Ruairí Canavan produces kicking masterclass as Errigal Ciarán make Ulster final

Ruairí Canavan produced a kicking masterclass at Páirc Esler on Sunday, rounding off his man of the match display by curling over the winning score deep in injury-time to earn Errigal Ciarán a first Ulster club SFC final appearance since 2002.
Canavan scored 0-9 of his side’s total, with five coming from play, including the winner off his weaker left foot in the third of four added minutes of this tight and tense provincial club semi-final in Newry.
The Tyrone champions trailed their Armagh opponents by three points in the 40th minute when Clann Éireann were reduced to 14 men after midfielder Tiernan Kelly received a second yellow card.
Kelly, an All-Ireland winner with Armagh in July, picked up his first booking midway through the first half but was then sent to the line 10 minutes after half-time for a tackle on Darragh Canavan.
Within five minutes of that incident Errigal Ciarán had wiped out Clann Éireann’s lead to get back level and in the 48th minute Ruairí popped over a free to edge his side in front. All the momentum appeared to be with Errigal Ciarán.
But credit to 14-man Clann Éireann, they refused to buckle. Dan McCarthy got on the end of a move to bring the Armagh side level again soon after and the teams remained tied until the last minute of normal time when Ruairí sold a lovely dummy to buy some space before clipping over a leading score, 0-13 to 1-9.
Yet again though Clann Éireann refused to go away. In the first minute of injury-time Conor Turbitt picked out sub Rioghan Meehan, who kicked over an equalising point.
With the seconds ticking away most of the 4,894 in attendance were probably anticipating extra-time. But Ruairí Canavan had one last exhibition piece to put on show.
After a patient build-up, the ball eventually made its way to Canavan out wide on the left. If anything, the angle suited cutting inside and kicking off the right, but Canavan instead curled it over with his left, splitting the posts.
“He was superb today and all credit to him because there have been times this season where it has been tough and he has shown huge character,” said Errigal Ciarán manager Enda McGinley.
“On various days we’ve had various people standing up and taking critical scores when maybe Ruairí and Darragh weren’t as prominent, but I thought the two of them were absolutely superb today.
“Quite a few frees scored by Ruairí I’d say would have been on Darragh. He took a hell of a lot of punishment today.”
That he did. If Ruairí was popping over the scores, then Darragh was the man popping out to space to win ball and terrorise the Clann Éireann defence. Time and time again the only way they could stop Darragh was to drag him down.
And yet it would be wrong to assume this was merely the Canavan show. Clann Éireann contributed just as much to the contest and were unlucky not to at least get extra-time out of a match they led for large parts.
Not only did they have Kelly sent off in the second half, but in the first half they lost centre back Seán McCarthy to injury. The night before the game wing back Ryan Owens was involved in a car crash and while togged out in Newry, he was unable to play.
“When you put things in perspective, credit to him, he did everything possible to get out on that field today. He is a massive player and a massive leader for us. It wasn’t to be, unfortunately,” said Clann Éireann manager Ruairí Lavery.
Lavery was magnanimous in defeat but he did feel Kelly was harshly treated.
“He was targeted, let’s call it what it was. There’s no point in mixing the words up, he was absolutely targeted. That’s part of the game. He is such a vital part of our team that it is very hard for him to play on that tightrope when you are on a yellow card.”
The game’s only goal came in first-half injury-time, courtesy of a converted Turbitt penalty. Moments beforehand, Errigal Ciarán’s Niall Kelly had made a goal-line clearance from a Daniel Magee shot.
The penalty gave Clann Éireann a two-point advantage but two quick-fire frees followed from Ruairí Canavan, the second of which was kicked from outside the 45-metre line, to see the sides go in level at the break, 1-5 to 0-8.
Clann Éireann scored the first three points after the restart but Kelly’s sending off halted their gallop and allowed Errigal Ciarán back in the game – a lifeline they took advantage of to ultimately edge out the narrowest of victories.
Errigal Ciarán’s last Ulster success came in that 2002 final, their only previous triumph was in 1993. They will face 2019 and 2021 winners Kilcoo in this year’s decider.
“I’m just immensely proud of the character the boys showed in that second half to keep going and to get over that line,” added McGinley.
“It’s an immense privilege, there have been good teams before us in Errigal, but it’s been 22 years since our club has been in an Ulster club final. To come from the preliminary round and to get to an Ulster club final, that’s a huge thing for the boys.
“As I said to them up there, there’s no point going through that amount of work and then being happy with runners-up medals. But we know the challenge that’s ahead of us.”
Errigal Ciarán (Tyrone): Darragh McAnenly; Aidan McCrory, Cormac Quinn, Ciarán Quinn; Peter Óg McCartan, Niall Kelly, Padraig McGirr; Ben McDonnell, Joe Oguz; Tiarnan Colhoun, Peter Harte, Ciarán McGinley; Darragh Canavan (0-2), Odhran Robinson (0-1), Ruairí Canavan (0-9, four frees). Subs: Mark Kavanagh for McGirr (28 mins); Thomas Canavan (0-2, two frees) for McGinley (ht); Pauric Traynor for Kelly (58 mins).
Clann Éireann (Armagh): Eoghan Mulholland; Emmet Magee, Michael O’Shea, Conan O’Carroll; Seán McCarthy, Barry McCambridge, Shea Heffron; Tiernan Kelly (0-1), Conor McConville (0-1); Redmond French, Daniel Magee (0-2), Jack Conlon; Ruairí McDonald (0-1), Conor Turbitt (1-2, 1-0 penalty, two frees), Dan McCarthy (0-2). Subs: Adam Kelly for McCarthy (21 mins); Rioghan Meehan (0-1) for McDonald (42 mins); Aodhan McConville for French (52 mins); Ethan McKenna for Conlon (58 mins).
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).