TRILLICK are building depth in a bid to close off the fine margins which denied them a second successive Tyrone SFC success last year.
A one-point defeat to eventual county and provincial champions Errigal Ciaran in the final brought the 2024 season to a crushing conclusion.
League form has been impressive, but even more encouraging is the range of players who have stepped up and proved that they can make an impact at the top level.
With a tough first-round clash against Dungannon coming up, attacker Lee Brennan feels it’s important to have a variety of options available.
“We’re trying to work on that throughout the league and obviously build players into the team. We’ve had a different starting 15 nearly every week and that strength in depth is very important,” he said.
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“Having a different team nearly every week we go out shows the quality that we have in our squad.
“Players are inter-changeable and the fact that we worked hard on the new rules and stuff too has worked in our favour.”
At the heart of it all is a solid core of leaders – Mattie and Richie Donnelly and Rory Brennan – as well as other county players, including Ciaran Daly and Seanie O’Donnell.
“We look up to the likes of Mattie, Richie and Rory. They’ve been leaders in not only our club but Tyrone.
“They’re definitely people to gain experience from and learn new things. It might be tough to hear things but they want the best for the team and they want to drive the standards.
“I think where we are is down to the likes of leaders and players in our team that have that stature.”
Former Tyrone forward Brennan is Trillick’s top scorer again this year, but it’s the red-hot form of a supreme marksman in the opposition ranks that has the county talking.
Dungannon’s Paul Donaghy has been scoring heavily and consistently, and shot an incredible 20 points tally when they met Trillick in a league tie a couple of weeks ago.
“Paul is unbelievable. He’s as good off the left foot as he is off the right. If you give him that space he’s going to score.
“And he’s someone who will be ruthless from distance. The new rules have definitely suited him down to a tee. He’s got a wee bit more time and space to show off his full ability which is obviously brilliant for everybody watching in Tyrone.”
The Páirc Colmcille clash on September 13 will be the fourth meeting of the clubs in the past six seasons, with Trillick coming out on top since their dramatic penalty shoot-out defeat in the 2020 final.
Brennan expects another tight contest between two teams at the top of their game.
“Everything is on a level playing field and anybody can beat anybody on any given day.
“We know what Dungannon bring, a lot of energy and pace and power. They have a lot of big men.
“There’s definitely a number of players that you could call up to that Tyrone team, the likes of Paddy Quinn, Paudie McNulty, Paul Donaghy and the Joneses, they’ve all played at county level.”
The last two Tyrone SFC finals have featured Trillick and Errigal Ciaran, but the prospect of a third successive showpiece clash with the defending champions has not been mentioned at Donnelly Park.
“Everyone would love to win the championship but we can’t really look past Dungannon at the moment.
“It’s what they bring in championship, not only just as a team but individually, and obviously every team wants to win a championship.
“There’s 16 teams in the league that have the opportunity to do so as well.”
