Battle-hardened Errigal Ciarán have shown mettle to pass final test

Darragh Canavan of Errigal Ciarán celebrates. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

AIB All-Ireland Club SFC final

Cuala (Dublin) v Errigal Ciarán (Tyrone), Croke Park 3.40pm (P. Neilan, Roscommon) Live TG4.

Mother Nature obviously had her spake but it’s a pity that this pair haven’t had the opportunity to truly indulge in a proper final build-up. Their respective eight-day turnarounds pale in comparison to the five weeks the hurling finalists have had but they are close to being in the same boat. 

The extra exertions required by Errigal Ciarán in seeing off Dr Crokes last weekend can work two ways. There were unquestionably sore bodies coming off the Newbridge field last Saturday but psychologically they couldn’t be in better fettle after pulling off yet another heist. 

No matter that Con O’Callaghan is coming to form at just the right time, the belief that was coursing through the Errigal Ciarán set-up through the Tyrone and Ulster championships that they can’t be beaten was replenished in how they defied defeat in the semi-final. 

Mick Fitzsimons is a generational defender but he will require help to negate the Canavan factor be it Darragh or Ruairí. 

Cuala should have the edge in midfield even if Joe Oguz is reassigned there and if they are lording primary ball and the supply to the O’Callaghans is consistent Cuala will be well on their way to complete the senior All-Ireland double. 

It’s not as if Errigal Ciarán have the monopoly on tight scrapes: Cuala in the Leinster final showed plenty of character to stave off Ardee St Mary’s. 

But in the battle-hardened ranks it’s Errigal Ciarán who are ahead. For all the talk of this being a shoot-out between the Canavan and O’Callaghan brothers, it would in keeping for an unsung hero of Ballygawley to come up with the goods again. 

Verdict: Errigal Ciarán.