2024 Ulster Club SFC final: Errigal Ciaran (Tyrone) 1-8 Kilcoo (Down) 0-10
A SON of Peter becoming the Errigal Ciaran hero was no surprise - but the twist in this tale was Peter Og McCartan grabbing the headlines rather than Darragh or Ruairi Canavan.
His manager Enda McGinley knew he could count on his wing-back to deliver the knockout punch to Kilcoo, though, aware of his fighting spirit:
“In terms of Ogie stepping up to get the winner, it was brilliant to see, because he is a phenomenal lad.
“He’s a special, special character, I’m delighted it was his day. He’s a fighter by trade, he has been a champion boxer in his time, and he plays the game in that spirit, with that raw energy. He’s one of a brilliant cast.”
Indeed, although Kilcoo restricted the Canavan brothers to just a single point between them, late in the first half by captain Darragh, Errigal had other players who could – and did contribute:
“We know we have plenty of threats all over the pitch but those boys sometimes live in the Canavans’ shadows.
“The Canavans don’t want the limelight, none of our players too, but they all know that if they come into the position they back themselves to be brave and take a shot.
“The more attention the Canavans get, there is space around them. ‘Rio’ Quinn got a point too.”
Matchwinner McCartan was typically understated when called ‘the hero of the day’, downplaying his winning score:
“I dunno about that - right place at the right time, took the shot and it went over. It means everything.”
In truth, it was a fabulous finish, and he’d scored Errigal’s sixth point and won the free from which they scored their seventh, although he admitted that scoring is not his forte:
“I think that’s the first two! No, I’ve a couple, but they’re the best two. I’ll remember them for a long time.”
The energy required to get over the line, past a dogged, defiant 14-man Kilcoo, was provided from the stands, he said:
“The supporters have been behind us the whole way. They keep driving us on, coming to every game, flags everywhere, it’s great to see.
“We could hear them on the pitch and it drove us on. It’s massive coming down to the last couple of minutes when the supporters are still going like that, it’s class.”
One point down late on against Kilcoo, Errigal had to brave, and McCartan personified that attitude, although their opponents made them fight all the way:
“Kilcoo still kept coming at us. I was thinking ‘Are these boys going to go away here?’ We just kept plugging away and thankfully got over the line.
“It’s unbelievable. It’ll be a good Christmas now. You’re training in December and it’s for an All-Ireland semi-final, which is unreal - some teams will be starting their pre-season. It’ll be some feeling.
“There’s always pressure on Errigal teams, obviously, because of that history. The fact that we’ve written our own history now means everything to us.”
The icing on this Ulster cake is an All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry and Munster champs Dr Croke’s of Killarney – but after from the celebrations, there’s bread and butter to deal with first, in the form of a Tyrone League semi-final coming against old rivals Carrickmore.
Yet this is a sweet, sweet victory, acknowledged McGinley: “I’m sure you could cook the turkey any which way this year and it’ll still go down pretty well.
“An Ulster club medal, particularly in our club, will be something those boys remember. I was chatting to Danny Ball, who managed them in ‘93 and he was saying he bumped into Eamon Kavanagh and they couldn’t believe it was 31 years. It feels like yesterday.
“Days like this, you remember for the rest of your life…”
So Dr Croke’s can wait, McGinley insisted: “I haven’t started to plan for that – we have a duty to enjoy this fully, with the supporters, as a whole club. County success is strange, but when a club wins, everyone wins it together.
“What a privileged position to be in, but the first thing is the duty to go and celebrate – and we’ll take care of that bit first.”
