BY GEOFFREY GILLIS

IT MAY not be the final that people would have predicted, at the start of the season, as Carrickmore and Strabane go head to head on Sunday evening for the right to be crowned 2008 Tyrone Senior Hurling League Champions. Throw in 6pm. (Venue TBC)

However, for both teams it's an early opportunity to secure silverware following a well organised campaign that for the first time in several years has run smoothly under the guidance of new fixtures Secretary Matt McDermott.

Shamrock's topped the six Division League programme with 8 points to their credit, while Carrickmore secured second place on 6 points by virtue of a better scoring average over Dungannon and Naomh Colum Cille.

Both teams lost one game each, and while people, will argue Shamrock's only qualified for the final by claiming the two points from Dungannon, who failed to travel, club Official Gary McGettigan believes that his team are there on merit."Shamrock's have enjoyed a good season, when you consider that we struggled throughout 2007. Martin McKinney has taken over as our manager. He's a local man, who has returned to the set up following a few years away from the scene We have a number of new faces on the committee, and we have freshened up hurling in the Strabane area.

"During the League campaign we have used upwards of 42 players, and the boys are putting in serious effort at training.

"It's going well and everyone is looking forward to Sunday," he claimed.

McGettigan may be a veteran of the team, but while he acknowledges that Shamrock's have it all to do against Carrickmore, he is optimistic about their chances. "Of course it's going to be a very tough game for us.

" Carrickmore beat us fairly well in the league a few weeks ago. We both had players missing that night, so it's hard to gauge anything from that result. Carrickmore are Carrickmore. They are always strong and will be hot favourites, but I think that could suit us on Sunday"

"Conor Gallagher is back for us now having recently passed out in the Irish Army. He's in great shape at the minute, while Peter O'Connor is hurling again.

"He was the Tyrone Footballers physio and was unavailable most of the time.

"His brothers Gerald and John are also back hurling, while minor players such as Mark Kane, Mark Devine (a brother of Paddy's) and Jason Patton are featuring regularly"

Derry man Gabriel O'Kane is in charge of Carrickmore, and he will relish the challenge on Sunday, as the Eire Og's attempt to highlight their dominance on the club scene.

They lost out to Naomh Colum Cille in the group stages, but such is their talent that they could afford to field two teams in the league. That was a welcome boost for club hurling because it meant extra games in a competitive arena.

Tony Hughes captains the team and alongside Leigh Moore, John Kerr, Noel Hurson and Justin Kelly amongst others, they will be strongly fancied to secure the title.