Excitement building ahead of Championship

Thursday 10 July 2025 16:07

EXCITEMENT is building ahead of another enthralling Tyrone Senior Championship, after reigning county and Ulster champions Errigal Ciaran were drawn to face Ardboe in the first defence of their title.

The draw for the 2025 series in all three grades was made at the premises of competition sponsors Connollys of Moy, where managing director Vivian Connolly announced tha the furniture store is to extend its backing until the end of the 2028 season.

Errigal went on to win Ulster and reach the All-Ireland final last year, losing to Cuala of Dublin, but they face a huge task in retaining their county title, a feat that no club has achieved in the past two decades.

It’s 20 years since any club has managed to retain the O’Neill Cup, and it’s certain to be another fiercely competitive series, with as many as eight teams realistically capable of emerging as winners.

One of those front-runners, Dungannon, who have made a strong start to the season with impressive league form, will face Trillick for the third season in a row in the stand-out tie of the first round.

And there’s an enticing parish derby between Donaghmore and Galbally which will whet the appetite and stoke local rivalry.

Carrickmore, the last club to put titles back-to-back in 2005m will meet Moortown, while Edendork are preparing for a clash Dromore.

Pomeroy were drawn to face newly promoted Gortin, and another promoted side, Derrylaughan, will play Omagh, and Loughmacrory take on Killyclogher.

The big first round tie in the Intermediate Championship is the meeting of Eglish and Coalisland, two teams strongly tipped for promotion this season, and what a game that promises to be.

Clonoe’s clash with Greencastle is another pairing to look forward to, while Moy, beaten finalists over the past two seasons, face a difficult opener against Aghyaran.

Junior champions Killeeshil have a first round date with Rock, and another newly promoted team, Aghaloo, will play Fintona.

Kildress have Naomh Eoghan as first round opponents, while Stewartsown, who wn the IFC title in 2006, take on Owen Roes and Beragh face Drumquin.

In the Junior Championship, Derrytresk and Brackaville will both have to negotiate preliminary round ties against Donaghmore Thirds and Tattyreagh respectively if they are to progress.

County chairman Martin Sludden said he expects to see another compelling series as the Tyrone Championship prepares to justify its reputation as the best in the country.

“Everybody knows it's the best club championship in Ireland. There's parish derbies, there’s the rivalry that that brings, there's just everything in that championship and everything that every other county in Ireland is envious of,” he said.

“It’s very hard to defend it. I believe there’s seven or eight teams that are capable of winning the O’Neill Cup. And there's always shocks. It's 2005 now, but it was 2004-2005 since the last team, Carrickmore, did back-to-back Championships.

“All our three divisions are competitive, senior, intermediate and junior.

And the competition will once again be played off in its traditional straight knock-out format, another aspect that sets the Red Hand championship apart

“It's the players who want it. They want the knock-out, they just want one crack at it,” said Sludden.

“Everybody's all in for that 60 minutes and everybody gives it their all. But it's the players who want that.

“I don’t think a group stage format would work. We've seen in our neighbouring counties it's not working. They're trying everything, but the best teams will still come through to the quarter-finals.”

And the Tyrone chairman believes Errigal Ciaran’s success will inspire other clubs in the county to believe that they can aspire to achieve success at provincial and national level.

“Our senior winners last year, Erigal Ciaran, were so unfortunate in the All-Ireland Final and just fell short on the day by a couple of points. They lost a few men early in the game through injury, which had a serious bearing on the result.

“There's no question about it that Errigal raised the flag for Tyrone last year in Ulster and the All-Ireland Series. They did, by their high-level performances.

“Every team will be thinking that if they can beat Errigal, they’ll believe they can beat the Kilcoos, they can beat the Slaughtneils, the St Eunan’s, all these other teams that are hoping to come out of their own counties. There's no reason why Tyrone teams can't.

“But when you play four competitive matches and you play them very close together, it does take a lot out of the players.”

Sludden expects Errigal Ciaran to make a fierce defence of their title, thanks their attacking firepower.

“There'll be a target on their back, but they have some outstanding footballers, and probably the one thing that goes for Errigal is that they have some outstanding forwards, and forwards who can score with ease.”

Connollys of Moy Tyrone SFC

Errigal Ciaran v Ardboe

Dromore v Edendork

Omagh v Derrylaughan

Carrickmore v Moortown

Gortin v Pomeroy

Galbally v Donaghmore

Killyclogher v Loughmacrory

Dungannon v Trillick

Connollys of Moy Tyrone IFC

Greencastle v Clonoe

Killeeshil v Rock