Jody Gormley believes his Trillick team is coming to the boil at just the right time to hit peak form in Sunday’s Connollys of Moy Tyrone SFC final.
Campions Errigal Ciaran have been unshakeable and at times ruthless in their march to another decider, but the Reds boss is confident the men from Donnelly Park are ready to face down the star-studded holders and find a new home for the O’Neill Cup.
“We saw what they have done, they have walked through the championship up until this point, they steamrolled Ardboe,” said Gormley.
“They’re a formidable outfit, but I think we’re a formidable outfit too.
“We haven’t had it easy and we have battled through, we’re progressing nicely and you can see boys are just bubbling up at the right time.
“I think that’s what it’s about, and I think Errigal will probably feel the same, and we’ll expect a good game of football.
Read more:
Trillick finish strong to move within an hour of completing the four-year cycle
Careful planning and meticulous preparation have taken Trillick to a third appearance in the final in five years.
All the heavy lifting and serious graft were withheld until the latter half of a long season, and despite a number of setbacks, including the loss of Tyrone star Mattie Donnelly to a season-ending injury, the project remains on schedule.
“Like every other team in Tyrone, you focus on the Championship at the start of the year.
“When we set out at the start of the year, we said we wanted to have the boys in good shape come this time of the year.
“We didn’t do that much until the break in the League, and then we focused on getting the boys sharp for the second half of the League and for the Championship, and so far so good.”
But they came precariously close to a shock first round exit, when they were taken to extra-time by Loughmacrory, eventually scraping through in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, thanks to a couple of Joe Maguire saves.
“It was a very good Loughmacrory team, well organised with great shape, and they pushed us all the way,” said the Trillick manager.
“There’s no doubt about it, when it comes down to penalties, it was a battle of nerves, but you also need that bit of good luck.
“I felt our goalkeeper Joe Maguire did a great job, and we were happy just to get through that one.”
Gormley, who gave many years of service to Trillick and Tyrone as a player, has been at pains to maintain the high standards in which the club has prided itself through the generations.
“There are high standards and a high level of expectation within the group, and I think you can see that when they go out to play.”
After a number of years residing elsewhere, Gormley is back in his home town, re-engaging with the clug as a member of laset year’s backroom team.
The former Antrim boss took over the management reins this season, bringing in Fermanagh legend Peter McGinnity as his assistant.
“I was away for a while, and it’s good to be back in Trillick. A lot of the boys, I would have played with their fathers and their uncles, and I suppose I played with a few of the older boys, the likes of Damian Kelly and Niall Donnelly.
“It’s good to be back and it’s good to get to a final, but this is their third final in five years, so this is what this group of capable of, this is the level that they operate at.
“This is where the level of expectation would be in Trillick, contesting finals.
“We won the League last year, we’re in the Championship final this year, we’re in the semi-final of the League this year, so this is the level that’s expected.”