HISTORY can lie heavily on teams, especially if the wait to repeat previous success goes on and on.
For Tommy Canavan, though, the two Ulster titles won by his club Errigal Ciaran aren’t burdensome, in fact quite the opposite.
“I wouldn’t say it has weighed on us,” insists the 32-year-old attacker. “If anything, it has probably inspired us down through the years.
“I was only 10 years old the last time we were in an Ulster final, and I just loved coming to watch those games.
“If we’re having that impact on our younger generation coming through, that’s great – but there’s nothing to show for it yet, we’re only in a final, and we’ve a Titanic battle on our hands against Kilcoo.”
The Down men have much more recent experience, and success in Ulster: winners in 2019 and 2021 and finalists in 2022, and will be warm favourites to regain the trophy from Derry side Glen.
Twenty-two years ago it was Fermanagh champions Enniskillen Gaels who Errigal edged out to win the Seamus Mac Ferran Cup for a second time, after their initial success in 1993.
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For a young Tommy, though, the epic route to the final is what he remembers: an astonishing quarter-final trilogy and then dethroning the reigning Ulster and All-Ireland champions:
“My memories of that year are probably the three Crossmaglen games and the Ballinderry game after, more so. Those tussles, travelling round the country watching the games. Great times. Those men are remembered because they got over the line, so we want to do the same.”
As a player this is his third crack at Ulster. Two years ago they lost a thrilling quarter-final against eventual champions Glen of Derry, their first foray into provincial combat for 12 years, due to the famously competitive nature of the Tyrone championship.
Back in 2012 they’d beaten Ballinderry again, after thrashing Cavan champions Mullahoran in the preliminary round, but couldn’t make it past the last four. “It was Crossmaglen who got the better of us that time,” recalls Canavan. “Semi-final was as far as we got.”
This year they faced Armagh champions again at the semi-final stage, but got the job done – just – against Clann Eireann.
“That was about getting over the line and making a final appearance for the first time in 22 years.”
The final whistle in Páirc Esler after that 0-14 to 1-10 win over the Lurgan side was a particularly meaningful moment for Canavan and other older heads on the Errigal team, he acknowledged:
“We have been pushing. There’s probably a few boys knocking about who weren’t even born the last time we were there.
“Myself and Petey [Harte], Aidy [McCrory], ‘Rio’ [Ciaran Quinn], those older players, know what it looks like and have been there to watch those games. We’re just trying to do our bit for the club, try to pull the younger boys along as best we can.”
In charge of the team is someone who would have watched in 1993 then played his part in the 2002 triumph, manager Enda McGinley.
Canavan praises the latest clubman trying to extend Errigal’s tradition of success: “He’s been fantastic.
“We’re so blessed within Errigal that we’ve had the men to take us over the last number of years, from Pascal [Canavan] to Mark [Harte] and Adrian [O’Donnell], and now on to Enda.
“I think there’s something to that. Enda has just taken the baton on to another level, he’s brought a freshness and evolved us; let’s hope we can keep it going for him.”
Indeed, although it was almost ‘the Canavan show’ against Clann Eireann – with Tommy’s two frees adding to nine points from his cousin Ruairi and two scores from the latter’s older brother, and captain, Darragh – Tommy insists it was an all-round team effort:
“I don’t know about me doing much,” he said with a laugh, “but Ruairi definitely stood up to the plate, fair dues to him, he’s got that in his locker.
“It took Ruairi’s scores, it took Ciaran Quinn’s block, it took men in defence getting hands in there and fighting it out, and we got over the line.”
That last phrase was one he used repeatedly about that extremely hard-fought semi-final win over Clann Eireann, who played most of the second half with only 14 men.
“It’s fine, fine margins in Ulster Club Football, so just delighted to get over the line – but we’ve a lot to work on.”
Canavan knows that Errigal can – and must - play better, but he was delighted with the determination shown to win through to Sunday’s decider:
“You get days like that where it doesn’t seem to click for you and the other side get waves of momentum. You just have to fight it out, bit by bit, hopefully chip in with enough scores here and there.
“Ulster Club football is not always swashbuckling football in the depths of winter; it’s just about doing enough to get over the line.
“We knew by the clips we’d watched of them that they were a quality side. They dogged it out in Armagh, showed glimpses of real quality football – and then you take in their Armagh players too, they’ve quality ballers there and played some brilliant football. Thankfully we just did enough at the end.”
More, much more, will surely be needed to see off Kilcoo though, he accept: “Over the last few years they’ve been the kingpins of Ulster, really. They’ve picked up a few Ulster titles and were something else [against Scotstown] in their semi-final.
“If the performance that we put out [against Clann Eireann] comes out the next day it’ll be nowhere near good enough against Kilcoo. It’s a massive task, but we look forward to it.”
