'They said we wouldn't' painting up for sale at Cookstown

With the painting are Emma Hughes, Martin McGirr, Owen Mulligan and Peter Canavan.

The Niall Laird painting ‘They said we wouldn’t’, will be auctioned in the Glenavon House Hotel, Cookstown, at an ‘Evening With Sam’ during which a panel of guests including Tyrone manager Feargal Logan, Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney, Joe Brolly and Owen Mulligan will look forward to the upcoming championship.

The evening starts at 7pm and will also celebrate the 2021 Footballer of the Year Kieran McGeary.

August 28 last year has a chapter all of its own in the history of Tyrone GAA.

Turning the clock back a couple of weeks, Tyrone GAA issued a statement saying they were pulling out of their All Ireland semi final clash against Kerry the following weekend due to an outbreak of Covid in the camp.

It was a decision not to be taken lightly but made on the basis of expert medical advice and the Tyrone team were granted an extra week of recovery.

Tyrone were entering a game against arch rivals Kerry who were not only favourites for the game but also for the title itself.

It was only 11 weeks previously that Tyrone had a significant beating from Kerry in the league and hadn’t beaten Kerry in the championship since 2008.

No one knew what shape the Tyrone squad would be in but then general hope from everyone outside the camp was that Tyrone would be competitive and put up a challenge.

Not many, even die hard fans, expected much more.

Thankfully the managment and team ignored that script and what happened next will live long in the memory.

In an unbelievable performance inspired by Man of the Match Kieran McGreary, Tyrone emerged victorious 3-14 to 0-22 after extra time.

The team went on to lift the Sam Maguire and kieran lifted the accolade of All Ireland Senior Footballer of the Year.

Niall Laird’s painting pays homage to the player and the entire squad for what they achieved against all the odds that famous day on August 29 2021.

Tickets are on sale now for £10 and can be purchased from our school office, Forbes Spar in Ardboe, Loughran’s Shop/ Mill wheel in Dunnamore, NISA local in Pomeroy, Meteor Electrical in Kildress and Sheehy’s Cookstown.