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Trillick 1-12 Dungannon 1-12
(After extra time, Dungannon wins 8-7 on penalties)
Dungannon bridged a 64-year gap with an emotional win in Tyrone SFC’s 11th win at Healy Park, winning a penalty shoot-out after a decisive decider that could not be decided with extra time.
Dungannon’s four championship heats have gone into overtime, but it was extended further, and on a night of great drama, cornerback Ciaran Barker scored the winning penalty after each team had taken ten shots from the spot every one.
No club has managed to retain the O’Neill Cup in 15 years, and reigning champion Trillick was unable to break that trend despite a strong start that had them privileged.
They were five ahead in the 14th minute, with former Tyrone attacker Lee Brennan as the man who did the damage.
After converting two long-range shots, he dove like a ghost for a goal, picking up Niall Donnelly’s pass to shoot Daire Martin.
The experience, movement and confidence of Trillick’s men set them apart as the challengers, without a senior county title since 1956, struggled to enter the game.
Rory Brennan attacked from deep at every opportunity, with Mattie Donnelly always on hand to link the game, but solid defense from David Walsh, Sean Molloy and Mattie Walsh restricted the damage.
It wasn’t until the 23rd minute that Patrick Molloy got past Dungannon’s starting point, and while he added another from a 40-meter free, along with a Dalaigh Jones score, it was Trillick who came in with a 1-4 to 0-3 lead interval.
The Clarkes got off to a good start in the second half, with Paul Donaghy shooting a couple of quick points, before Paddy Quinn scored on his first touch.
And Quinn showed the opportunism of a predator to get behind Ruairi Kelly and anticipate a handling error as he mustered up Donaghy’s search delivery to place his shot on the net.
Suddenly, the outsiders were at the forefront and the prospect of a commotion was beginning to seem like a reality.
In the second water break, with a ’45 Ciaran Barker also on the board, they led 1-7 to 1-5, with Padraig McNulty and Oran Mallon driving them from midfield.
Now it was Dungannon who dictated the course of the game, maintaining possession and picking supporting runners, but Trillick survived a sticky spell to get back on top.
Rory Brennan was the catalyst with his waves of defense, and younger brother Lee was the finisher, adding two more points, with substitute Ciaran Daly throwing them out front.
And when veteran substitute Niall Gormley gave them two ahead, Mattie Donnelly stepped back to shore up the defense and help the defending champs watch the game.
But it didn’t work out that way, with Dungannon displaying incredible courage and calm under pressure to create scores from Ciaran Barker and Kiefer Morgan to tie at 1-9 each.
They remained stuck midway through overtime, after Lee Brennan and Daly overtook the champions twice, only to be tied up by Morgan and Donaghy.
Super-substitute Quinn fired on a glorious scoreboard with three minutes remaining as the Clarkes returned to the front, but another free-kick made Trillick equalize and a historic penalty shootout called.
Dungannon: D Martin; C Barker (0-02, 1f, 1’45), D Walsh, C Devlin; D O’Hagan, S Molloy, M McKearney; O Mallon, P McNulty; D Jones (0-01), M Walsh, R Jones; L Mallon, P Molloy (0-02, 1f), P Donaghy (0-03, 2f).
Subs: P Quinn (1-02) for P Molloy, K Morgan (0-02, 1f) for L Mallon, K Barker for S Molloy, C Corrigan for O’Hagan, B McNulty for O Mallon, L Mallon for R Jones , C McKee by D Jones
Trick: R Kelly; S O’Donnell, R. Kelly, G. McCarron (0-01); Gallagher M, Brennan R, McDonnell D; R Donnelly, L Gray (0-01); M Donnelly, N Donnelly, R Gray; J Garrity, L Brennan (1-07, 0-6f, 0-1 ’45), S Garrity.
Subs: D Gallagher for O’Donnell, C Daly (0-02) for N Donnelly, D Kelly for McDonnell, N Gormley (0-01) for S Garrity, McDonnell for M Gallagher, D McQuaid for J Garrity, G McKenna for D Kelly
Referee: S Meehan (Glenelly)
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