A casualty list on the scale that Errigal Ciaran have suffered would derail the Championship challenge of most clubs, but few are blessed with the depth of quality that exists at Dunmoyle.
Able replacements have come in and done a job as last year’s beaten Tyrone SFC finalists put a series of setbacks behind them to battle their way to this weekend’s semi-final against Dungannon.
A last-gasp winner last weekend came from one of those players who have demonstrated the fact that misfortune for some means opportunity for others.
Midfielder Eoin Kelly was the man of the moment, shooting the precious stoppage-time point that gave his side a dramatic victory over Dromore.
“It’s a squad game. Unfortunately boys do pick up knocks or injuries, but it gives opportunities for boys coming in and taking those chances,” he said.
“Big Joe Oguz, he picked up a knock, and probably only for that I wouldn’t have got my chance. But when the chance comes, you have to take it.
“It’s unfortunate for those boys, but they still have as much a part to play in the whole thing as anyone out on the pitch does.”
During the course of an intense contest, Kelly had shown no appetite for marksmanship or offered a hint of the classy finish that was to come, preferring to lay ball off or send searching deliveries to the inside attacking line.
“At that stage of the game, we weren’t going to have any more chances, and when the opportunity came, I had to go for it, and why not.
“Most of the time they don’t go over for me, but it did, and I’m grateful for that.”
While Errigal are just 60 minutes away from a third county final appearance in four years, opponents Dungannon have not been there since 1986, and today’s Healy Park tie will be their first semi-final since 1994.
But with two thrilling extra-time wins under their belt, the Clarkes have shown their mettle.
“We’ll not think anything less of them. If you just look at the League, the way they have been going. I don’t think they have been beaten this year.
“They went to extra-time with Ardboe, and they have fight in them, so it’s something we’re going to have to be prepared for.”
Errigal have their own resilience pushed to a high level under new manager Johnny McBride, and it stood to them as they found two points in injury-time to stun Dromore.
“At half-time, they went in two points up, and coming out, we knew that we had to get off to a good start.
“Thankfully we did. It took us a while to get it, but we got ourselves going.
“But this means nothing unless we got out in the next game and put in a performance against Dungannon.
“That’s the way the Tyrone Championship works. Every day you have to up your game.”
Having lost the Championship finals of 2017 and 2019, Errigal Ciaran go into today’s eliminator under greater levels of pressure than their opponents.
The hurt is still there, but their determination to land a first O’Neill Cup title since 2012 is undiminished.
“Obviously that’s everyone’s goal at the start of the year, to push for the O’Neill Cup, and we’re no different than anyone else.
“I’d say there’s more disappointment with last year, we didn’t really put in a performance in the final.
“But we’re not looking at a final, we have a big game in this semi-final and we’re just focused on that.”
