Tyrone SFC: Manager Jody Gormley says new champions Trillick regarded underdogs tag 'as an insult'

Trillick players celebrate winning the club's ninth Tyrone SFC title

Trillick were not short of reasons for wanting to be crowned Tyrone champions.

Bemused by their underdogs status against the holders Errigal Ciaran, who they felt had not been road tested, the Reds had a lot more spurring them on.

Boss Jody Gormley said their extra-time win on Sunday was a fitting tribute that "honoured the memory" of club stalwart Gerard 'Shep' Donnelly.

A five-time Tyrone SFC winner and an uncle of players Mattie and Richie Donnelly, he passed away two weeks ago.

'Shep' was part of the trailblazing Trillick team that was a dominant force in Tyrone in the 1970s and 1980s - and a hugely popular figure in the club.

"In a small community, a figure like Shep is very important," said Gormley.

"The boys wore a black armband today, and they honoured his memory with that win.

"It's not something that was discussed a lot with the group, because the boys had to go out and perform and we didn't want to put any more emotional pressure on them, but I'm sure it's something that'll be discussed now in the changing room."

Trillick captain Rory Brennan celebrates winning the Tyrone Championship with his brother Lee

Curse or no curse?

Errigal had some big wins on their way to the final but only led for 20 seconds over the 80-plus minutes of Sunday's 1-13 to 0-13 defeat in Healy Park.

They were attempting to become the first team since Carrickmore in 2005 to retain the O'Neill Cup, but they were always chasing and are the latest defending champions to fall short.

People talk of a curse, but forget that. There's no curse. It's just a really hard Championship to win - and even harder to retain.

It's straight knockout, a rarity these days, with a glut of evenly-balanced teams quietly fancying their chances of coming through a bruising competition.

Trillick had come along a hard road, needing penalties and a couple of narrow wins to get back here and felt they had an excellent chance to win a ninth Championship, and a first since 2019.

"We went into the game, for reasons unknown to be honest, as big underdogs," Gormley said.

"From the last few times we have met Errigal, we have drawn with them and beaten them. So the boys almost took it as an insult, that Trillick weren't being given any respect, and that's the way we looked at it.

"Maybe now people will say 'Yeah, football is important in Trillick and they know how to play it.'

Trillick won their ninth Tyrone SFC title, and a third in nine years, with a 1-13 to 0-13 win over Errigal Ciaran

"It wouldn't be an over-exaggeration to call Trillick a one-horse town. You've got a chapel, you have got the football team and you have a couple of bars.

"Football is central to anything that happens in Trillick. The community is heavily invested in the club.

"You can see what it means to people. There is a proud tradition here and I think we are back to where we should be, competing at that level."

Gormley played for Tyrone in the 1995 All-Ireland defeat by Dublin, lining out in midfield alongside current Tyrone joint manager Feargal Logan.

His days with Trillick coincided with a lean spell for the club but, after various managerial roles in Antrim and Down, he returned to his home club this year as manager, having serving as a selector last year under former manager Nigel Seaney.

"It is a big commitment, there's no doubt, coming down the road from Belfast, but it's worth it," Gormley added.

"The energy in that group is so positive.

"I would've played with some of the older boys, and their fathers and uncles… it's a big thing to win the championship with your own club."

Trillick will play Armagh champions Crossmaglen Rangers in the Ulster Club Championship quarter-final in two weeks.