History made, dreams fulfilled, and a moment that will live forever. With the very last kick, Niall Morgan’s sensational two-pointer broke Errigal Ciaran hearts and crowned Edendork Tyrone Senior Football Champions for the first time ever.
This was a gripping encounter from the first minute until the last, an unanswered 1-4 before the break, including an expertly dispatched Darren McCurry penalty that brought Edendork from four down, to two ahead at the break summoned a real belief.
A club, a community and a dream started to look like a real possibility. Morgan has won it all with his county Tyrone, including an All-Ireland in 2021 alongside two All-Stars, but doing it for his parish adds extra satisfaction.
“This is the pinnacle. No matter where I go in life, it’s Edendork first. Edendork, Tyrone, Ulster, Ireland. It doesn’t matter. It’s Edendork. People used to say, where are you from? They used to say, a wee place outside Dungannon,” Morgan told BBC Sport NI.
“Now it seems like a pretty big place. We just need to get a load of houses built and get all these people into living there and we’d become a super club.”
“Impossible to sum up how I feel. As a club we’ve waited 94 years for this. My 20th season as a senior player.
“Looking at my two kids playing chase on the stairs. What this means to me and this club will never be put in words. I didn’t know there was this many people from Edendork. It’s going to be a party tonight.
Three late scores including two from Peter Harte edged Errigal one ahead, and it looked like they were going to claim a third title in five seasons right at the last.
But, Edendork were not going to denied their place in history, becoming the second Tyrone club in succession to win their first ever O’Neill Cup title by appearing in their maiden decider.
“Getting to the final after 94 years is just special in itself. To get over the line and finish the job is amazing,” Morgan continued.
“Daddy’s words to me were, you don’t understand, and I don’t. You think you do, but for men like that, that turned the pitch 90 degrees to change its direction, took out electric poles, bought land. All you have to do is look around. This is it.”
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