McCartan answered another Errigal emergency - McGinley

Enda McGinley hailed the Canavan brothers after Errigal Ciaran became the first Tyrone team to reach an All-Ireland Senior Club Football Final but reserved a special mention for Peter Og McCartan's continuing heroics for the Ballygawley side.

The previously unheralded wing-back hit Errigal's winning score in the dramatic Ulster Final win over Kilcoo last month and it was McCartan's last-gasp point which brought Saturday's Newbridge contest to extra-time.

"It's sort of break glass in case of emergency," joked Errigal manager McGinley of McCartan's latest intervention after his side's 2-18 to 1-18 extra-time triumph over Munster champions Dr Crokes at Newbridge.

"I know he said after the Ulster Final that it was more lucky but he does have an effective strike on the ball."

Uncharacteristically, the previous flawless Ruairi Canavan and Ben McDonnell had both missed good scoring chances earlier in second-half injury-time before Crokes' Micheal Burns had appeared to have snatched victory with two minutes of the allotted five remaining.

"I was more than happy because we had messed up one or two attacks before that," added the Errigal Ciaran boss.

"It was brilliant to see that one go over [from Peter Og]. It would have been a sickening one to lose after we had opportunities to get back into the game."

Canavan brothers 'fantastic'

Both Ruairi and Darragh Canavan were simply unmarkable in normal time as they combined to hit Errigal Ciaran's opening 1-10, which included the latter's 40th-minute goal - inevitably set up by a stunning pass by the brother.

Like many players, the Canavan boys suffered from cramp in extra-time but still contributed scores in the 20 added minutes as Darragh finished with 1-6 and Ruairi tallied 0-7.

"The two top men inside were fantastic in normal time but the [other] boys then stood up."

None more so than Joe Oguz who fisted Errigal's last score of the first period of extra-time before hammering in a sensational goal with the outside of his right boot which seemed to finally break Crokes' resistance.

"To get to this level, you need a squad and we have got a good squad there who have trained superbly well over a long, long season. I think it's 150, 160 sessions we were notching up when we last measured it," continued the Errigal boss.

"The panel is strong and we're going to need it because there are plenty of tired legs. After a match like that, you're expecting a few wee things so we'll see what it's like in the dressing-room."

McGinley added that he was "dumbfounded" by the effort his players had expended, adding that having to go to the well so many times in Tyrone Championship battles had served his side well in county Kildare.

"We do take huge pride in our own club football and we came through that match today because of hard lessons that have been learned over multiple years and plenty of defeats in the Tyrone championship for that group."

But the Errigal Ciaran boss added that his players must now quickly recover and re-focus for a decider that will be against a Cuala side spearheaded by Dublin star Con O'Callaghan, who defeated Sligo side Coolera/Strandhill 0-14 to 0-9 in Saturday's second semi-final.

"I'm immensely proud but super aware of the challenge that's ahead now over the next seven, eight days. I suppose my mind turns to that pretty quickly but it's brilliant to be there and have that challenge.

"We know come All-Ireland Final day, there's a winner and a loser. We have to settle our minds and settle ourselves because we can go there as bright eyed all excited that it's our first All-Ireland Final and pat ourselves on the back for that."