Trillick Impress On Way To The Final

Friday 13.10.2023

Championship Football

Trillick are through to the final of the Connolly’s of Moy Senior Football Championship after a highly impressive 2-11 to 1-9 win over a fancied Dungannon Clarkes side. The Reds looked sharper and hungrier from the off and their well organised team outworked their opponents all over the field displaying patience in how they covered defensibly and pace and purpose when they attacked.

Dungannon owned the ball for the first three to four minutes but could not punch a hole in a well organised Trillick defence. Eventually Jody Gormley’s side turned the ball over and a fast break found Ryan Gray in space wide on the left. Gray sprinted towards the goal and unleashed a pile driver to give his team the perfect start.

The sides swapped points over the course of the next twenty minutes with Paul Donaghy hitting 0-3 for the Clarkes and Niall Donnelly, Ciaran Daly and Lee Brennan on target for Trillick. That left three points still between the teams but Dungannon drew level on twenty six minutes when a floated pass from the right was met by Dalaigh Jones who palmed the ball to the net.

In normal circumstances such a score would galvanise  the scoring side but instead it was Trillick who finished the half stronger wiping out the goal with points from Ryan Gray and Lee Brennan (2). Half time score Dungannon 1-3, Trillick 1-6.

Although Lee Brennan opened the second half scoring with a free to extend his team’s lead to four Dungannon upped the ante after the break winning much more possession and creating greater chances. Points from Patrick Mc Kearney and Donaghy reduced the deficit to two and then came the pivotal moment of the game when Dungannon full forward Paddy Quinn won a high ball on the edge of the Trillick square. His shot seemed destined for the back of the net only to be blocked by a fantastic stop from man of the match Ritchie Donnelly.

Paul Donaghy pointed as Dungannon continued to look for a route to goal but the well organised Trillick defence stood strong and restricted their opponents to only three further points during the remainder of the half.

Meanwhile the Reds produced some scintillating football with sublime finishing to win convincingly on a final score of 2-11 to 1-9. On a night when the young Reds showed character in abundance Ciaran Daly, Seanie O’Donnell and Janes Garrity rounded off the point scoring before O”Donnell scored one of the goals of the season with a superb run and finish.