IT ain’t over ‘til it’s over in Tyrone and Peter Harte struck in the final seconds of the fourth minute of injury-time to send Errigal Ciaran into a repeat of last year’s final against Trillick.
Harte’s score broke the hearts of gallant Killyclogher who had looked out of it at one stage but forced a thrilling finale after goals from Mark Bradley (his second penalty after he’d missed the first) and Oisin McCann.
The frantic finish was a contrast to a cagey opening which came to life after Bradley raced down the right and drilled a swerving shot between the Errigal uprights after five minutes.
Goalkeeper Simon O’Neill joined the attack after Errigal’s second wide and Dara Hayes grabbed his pass to force a free which Conall McCann converted to double his side’s early lead.
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Errigal opened their account when the dextrous Darragh Canavan dropped deep to pick up the ball. He jinked past Michael Rafferty and then rode tackles from a posse of Killyclogher defenders before releasing brother Ruairi who split the posts with a right foot shot.
The game warmed up as the minutes ticked by and Errigal levelled when Cormac Quinn dispossessed Bradley and fed the eager Ruairi Canavan who was bundled over and clipped over the free himself.
Killyclogher immediately regained the lead when Tiernan McCann rekindled memories of his Tyrone days with a driving run through the heart of the Errigal defence. His shot soared high into the Omagh gloaming and dropped over the bar.
Ruairi Canavan cancelled it out and then Errigal put a brilliant, intricate move together which ended with a Peter Harte-Niall Kelly one-two. Harte dummied to pass and then drilled the ball at O’Neill who could only parry it into his net.
Nathan Donnelly replied for ‘the blues’ but their defence was struggling to cope with the Errigal runners and points from Harte and Padraig McGirr sent their opponents 1-5 to 0-4 ahead after 24 minutes.
Aidan McCrory added another before the break after McDonnell’s high ball had caused panic in the Killyclogher defence and, when their opponents tried the same tactic, Niall Kelly was there to catch and clear.
Errigal went in at the break 1-6 to 0-4 up and in control.
Tiernan McCann’s shot dropped short as Killyclogher looked to bridge the gap and Donnelly’s effort drifted wide after Bradley had fisted the ball across goal.
Ruairi Canavan converted a 45 and then Killyclogher missed a golden opportunity to get back into the game. Bradley raced through and passed to Oisin McCann whose legs were taken from under him as he shaped to shoot. Bradley took the penalty but Darragh McAnenly saved with his legs.
Conall McCann did close the gap to five with a free and with his younger brother Oisin now at full-forward, Killyclogher wasted no time getting the ball up to him.
Yellow cards were flashed as the free count rose and Bradley’s second point kept Killyclogher in it going into the final quarter.
Tommy Canavan’s free cancelled it out but Killyclogher continued to scrap and battle and Nathan Donnelly point cut the arrears to four (1-8 to 0-7) with eight minutes left.
Joe Oguz ran through to extend his side’s lead and, at the other end, Ciaran McGinley scrambled the ball to safety and Errigal may have begun to breathe a little easier when Odhran Robinson added another.
But it wasn’t over yet. Donnelly was fouled in the square Bradley bravely stepped up again. This time he cracked his penalty into the corner and there were only three in it with three minutes left.
Ruairi Canavan and Bradley swapped points and then another Hail Mary ball dropped into the Errigal square. Oisin McCann jumped highest and flicked it into the net but Harte had the final say when he drifted out to the left wing and split the posts to win it.
Killyclogher: S O’Neill; S Broderick, D Gorman, M Rafferty; J Barton, M Murnaghan, G Sludden; T McCann (0-1), M Flanagan; N Donnelly (0-2), C McCann (0-2 frees), G Potter; D Hayes, M Bradley (1-3, 1-0 penalty, 0-1 free), E McFadden
Subs: O McCann (1-0) for Hayes (HT), S McCaul for Sludden (43), P Corcoran for McFadden (57)
Yellow card: Flanagan (42), Potter (44)
Errigal Ciaran: D McAnenly; Cormac Quinn, A McCrory (0-1), Ciaran Quinn; P Og McCartan, N Kelly, T Colhoun; B McDonnell, J Oguz (0-1); P McGirr (0-1), P Harte (1-2), C McGinley; D Canavan, O Robinson (0-1), R Canavan (0-5, 0-2 frees, 0-1 45)
Subs: T Canavan (0-1 free) for McGirr (38), P Traynor for D Canavan (50), M Kavanagh for Robinson (60)
Yellow card: Oguz (26), McGinley (46)
Referee: Stephen Campbell (Stewartstown)
