Carrickmore players are distraught while the Clonoe men celebrate

Tyrone’s Carrickmore and Clonoe provided further evidence that the Red Hand county’s football championship is the most exciting and competitive in Ulster.

Their Championship clash, in which O’Rahilly’s beat Carmen by 3-9 to 1-13, led Derry men like Paddy Bradley to reiterate that other counties can only look on and admire the competition.

Carrickmore were the  better team for much of the match, but Clonoe’s goals made the difference.

PJ Lavery got the first major after just two minutes, but Carrickmore went on to lead 0-6 to 1-0. Dan McNulty and Paul Coney scores reduced the gap to the minimum, but by half time Carrickmore were ahead by 0-9 to 1-4. They got level after Connor McAliskey and McNulty found the target, but Carrickmore hit them with a goal from Jonathan Munroe.

Clonoe’s doggedness was a key components of their success, and that showed when Connor McAliskey and PJ Lavery combined for the latter to get his second goal. Carrickmore managed to get back into the lead as the tension in the game became almost unbearable.

The game winner was Dan McNulty who for the third week in a row stepped up to get a late winner for his side, this time receiving a high pass from Lavery before poking the ball to the net.

Here’s what was said about the match on Twitter:

Repeat of last week Dan McNulty dramatic late goal- Clonoe 3-9 Carrickmore 2-13 in injury time #TyroneSFC

— Barry O’Donnell (@bod_uherald) September 17, 2016

Tyrone C’ship is something else, credit where it is due…Clonoe & Carrickmore both deserve ? Cruel sport, but GAA still the best there is??

— Brendan Quinn (@BrendanQuinn100) September 17, 2016

@teamtalkmagLIVE Clonoe & Carrickmore both deserve a lot of credit today. That was championship football at its very best. Classic contest.

— Colin Mackle (@ColinMackleMoy) September 17, 2016

Carrickmore Clonoe sounded like a classic. Dont think there’s a championship about to match Tyrone for competitiveness and drama

— Paddy Bradley (@PaddyB14) September 17, 2016

Clonoe win thriller 3-9 to 2-13- they drew Coalisland in semis- its Dromore vs Killyclogher in the other tie #TyroneSFC

— Barry O’Donnell (@bod_uherald) September 17, 2016

More excitement in a few weeks of Tyrone club championship than the entire county championship since May #GAA

— Ronan McSherry (@RonanMcSherryUH) September 17, 2016