History frequently shadows the present and especially in club competition given the significance of memories and prevalence of family connections. Earlier in the week, Errigal Ciarán’s Peter Harte spoke about being in attendance at the club’s previous All-Ireland semi-final.
“I’m old enough to remember 2003 and losing semi-finals is maybe the worst stage of any competition to get beaten in because there’s no buzz afterwards – it just dies. So, we were very determined that we wanted to keep this going and give ourselves one more week of being together and playing together. We have that now and we just want to make the most of it.”
Harte’s veteran colleague Ronan McRory – 20 years playing with the club – can go back even farther, to Errigal’s first All-Ireland semi-final, in 1994. His father Ciarán lined out in the club’s extra-time defeat by Nemo Rangers.
“We were beaten in two semi-finals by Nemo,” he said on Thursday before Sunday’s AIB GAA All-Ireland senior club championship final against Cuala at Croke Park. “My father played centre half back in the 1993 team. We’d still laugh about it at home. I have four other siblings and Mummy used to be spooning the hot dinners into us at eight o’clock in the morning to head to these Ulster club games and ensure we weren’t hungry.
“I remember everything about the 2002 game [Ulster final]. I remember jumping over the subs bench on to the Clones field. I remember running down to Enda McGinley [the current team’s manager, who he substituted on his 2005 senior club debut at the age of 17], running to Peter Canavan. Those boys were our heroes at the time. So, it really is a special time for our whole club, especially the younger people. Long may it continue.”
Those two semi-final defeats at the hands of Cork kingpins Nemo, who top the All-Ireland club roll of honour, were as far as the club – or any Tyrone senior champions – had got to date.
So, last Saturday was a red-letter day for the whole county when they once again went to extra-time against the Munster champions – Dr Crokes – and on this occasion they prevailed.
McRory’s role in recent times has been getting sprung off the bench, as he was last weekend in Newbridge. There hasn’t been room for sentiment in these appearances, as Errigal’s matches generally go right down to the wire.
“For me, there isn’t really much instruction ... (that’s) kind of given before the game; it’s all about playing to your strengths. Probably one of mine is getting on the ball, getting it moving, going forward, setting up scores. I just try and do that.
“As soon as I come on the field, I always try and get on the ball, maybe have a voice about there as well. I’d probably be known ... to talk to younger players through the game – not that I’ve been in many All-Ireland semi-finals before. We have been in a fair few clutch games, I suppose, in the Tyrone championship.”
Not just locally either: just one of their nine matches to date has been won by more than a score; one went to replay and last Saturday’s to extra time.
Powering the Errigal attack is the twin threat of the in-form Canavan brothers, captain Darragh and younger brother Ruairí. They contributed 1-13 to the 2-18 scored in last week’s All-Ireland semi-final.
McRory remembers playing with their father, football icon Peter, who captained Tyrone’s first All-Ireland winning team in 22 years ago.
“I played two or three years with Peter and the two young lads used to come to training. Around that time was the introduction of the goalkeeper tees. Ruairí used to come with the goalkeeper tees and a big pair of gloves.
“I don’t know if he wanted to be a goalkeeper or he thought it was cool or maybe he saw himself as a future Stephen Cluxton. Thankfully, he’s moved out of goals and he’s now up at the forward end.
“In terms of Darragh, I suppose he was the firstborn son and there was a lot of air time with him. I remember him from an under-14 school game for St Ciarán’s and he was interviewed after. I’ve always seen him from under-8s, -10s, -12s, -14′. I actually coached him myself at under-14s.
“I would stress that they’re two great lads. They come from two good families, McGarrys and the Canavans, so they’re going to be well grounded lads.”
Although there is a scattering of Croke Park experience among intercounty players in the club’s panel, he believes that the significance of Sunday’s first appearance at headquarters will be enduring, either way.
“The Errigal Ciarán jersey has never been worn or played in Croke Park. It’s absolutely massive. Wearing the jersey in Croke Park will inspire a lot of people.”
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