CARRICKMORE’S teenage sensation Lorcan McGarrity has had to learn fast in the unforgiving world of championship football.
The physical demands of the game can easily prove overwhelming for a youngster, but the 19-year-old took it all in his stride as he tormented the Clonoe defence and shot his side into the Tyrone SFC final with a six-point haul.
“It’s very tough, but it’s senior football after all, and you just have to be ready for it,” he said.
“It was physical throughout, with boys putting in big hits. And they had Mickey O’Neill in nets communicating with the boys in front, and that made it very difficult to get ball, with them playing with the sweeper.
“We worked real hard, and had to work for every score.
“Semi-finals are there to be won, and thank God we did it against a very, very tough Clonoe team.”
Carrickmore’s 0-11 to 0-8 win at Plunkett Park earned the St Colmcille’s a first final appearance in eight years, but this famous club hasn’t won the O’Neill Cup since 2005.
The history is well documented, and even the younger generation is well versed in the exploits of Carmen, the county’s most successful club with 15 titles.
“You have always looked up to household names in the club, so it would be class to fall into that bracket in 2022.
“Hopefully we’ll get across the line, but it’s going to be very tough against Errigal, who are hot favourites nearly every year.
“We’re looking forward to it, but it’s going to take a massive performance.”
Now in his second season in the senior squad, the Ulster University Sports Studies student has nailed down a place in the left corner of attack.
His ball-winning was outstanding, his finishing clinical, but it all hinged on the service provided by team-mates.
“The ball in was good, we got a few marks, which we worked on in training, and that paid off.
“We had Marty (Penrose) making unselfish runs, Danny (Fullerton) coming on, Caolan (Daly), they just don’t stop.
“We worked for the scores definitely, because we knew the Clonoe defence is strong, and we’re just delighted to be in a county final.”
Relegation-threatened Clonoe pushed Carrickmore all the way in a tense semi-final that hung in the balance right to the end, testing the mettle and the battling qualities of the men from Pairc Colmcille.
“It was nothing less than we expected. Clonoe have unbelievable Championship pedigree.
“They’re in a relegation battle, but once it came to Championship, that meant nothing at all - the household names – McNultys, McClures, McAliskey.”
Neighbours Errigal Ciaran await in the final, and nothing will be left to chance by manager Ryan Daly and Noel Hurson between now and Sunday week.
“There’s a very professional set-up there. We have what not many clubs teams around Ireland would have – strength and conditioning, tactical work.
“We’re very glad to have them and they have put in a massive amount of work over the past four years with this group of boys, and we’re heading in the right direction.”