By Niall Gartland
ERRIGAL Ciaran joint-captain Meabh Corrigan (pictured) is hoping to end her wait for a second senior championship medal when they come up against rivals St Macartan’s in Saturday’s final at O’Neill’s Healy Park.
Corrigan was only 15 years old when she pocketed her first medal at this level when Errigal edged St Macartan’s by a single point back in 2015.
You can’t blame her for thinking that she’d add to her haul in the years that followed, but St Macartan’s put the foot down and have basically dominated Tyrone ladies football for a sustained period.
Corrigan, who jointly captains the side with Claire Canavan, says it would mean so much if Errigal end their wait and get back to the top of the tree this weekend.
“2015 was my first year playing senior football, I was only 15 when we won our last title and we’d been very successful at underage level as well,” she said.
“I was used to winning and I thought that’s just the way things went, but we haven’t won another senior championship title since so I’ve come to learn that it takes a lot of hard work and doesn’t just happen by accident. We’re looking forward to the weekend and it’s been eight long years but we’re hoping we can get it right on the day.”
Corrigan, who hails from Altamuskin, says they want to give something back to a club that have supported them in every respect. She’s also mindful of the supporters who have come out in numbers this year.
“We’ve had great support this year – I know every club probably thinks they have the best fans but honestly the support we have is second to none. It gave the club a massive lift when the men’s team won the championship last year, and that’s been a motivation for us as we want to give something back to the club as well. I can’t speak highly enough of Errigal, our ladies team is treated just as well as the men so it’d be great to replicate their achievements of last year.”
Both teams have been in tremendous form – Errigal were imperious throughout the league and claimed big wins over Moortown and Aodh Ruadh en route to the final, but Ryan McMenamin’s St Macartan’s team are a big step up. Time will tell whether Errigal have the measure of the challenge.
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