Tyrone complete five-in-a-row as they defeat Donegal in the All-Ireland Masters final Boss Joe Leonard has been involved with Tyrone Masters teams since the 1990s and is a former Over-40s player himself while his sons Damien and Kieran are also heavily involved.
Captain Conor Gormley hailed the dedication of the Leonard family as Tyrone set another All-Ireland masters football record.
The Red Hands became the first ever team to win four Over-40s titles in a row last year and held onto the Dr Mick Loftus Cup with a comfortable final win in Cavan.
Three-time Sam Maguire Cup winner Gormley was terrific at centre-back while fellow Tyrone legend Stephen O'Neill pulled the strings again from number 11.
Mark Donnelly, another ex-Tyrone senior, took the Man of the Match award with two goals while former Fermanagh All-Star Marty McGrath netted too.
Shane McCann and Barry Daly raised green flags as well for all-conquering Tyrone who bounced back impressively from a season opener defeat to Cavan.
They took Dublin out at the semi-final stage and were at their ease against Donegal, wrapping up the county's sixth title at the grade by half-time when they led 3-5 to 0-3.
Boss Joe Leonard has been involved with Tyrone Masters teams since the 1990s and is a former Over-40s player himself while his sons Damien and Kieran are also heavily involved.
Asked why Tyrone have bought into the competition so strongly, Gormley pointed to the Leonards and their influence.
"Maybe it's because the Leonards torture us to get us out playing!" smiled Gormley. "But it takes that sometimes, that wee push or kick in the rear to get you out training. Great credit to them for that. A lot of other counties don't have people like that, people who have that drive and that energy. It rubs off on the team."
Tyrone have been training one night a week since March and upped it to two nights for the last month when silverware came into view.
"Boys have been travelling fair distances to do it," said Gormley. "They've put in the shift every night and they've trained hard. The craic is good too and that camaraderie and friendship has definitely built in the group over the last few years."
The Gaelic Masters Association runs the Over-40s tournaments and this year's championship was played under the old rules.
Donnelly wrapped up the first-half scoring for Tyrone with a point from an advanced mark.
McGrath, who plays for Tyrone as Fermanagh don't have a Masters team, added their fourth goal after the restart.
Tyrone were 4-9 to 0-4 up with 20 minutes to go and added a fifth goal in the 47th minute through influential wing-back McCann.
Donegal finished strongest and registered their goal from a 44th minute Brendan Boyle penalty while Patrick McNulty, Damien Browne, Stephen Coyle, Eunan Keaveney and Laurence McMullan knocked over points.
: M Donnelly (2-1, 0-1 mark); B Daly (1-2); S McCann (1-1); M McGrath (1-0); S O'Neill (0-2, 2f); D McDevitt, G Coney, J O'Neill, M Conway (0-1 each).
B Boyle (1-0, pen); D Browne (2 frees), S Maguire (0-2 each); N McGarrigle, P McNulty (1 mark), M Conway, E Keaveney, S Coyle (1 free) (0-1 each).
M McCreesh; D McDevitt, A Brady, L Patterson; S McCann, C Gormley, G Coney; B Collins, J O'Neill; O McAteer, S O'Neill, M Donnelly; D Kelly, M Anderson, B Daly.
: M McGrath, M Grimes, P O'Kane, C Tuohey, K O'Kane, R Quinn, M Conway, D McAnallen, P Tuohey, E McFadden, M Taggart, A Harley, C McMahon, C Campbell.
: K O'Brien; S McDaid, E Ward, G Dunnion; M Donaghey, C McShane, A Thompson; B Doherty, B McLaughlin; D Browne, B Boyle, N McGarrigle; G McBrearty, S Maguire, C Scanlon.
: P Connaghan, E Keaveney, P McNulty, J O'Donnell, S Coyle, D Gallagher, P Doohan, G Doherty, H Foy, D McShane, M Canning, L McMullan, R Lowther, A McMorrow, C Creevy, G Gillen.
J Gilmartin (Sligo).
Published in The Irish Examiner 13/09
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