Tommy Canavan has played in four Tyrone championship finals, revelling in the joy of triumph, but also struggling with the despair of defeat.
Trilick were crowned champions of Tyrone in 2019 on one of those dark days for the Errigal Ciaran skipper, a rueful memory that brings him to this weekend’s decider with a score to settle.
Holders Errigal have been sure-footed in their march to another final, only the second to feature these two clubs.
“I have been around a wee while now, and this is my fifth final I’m going into,” said 31-year-old Canavan.
“There’s Peter Harte, Aidan McCrory, Ciaran Quinn, myself and a couple of others who have played in four of them. That brings good experience to the group, which is always valuable.
“We know that every game is different, every final has been different, but you have to make the most of those opportunities when you get them.
Read more:
Trillick's Rory Brennan aims to exorcise Tyrone SFC demons against Errigal Ciaran
Errigal Ciaran see off battling Carrickmore to win Tyrone Championship crown
“They don’t come easy in Tyrone club championship football, so we want to make the most of this one as well.”
Canavan’s cousins, Darragh and Ruairi, are the attacking gems that make the Errigal front line sparkle.
Either or both could emerge as match-winners at O’Neills Healy Park on Sunday, but it won’t happen without the resilience, industry and creativity of 13 others, according to the team captain.
“Thankfully Darragh and Ruairi have got a bit of a run at it over the past year or two, they’re playing well.
“But I suppose all that nice football comes off the back of a lot of hard work, not just by Darragh and Ruairi, but by the team right across the board and the panel of 40 players pushing those boys hard at training every night.
“It’s a full team effort, not just the two boys.”
Centre-forward Canavan insists that the O’Neill Cup holders are not feeling pressurised by the fact that no reigning Tyrone champion has managed to retain the title in the past 18 years.
“That’s not something that we can control, it’s not something we have talked about.
“We can only focus on what’s in front of us, and that’s our next training session and our next game, our next performance.
“And whatever comes off the back of that, whatever happens happens. All we can do is focus on what we can do, and that’s what we’ll do.”
Opponents Trillick are into their third final in five years, battle-hardened following a series of tight games which tested their mettle and brought out their famous battling spirit.
“Trillick is going to be a massive test, they have come through a really tough battle.
“Unlike ourselves in the semi-final, they came through a strong Dungannon side, who put them to the pin of their collar, so they’re well tested and ready for the next battle that they’re going into.
“So we’ll have to be on top of our game to match and beat that.”
And while Errigal have confidently swept aside every opponent on their way to the decider, Canavan feels that they have had to prove their character along the way.
“It was probably been more comfortable than we expected, but I think we have been tested in different ways throughout the three games so far.
“We can just focus on wat we can control, on our own standards and work towards those.
“So it was very pleasing that we got the job done in the first three games so far, and we’ll prepare as best we can for the final.”
