Saturday’s decider, netted superbly by Tomas Carney after just 10 minutes, a score that proved decisive in the end.
“We got the goal at the right time too, but then we took the foot off the gas and Moy came back at us, we knew the Moy were going to be there or thereabouts.
“It was never going to be a blow-out of a game,” said Kennedy, who paid tribute to the men at the back who performed heroics in thwarting a dangerous Moy attacking unit.
“The defence, full credit to them, they’re unbelievable.”
Now a fresh adventure awaits in the Ulster Club Championship, and a preliminary round meeting with Termon of Donegal at O’Neills Healy Park on Saturday week.
“It’s new territory now. We’ll have a look at it over the next couple of days, regroup and go again, but we’ll enjoy this one for a few days.
“There’s a lot of quality teams in Intermediate football in Ulster. We saw Cullyhanna last year, they’re a very strong side, but we’ll go again and see where it takes us.”
