CARRICKMORE are battle-hardened following a typically testing run to the final of the Tyrone Championship, and skipper Rory Donnelly feels they’re ready for everything that Errigal Ciaran can throw at them in Sunday’s final.
Following a surprisingly comfortable first round win over last year’s beaten finalists Coalisland, the going got tough for Carmen as they dragged themselves through gruelling ties against Loughmacrory and Clonoe.
“These are the sort of games you like, they harden you as a team, especially when you have a tag as being younger and you haven’t really proved yourself,” he said.
“They’re the sort of games you need to gain experience.”
Neighbours Loughmacrory threatened a quarter-final shock, and Carrickmore needed a winning ’45 from goalkeeper Jack McCallan to squeeze through by a single point.
“It was a great game of football, great atmosphere in Pomeroy that day, and it came down to the last kick of the game.
“We knew it was going to be like that. Loughmacrory are a great team, and they’re only going to get better in the coming years.
“So to come out of that battle was great for us.
And they had to dig deep again to shake off the gutsy challenge of relegation-threatened Clonoe for a place in their first final since 2014.
“The Clonoe game was no different, it was a great battle. Clonoe have great players throughout the team, but again Championship is about performing on the day, and thankfully we just had that wee bit more to see us through.”
Errigal have the star names, but they too have demonstrated qualities of durability and resilience, particularly in the semi-final as they held off a late fightback from champions Dromore.
“Errigal are a fantastic team. They have beaten two of the best teams in Tyrone in Dungannon and Dromore in pretty shocking conditions.
“They have shown their quality in those sorts of conditions.
“Through the years we have always had trouble with them, so they’ll probably be going in as favourites, so we’ll have to try our best and see what happens on the day.”
Twenty-year-old Donnelly, one of the youngest captains to lead a team in a Tyrone SFC final, has no memories of Carrickmore’s last title triumph in 2005.
But he’s acutely aware of the heroic contributions of iconic players who have represented the club, some of them still involved in the current squad.
“You see the videos, that’s the only thing you remember.
“I have a better memory of the beaten finals over the years, and they’re not a great memory, to be honest.
“There were plenty of big names in there, and they stay close to the club, and you’ll be seeing them around the pitch.
“They’re role models in the club, people you look up to, especially for us young boys, something that we can strive to be in the coming years.”
Appointed as captain last season while still a teenager, centre back Donnelly intends to lead when it matters most, from the throw-in through to the final whistle.
“It was great trust shown in me by the management. Obviously, it’s a great honour to be named captain of Carrickmore, with all the tradition that’s associated with the club.
“At the end of the day, it's about doing your talking on the field, playing the football.
“But I’m surrounded by some great men around the club, especially the older contingent, the likes of Marty Penrose, Conor Gormley and Mark Donnelly.
“So all the weight on my shoulders, it was spread around, and that makes my job a lot easier.”
