In times of desperation and need, all carefully constructed and painstakingly rehearsed plans are the first casualties, and so it came down to the crunch moment for Dungannon as the exit door swung open before them.
One high ball lobbed into the mix, one outstretched leg, one rippling net, and everything changed.
Substitute Conor McKee was the hero of the hour, the Clarke’s survived another incredible Tyrone SFC battle and Loughmacrory’s dreams of a first-ever semi-final appearance lay strewn in tatters all over Plunkett Park.
Five points down with eight minutes to play, Dungannon somehow conspired a 1-13 to 2-9 victory with that 64th-minute McKee goal, but centre-back Conall Devlin believes more subtle factors than blind panic were at play in a chaotic finish to a heart-stopping championship tie.
“It was tough on my mum and dad. I knew I was self-destructing. And I also knew the next phase of that, if I had carried on, it was not being here. I was in a very dark place...” - the life and times of Caolan Mooney
“I felt as if the world was going to end...” St Colman’s College sports studies students submit articles on the game, fight or issue that mattered most to them this year…
“It was all about being patient. We have been here before in these scenarios, in 2020, so it was about keeping the ball, working the score,” he said.
“We did that well, I thought, in the second half, and a bit of luck comes into it too at the end of the day.”
Leaders stood up when duty called in response to a two-goal blast that threatened to put Loughmacrory in an unassailable position, with skipper Padraig McNulty rallying the troops in a defiant counter-offensive.
“We don’t panic, there’s leaders all over that pitch, the likes of Paul (Donaghy), big Ciaran (Barker) and Paudie (McNulty), so we knew if we were patient and kept going, something would happen and we would get back into the game.
“Even the subs that came in, the likes of Colm Corrigan, when you have boys like that coming in to get you back in the game, it’s great.”
A cagey first half which seemed to paralyse both teams with the fear of losing exploded into a riot of adventure in the second as they threw off the shackles and went at it in an end-to-end thriller.
“The first half wasn’t good to watch, probably for both sets of fans, but it was a great game, end to end.
“Both teams have brilliant forwards, and that’s what’s going to happen that’s what this championship is like.
“Loughmacrory are a very good side, they have some great forwards – McElhone, McCullagh – they’re unreal.”
Tyrone defender Devlin was a member of the 2020 title-winning side, and he feels Dungannon are now ready to deliver another O’Neill Cup triumph.
“We’ve got the hunger, but we’re just taking it each game as it comes.
“Tyrone Championship is very tough. That Loughmacrory team put it up to us and we were very lucky.
“We’ll go to the next game and work on the things that we need to improve on.”
