Aidan Kelly of Éire Óg, Carrickmore, celebrates after victory over Eoghan Ruadh, Dungannon in the Tyrone SHC Final.
Connollys of Moy Tyrone SHC Final
Éire Óg, Carrickmore 3-16 Eoghan Ruadh, Dungannon 3-13
By Francis Mooney
Tyrone hurling champions Eire Og made it five titles in a row in a drama-charged finish to the showpiece final at O’Neills Healy Park.
Two late goals pulled th game out of the fire just when it looked as if Eoghan Ruadh were about to swoop for a first success since 2019.
Sean Óg Grogan was the man with the golden touch, his double strike in the 60th and 63rd minutes swinging it in favour of the holders and keeping the Benburb Cup in Carrickmore.
Dungannon started strongly, with Piaras McErlean flicking home a 12th minute goal from Mickey Little’s searching delivery to push them into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead, with the holders struggling to settle into the game.
But a couple of classy Aidan Woods points lifted Carrickmore spirits, and with Dermot Begley and Conor Grogan standing firm at the back, they slowly turned the game in their favour.
After Little had converted a free to give Eoghan Ruadh a five points lead, Éire Óg dominated the final ten minutes of the half, with Aidy Kelly, Grogan and Dean Rafferty all powering over points.
The challengers responded with scores from Branan Molloy and Leo Hughes, but the champions hit the front in stoppage time when a Begley free from 80 metres went all the way to the net, sending them in with a 1-9 to 1-8 interval lead.
McErlean fired in two more goals to complete his hat-trick early in the second half, but Éire Óg, now with the wind in their backs, started to pick away at the lead, with Kelly on target from a run of frees and Conor Grogan also on target.
But Little kept Eoghan Ruadh noses in front until the 60th minute, when Grogan fired in a a goal from close range, before flicking home a second in stoppage time to seal it.
Éire Óg, Carrickmore scorers: S Og Grogan 2-0, D Begley 1-0 (f), A Kelly 0-11 (7f, 1 ’65), A Woods 0-3, D Rafferty, C Grogan 0-1 eah.
Eoghan Ruadh, Dungannon scorers: P McErlean 3-0, M Little 0-4 (4f), T Mullin, B Molloy, F Donaghy, L Hughes 0-2 each, J McCann 0-1.
Éire Óg, Carrickmore: C McElhatton; M Kelly, D Rafferty, A Crossan; M Coyle, D Begley, C Grogan; C Munroe, S Sweeney; O Daly, B McGurk, A Kelly; A Woods, S Og Grogan, J Kelly. Subs: T Hughes for J Kelly (19), J Kelly for Hughes (43), E Grimes for M Kelly (43), C Munroe for Daly (51), F Hurson for S Grogan (64)
Eoghan Ruadh, Dungannon: C Molloy; J McCann, S Donaghy, S Fay; R Devlin, F Devlin, M Winters; L Devlin, J Ferguson; M Little, P McErlean, F Donaghy; R Molloy B Molloy, T Mullin. Subs: L Hughes for Ferguson (20), C Bell for R Devlin (32), R Weir for Mullin (49), M McCann for Donaghy (59)
Referee: T Conway (Derry).
