McCurry's late two-pointer earns Edendork a replay with Errigal Ciaran in Tyrone SFC final

WE'LL GO AGAIN: Darren McCurry kept Edendork’s dream alive as he hit a glorious two-pointer in stoppage time to send the Tyrone SFC final to a replay. Pic: Paul Phelan/Sportsfile

Errigal Ciaran 0-15 Edendork 1-12

Darren McCurry kept Edendork’s dream alive, hitting a glorious two-pointer in stoppage time to send the Tyrone SFC final to a replay.

In his club’s first ever appearance in a senior final, McCurry showed a nerve of steel to send the ball sailing between the posts from 50 metres.

Initially the score was disallowed, but when the referee was advised that there was no breach, due to an Edendork defender having been on the ground receiving treatment, the decision was reversed.

Substitute Eoin Kelly thought he had won it for Errigal with a late two-pointer, but there was still time for McCurry to rescue his side right at the death.

“There's probably nobody else that we would want on the ball in that moment, in that position, under that kind of pressure and once the ball left his boot, I was in a fantastic position I could see that it was going over the bar so just delighted to see it go over and relieved that we've got a second chance,” said Edendork manager Brian McGuckin.

Errigal boss Enda McGinley feels Friday’s replay will take on a completely different course.

“There’ll be boys on both teams that will have had quieter and poorer days today than what their normal standard is, so the next game will be very likely quite a bit different, with probably different players standing up,” he said.

“And some of the players who stood up today will be very closely monitored next day, you would imagine.

“It is that panel thing, and the replay will take on a life of its own, which will probably bear very little relevance to today’s game.”

Errigal suffered a massive pre-match blow with the news that Darragh Canavan was ruled out by injury and would play no part in the decider, and with younger brother Ruairi also absent, their attack was severely weakened.

And with the wind in their backs, they struggled to break down a well organised St Malachy’s rearguard, hitting the target just four times during a first half that saw them struggle for momentum.

Four of their points came from teenager Aodhan Quinn, who raise two orange flags to help them to a 0-5 to 0-1 lead by the twelfth minute.

But shooting under pressure, they were wasteful, hitting nine wides in the first half, and managing just one point in the closing 20 minutes.

Edendork, feeding off Niall Morgan’s mostly accurate kick-outs, raided to pick off scores through Conor Mallon, Neil Kilpatrick and Jake Ferguson, keeping them very much in the game.

And while Darren McCurry was held scoreless by Tyrone team-mate Cormac Quinn, they were happy to reach the break just three points down.

One wayward restart was intercepted by Shea McDermott, who sent Peter Harte in to score, and at the break, Errigal led by 0-6 to 0-3, but half-time sub Nelis hit the net with his first touch to put Edendork ahead for the first time.

Back came Errigal with a flurry of scores from Peter Harte and Peter Og McCartan, pushing them three clear going into the final quarter.

Four in a row from Edendork, two of them from McCurry, had the, back in front, but Ewon it for the Dunmoyle men.

But then came saviour McCurry’s glorious equaliser right at the death.

Scorers for Errigal Ciaran: A Quinn 0-5 (2tp), P Harte 0-4 (1f), P Og McCartan, E Kelly (1tp) (0-2 each), P McGirr, S McDermott (1f) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Edendork scorers: F Nelis (1-0), D McCurry (0-6, 2f, 1tp), C Mallon, J Gerguson, P McLernon, C Bell, D Maneely, N Kilpatrick (0-1 each).

Errigal Ciaran: D McAnenly; C Quinn, A McCrory, R O’Sullivan; T Colhoun, N Kelly, P Og McCartan; B McDonnell, P McGirr; P Traynor, P Harte, A Quinn; S McDermott, O Robinson, T Canavan.

Subs: J Oguz for Canavan (h-t), R Canavan for Traynor (41), E Kelly for McGirr (49), M Mullin for Colhoun (57).

Edendork: N Morgan; D Maneely, F Devlin, N Kilpatrick; J Ferguson, B Cullen, C Bell; C Kilpatrick, L Ferguson; P McLernon, C Mallon, H Og Conlan; D McCurry, D Conway, R Nelis.

Subs: F Nelis for R Nelis (h-t), S Corr for Conway (h-t), J Fearon for Conlan (57).

Referee: P Gallagher (Castlederg).