The Canavan brothers inspired Errigal Ciaran to a thrilling 2-18 to 1-18 extra-time victory over Dr Crokes in the opening All-Ireland Club Football semi-final as they became the first Tyrone team to reach the decider.
Darragh Canavan finished with 1-6 with Ruairi notching 0-7 although Joe Oguz contributed massively in extra-time as his sensational goal started an unanswered run of 1-3 which eventually broke Crokes despite Charlie Keating’s late major for the Munster champions.
Errigal’s Ulster Final match-winner Peter Og McCartan also produced another huge intervention with his levelling point from play in second-half injury-time after two-time champions Crokes had appeared to have snatched victory.
Errigal Ciaran’s and Tyrone’s losing run in All-Ireland Club semi-finals had seemed destined to continue after almost incredibly, Ruairi Canavan and then Ben McDonnell fired injury-time wides before McCartan took the responsibility to swing over a superb score from distance.
But for the most of the Newbridge contest, Errigal Ciaran’s performance was all about the Canavan brothers’ brilliance.
Padraig McGirr, having come on seconds earlier, was the first Errigal player apart from the Canavans to register a score when his 54th-minute point put the Ballygawley club 1-11 to 0-13 ahead.
Darragh Canavan’s goal had come some 14 minutes earlier as he blasted to the net after being found by a sublime pass from his brother.
Ruairi Canavan also produced the pass for Oguz’s goal before the midfielder ran on to produce a wondrous finish with the outside of his right boot.
