Tyrone SFC Final

Dromore 0-15 Coalisland 0-8

By Declan Bogue at Healy Park

Dromore manager Collie McCullagh looked the coolest man in Healy Park on Sunday night after guiding his club to their fourth Tyrone Senior Championship.

It was a game that lacked any true fizz as Dromore simply came out a team re-invented for the second half and blew Coalisland away 0-8 to 0-3 in the closing period.

How they did it, by limiting Coalisland’s gameplan and utilising their own pace on the counter attack was a serious coaching job. As a player, McCullagh was completely cerebral, and he cuts the same figure when he compares winning Championships as a player and as a manager.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, it is more stressful. As a player, you don’t realise how lucky you are. Everything is laid on a plate for you.

“Obviously the players have their own work to do as well, but compared to management, it is a serious job.”

Dromore’s revival was a seriously impressive evening’s work. Behind the scenes, McCullagh insists there were no panic buttons pressed as they went in level at the break, but with the clear perception that the game was being played on Coalisland’s terms.

“I never really felt we were in bother, but I wasn’t happy with how we started the game. The first half performance, I wasn’t happy with it.

“I wasn’t in panic mode because we have been here before with poor starts in games and we could always bounce back. But we turned it right again.”

And how?

“I am not sure. We had a good chat at half-time but a lot of it could have came down to nerves. A lot of these players were playing in their first final and things like that. Maybe doing things, losing men in the run where they would not normally.”

With five points and seven wides, it appeared the Coalisland gameplan was functioning the better of the two in the opening half.

They jumped into a two point lead in the first six minutes, both coming from the boot of Paddy McNeice with the long direct ball sticking and his marker Paul McHugh struggling with the quality of delivery he was up against.

Dromore soon were back on level terms through the spritely Emmett McNabb, the first coming from the dead ball on the edge of the D, the next coming from a tight angle on the wrong side for a left footer.

Early goal chances also came. In the opening minute a quick McNeice free to Padraig Hampsey brought a strong run and perfect handpass to Michael McKernan, but the county star’s shot was well batted out by Mark McGale in the Dromore goal.

Dromore had their chance in the fifth minute when Ryan McCusker burrowed a way past Sean McNally, but Fintan Coney stood up well to the shot.

McGale needed quick kickouts from his defence but the runs were not always forthcoming. Forced to go long, the dominance and strength of McKernan, Jason Carberry, Plunkett Kane and Hampsey was telling as they opened up a two point lead.

The loss of Cormac O’Hagan through a leg injury robbed them of a free taking option and as the half closed in, Ronan ‘Magpie’ McNabb was dropping deep to engineer runs and moves that brought points for Odhran Rafferty and Sean McNabb to square things up for the break at 0-5 each. 

Both teams had a look at each other’s goals at the start of the second half. McNeice turned his marker McHugh and blasted just over for Coalisland while Ryan McCusker failed to make the most of his chance.

But then Dromore turned it with an Emmett McNabb free to go ahead for the first time. McNabb then set up Niall Sludden for his point having intercepted the resulting kickout. The All-Ireland winner was soon everywhere on the pitch, knitting together moves.

McNabb clipped over a point from play and another free in the 48th minute to leave Dromore 0-11 to 0-7 ahead.

For a Championship that almost feels duty-bound to provide drama, there was virtually none of it in the last ten minutes. Coalisland were not able to stem the tide and Dromore were able to introduce 36-year-old club legend Eoin McCusker who immediately set up fellow substitute Cahir Goodwin for a point from play.

Dromore will meet the winners of the Fermanagh Championship, played on Sunday between Derrygonnelly Harps and Enniskillen Gaels, in Carrickmore on December 4.

DROMORE: M McGale; C O’Hara, P McHugh, C O’Neill; T McCarron 0-1, R McCusker 0-1, N McCarron; P Teague, N Sludden 0-1; S McNabb 0-2, R ‘Magpie’ McNabb, R ‘Lizard’ McNabb; E McNabb 0-6, 4f, T Sludden, O Rafferty 0-3

Subs: C Goodwin 0-1, for McHugh (44m), E McCusker for S McNabb (55m), A McGrath for T Sludden (56m), C McCoy for R ‘Magpie’ McNabb (60m), A O’Donnell for T McCarron (63m).

COALISLAND: F Coney; J Fee, P Hampsey, E Hampsey; N Devlin 0-1, N Kerr, S McNally; M McKernan, J Carberry; T Quinn 0-1, P Kane 0-1, B Leonard; C O’Hagan, P McNeice 0-4, P Herron.

Subs: B Toner for O’Hagan (24m), S Corr for Kerr (40m), C Quinn 0-1 for Leonard (48m), O McHugh for Fee (50m), L O’Neill for Carberry (59m).

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Omagh).