Tattyreagh’s remarkable rise from Junior to Senior in the space of a year has won the hearts of GAA followers throughout Tyrone and beyond.
Division One football will be played at Pairc Ui Dhorchai for the first time ever in 2019, when one of the smallest clubs in the county will mix it with giants of the game such as Coalisland, Killyclogher, Errigal Ciaran, Omagh and Dromore.
The dream became a reality as they clinched back to back championship titles at Healy Park on Sunday, winning the LCC Tyrone IFC title, just 12 months after being crowned JFC champions.
“It’s unreal. I never saw an effort from a bunch of lads like it in my life,” said manager Stephen McHugh.
His side’s 2-12 to 2-9 win over Augher in the decider wrote the final chapter in a fairy-tale that started this time last year when the club won its first championship title.
A group of talented and driven players took Division Two by storm, and carried league form into the championship, turning in a series of heroic displays to triumph on county final day.
“Did I think they would win? Honestly I did. I was confident, the way we were playing,” said McHugh.
“It was a physical encounter and we rose above it and came out as Intermediate champions a year after being Junior champions. We’re now in Division One from Division Three inside a year – fantastic.”
Augher led at half-time after bagging two goals in the space of two minutes, but a brilliant James Darcy goal turnd the game in Tattyreagh’s favour late on, and they closed the game out like experienced campaigners.
“In the second half, it was a real battle, it was a wee bit nip and tuck, they came back into it again and were a bit of a threat.
“But our composure in the last stages again was absolutely exceptional.
“Our boys wanted it, it was fantastic, and I couldn’t be happier.”
McHugh has watched his side come from behind to win every championship game this summer, and Sunday’s title decider was no different.
“It was a complete and absolute battle. Every championship game is a battle, and Division Two is really tough.”
Darcys’ 55th minute goal was a classic score worthy of winning any game, and will live long in the memory of Tattyreagh supporters.
“It was fantastic move, and he took it extremely well. Just before that we had another good chance and we squandered it, and then we had another three on one and we squandered it,” said McHugh.
“We took a four points lead in the first three or four minutes of the game, and we never scored until about 23 minutes after that.
“Augher applied a lot of pressure, quick free kicks, got two goals, two crucial goals for them. We were sleeping and we weren’t marking our men, we weren’t tight on them.
“So at half-time we sorted it out, and in the second half I thought we were a far better team.”
