Emmet McNabb stars as Dromore surge to fourth Tyrone SFC title

Dromore pushed on in the second half, running with pace at the Fianna defence, and picking off scores through man of the match McNabb, Odhran Rafferty, and Sean McNabb

Michael McKernan of Coalisland in action against Niall Sludden of Dromore during the Tyrone SFC Final between Coalisland and Dromore at O’Neills Healy Park in Omagh, Tyrone. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Tyrone SFC final: Dromore 0-15 Coalisland 0-8 

Dromore’s pace, power and creativity, and above all the artistry of Emmet McNabb, led a surge to a fourth Tyrone SFC title at Healy Park as Coalisland ran out of lives at the end of a campaign that had seen them conjure a string of amazing comebacks.

This was one hill to steep for the Fianna to climb, and it was a younger, fresher St Dympna’s side that dominated the second half and seized the O’Neill Cup with style and flair.

McNabb hit six points, and finished as top scorer of the championship series, as he led his side to a first title since 2011.

“I was very impressed with our second half, we weren’t happy at all at half-time,” said Colm McCullagh, three times a winner as a player and now as manager.

“The second half was more like ourselves, and thankfully the boys produced the goods.” And he believes his young team can go on to succeed again in a county that rarely sees a back to back title winner.

“The age profile of the team is definitely positive, and definitely very encouraging for us.

“Those boys can achieve whatever they want to achieve, it’s in their own hands.

“They have youth on their side and anything is possible.” 

Coalisland, so heavily reliant on those amazing comebacks on their way to the decider, targeted a strong start, the energy and dash of their approach typified by Michael McKernan, Peter Herron and Tiarnan Quinn, with Padraig Hampsey seizing every opportunity to drive through from deep.

It was his penetrating run that set up Michael McKernan for a crack at goal which was kept out by Mark McGale.

Paddy McNeice had two points on the board inside the opening five minutes, but Dromore got through that early storm to create their own goal chance and Fianna ‘keeper Fintan Coney had to be alert to get off his line quickly enough to deny Ryan McCusker.

Emmet McNabb’s superb solo effort brought the sides level, but Niall Devlin and Plunkett Kane finished off Coalisland moves to give them a 0-4 to 0-2 lead at the water break.

Dromore had been second best in terms of possession and territory, but outscored their opponents by three points to one in the second quarter, Tommy McCarron, Odhran Rafferty and Sean McNabb on target. It was 0-5 each at the interval, with Coalisland’s ace place-kicker Cormac O’Hagan out of the action due to injury.

Youngsters like Odhran Rafferty, Ronan McNabb junior and Nathan McCarron stood tall and led like seasoned veterans, while the more experienced Ronan McNabb senior and Niall Sludden held a steady hand, complemented by immense workrate.

Rafferty covered huge swathes of ground as he chased and tackled, and was a trusted finisher, hitting his third from play.

Niall Sludden grew in stature as the game progressed, firing over the point that pushed his side two clear, and the Fianna were unable to live with the pace and energy that drove their opponents to further scores from Ryan McCusker and Emmet McNabb.

With a four-point lead at the three-quarter stage, they were always wary of Coalisland’s powers of survival, but the work had been done, and all the avenues of threat were closed off, mostly through sheer intensity and workrate.

The finish line was coming into sight, but they had to keep the ball off the Fianna, and they did so, breaking at pace for the late scores from Sean McNabb, Cahir Goodwin and Emmet McNabb that sealed it.

Scorers for Dromore: E McNabb (0-6, 4 frees); O Rafferty (0-3); S McNabb (0-2); N Sludden, R McCusker, T McCarron, C Goodwin (0-1 each).

Scorers for Coalisland: P McNeice (0-4); P Quinn, T Quinn, N Devlin, C Quinn (0-1 each).

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

Subs: B Toner for O’Hagan, S Corr for Kerr, C Quinn for Leonard, O McHugh for Fee, L O’Neill for Carberry

DROMORE: M McGale; C O’Hara, P McHugh, C O’Neill; T McCarron, R McCusker, N McCarron; P Teague, N Sludden; S McNabb, R McNabb jnr, R McNabb snr; E McNabb, T Sludden, O Rafferty.

Subs: C Goodwin for McHugh, E McCusker for S McNabb, A McGrath for T Sludden, C McCoy for R McNabb jnr, A O’Donnell for McCarron 

Referee: K Enneatta (Omagh).