And so another Tyrone Senior Football Championship winning side has fallen at the first hurdle in Ulster.
Errigal Ciaran, Dromore, Trillick, Coalisland and Omagh have all tried and failed to pass the first round of the provincial series for the last five successive seasons. Dungannon didn’t get the chance to better that record when Covid forced the cancellation of the 2020 Ulster Club Championship.
Indeed, Tyrone’s record in Ulster over the last two decades makes for grim reading.
Read more: Classy Canavans can't inspire Errigal Ciaran to victory as Glen edge Ulster Club thriller
Sunday’s defeat for Errigal came 20 years after they famously won the Ulster Club Championship for the second time in their short history.
Omagh are the only other Tyrone team to have reached the provincial final in that time with St Enda’s losing out to Slaughtneil in the 2014 decider.
Remarkably, the Tyrone Senior champions have fallen in the first game in Ulster 10 times in 20 years and, in total, have won just 15 games at the grade in the last two decades.
That’s in stark contrast to their exploits in the inter-county scene during that period.
The Red Hands won four All-Ireland titles between 2003 and 2021 and seven Ulster Championships.
Perhaps county success and a prolonged Championship run has been to the detriment of the senior club sides? Yet, Tyrone’s struggles at the senior grade hasn’t stopped other clubs from making their mark at Intermediate and Junior level.
The county have annexed seven Ulster Intermediate titles and six Junior titles with Moy (2017), Cookstown (2009 and 2012) winning Intermediate All-Irelands while Greencastle won the 2007 Junior All-Ireland.
The Tyrone Senior Football Championship is rightly lauded throughout Ireland for being one of the best and exciting club competitions in the country.
This year’s decider between Errigal and Carrickmore was a gripping and compelling encounter between two great rivals.
The Dunmoyle side also beat the likes of Dromore and Dungannon on their way to lifting the O’Neill Cup and seemed well equipped for a challenge at provincial glory. Manager Mark Harte, himself an Ulster Club winner during his playing days, had a squad littered with current and former Tyrone players.
Peter Harte, Darragh Canavan, Joe Oguz, Niall Kelly, Ben McDonnell and goalkeeper Darragh McAnenly are all on the Tyrone panel while Ruairi Canavan was called up ahead of last summer’s Qualifier loss to Armagh following his exploits with the Tyrone U20 squad.
Unfortunately for Errigal, they ran into a Glen team who appear to be at the peak of their powers despite the loss of the influential Ciaran McFaul.
A few other Tyrone winners can bemoan unlucky first round draws in recent years, while Derrygonnelly defeated Dromore after extra-time last year and beat Trillick on penalties in 2019.
The competitiveness of the Tyrone Senior Championship may be both a blessing and a curse.
The sheer volume of different teams entering the Ulster Club Championship means no one team is gaining valuable experience on the provincial stage.
Carrickmore were the last team to retain the O’Neill Cup back in 2005 and, since then, eight different teams have the county title.
Of this year’s representatives in Ulster, several will fancy their chances of being back in 2023. Glen, Kilcoo and Crossmaglen will be hot favourites to win their respective county championships next season. Enniskillen Gaels, Ballybay and Cargin too will be strong contenders too.
Errigal Ciaran will have a rejuvenated Carrickmore side to contend with in Tyrone next year with Dromore, Trillick, Dungannon and Coalisland, among others, also vying for their title.
There’s no guarantee we’ll see the Canavan siblings selling dummy solos in Ulster next season. Another fresh challenger could emerge from Tyrone and clearing that first hurdle in Ulster will remain just as daunting.
Tyrone’s Ulster Club Senior Club Championship record (2002 to 2022 inclusive):
2022 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Errigal Ciaran lost to Glen (3-10 to 1-12)
2021 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Dromore lost to Derrygonnelly AET (1-16 to 0-13)
2020 No competition due to Covid
2019 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Trillick lost to Derrgonnelly 6-5 on pens (3-11 to 1-17 AET)
2018 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Coalisland lost to Crossmaglen (0-12 to 0-10)
2017 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Omagh lost to Slaughtneil (0-10 to 0-8)
2016 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Killyclogher beat Cargin (2-10 to 1-8); semi-final: Killyclogher lost to Slaughtneil (1-11 to 0-8)
2015 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Trillick beat Naomh Conaill (2-9 to 1-11); semi-final: Trillick lost to Scotstown (2-9 to 2-7)
2014 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Omagh beat Crossmaglen (2-8 to 1-9); semi-final: Omagh beat St Eunan’s (1-8 to 0-8); final: Omagh lost to Slaughtneil (1-10 to 1-9)
2013 Ulster Club SFC Preliminary Round: Clonoe lost to Ballinderry (0-14 to 0-10)
2012 Ulster Club SFC Preliminary Round: Errigal Ciaran beat Mullahoran (4-15 to 1-7); quarter-final: Errigal Ciaran beat Ballinderry (0-11 to 0-10); semi-final: Errigal Ciaran lost to Crossmaglen (2-10 to 0-10)
2011 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Dromore lost to Ballinderry (1-11 to 0-12)
2010 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Coalisland beat Rosslea (1-10 to 1-7); semi-final: Coalisland lost to Naomh Conaill (1-10 to 1-9)
2009 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Dromore lost to Clontibret (0-10 to 0-8)
2008 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Clonoe lost to St Eunan’s (2-10 to 1-8)
2007 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Dromore beat Mayobridge after a replay (1-9 to 1-7); semi-final: Dromore lost to Crossmaglen (2-6 to 0-11)
2006 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Errigal Ciaran beat Enniskillen Gaels (0-7 to 0-6); semi-final: Errigal Ciaran lost to Ballinderry after a replay (1-15 to 3-7)
2005 Ulster Club SFC Preliminary round: Carrickmore beat Teemore (2-10 to 0-5); quarter-final: Carrickmore lost to St Gall’s (1-11 to 0-8)
2004 Ulster Club SFC preliminary round: Carrickmore beat Derrygonnelly (3-11 to 0-5); quarter-final: Carrickmore beat St Gall’s after a replay (1-11 to 0-10); semi-final: Carrickmore lost to Mayobridge (2-7 to 0-11)
2003 Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Killyclogher lost to Crossmaglen (2-10 to 1-7)
2002: Ulster Club SFC quarter-final: Errigal Ciaran beat Crossmaglen after two replays (1-13 to 1-10); semi-final: Errigal Ciaran beat Ballinderry (0-10 to 0-4); final: Errigal Ciaran beat Enniskillen Gaels (0-8 to 1-3)
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