Killyclogher are back in the Tyrone SFC quarter-finals for the first time since 2021, having failed to win a single championship game for three years.
It was a smash-and-grab raid that got them there, but Mark Bradley is just relieved to have ended that dismal run of O’Neill Cup disappointment.
The luck of the draw conspired against them in the past two seasons, when they were handed first-round tests against the reigning county champions on both occasions, losing to Dromore in 2022 and Errigal Ciaran last year.
But they’re back in the mix going into the business end of the championship, with a quarter-final clash with Carrickmore coming up next weekend.
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“We haven’t had the privilege in many years, we haven’t looked ahead to who we’re playing next, because the first rounds have been so difficult to get over for us,” said former Tyrone attacker Bradley.
“Carrickmore are a great team, they have been going very well in the league,
“There’s a lot of work to be done to get ready for them.”
Teenage debutant Sean Broderick smashed home the sensational stoppage-time goal that gave the St Mary’s a stunning one-point win over neighbours Omagh.
It was an extraordinary twist right at the death of yet another Tyrone SFC classic, but Bradley felt the dramatic climax at Pairc Colmcille spoke volumes of the team’s mentality.
“Time was up, and I suppose that’s credit to the management team as well.
“In years that have gone by in the past, we maybe gave it away too easy, so that was great to see the fight, especially from those younger cubs coming in, the likes of wee Sean Broderick, in his first championship game, along with others that have really stepped up, so it’s good to see.”
Killyclogher controlled the first half, and with a 1-5 to 0-1 lead, looked on course for a straightforward derby victory, but they lost their grip on the tie as Omagh fought back.
“There was that dip and we’ll review it, we’ll look through footage and see what can be improved,” said Bradley.
“With the wind, we didn’t get enough points over the bar.
“We had a good first 15 minutes and then Omagh got their purple patch, got a bit of momentum just before half-time, and carried that into the second half.
“We just found it really hard to get out, especially with that big breeze in the second half.
“But in a couple of league games, we have been in those scenarios, and we have come back, so we kept the belief, and kept chipping away.”
Omagh’s stirring revival unfolded in a whirlwind second half that saw them peg it back, point for point, to go in front.
Killyclogher looked certain to be forced to pay the price for their failure to make first-half wind advantage count on the scoreboard.
“We have to work on that. We can count our blessings because, on another day, it doesn’t happen and we don’t get that goal, and we’re licking our wounds.
“It was a great game and Omagh certainly played their part.
“For most people, it probably looked as if they were going to get the win.”
