Maghera edge Corn na nÓg Thriller

St Patrick’s Maghera 3-16 Omagh CBS 5-9

From Kevin Kelly in Derrytresk
Anyone who was fortunate enough to be in Derrytresk on Saturday afternoon were treated to absolute thrilling Danske Bank Corn na nÓg decider as St Patrick’s Maghera took on the gallant Omagh CBS side.

In the end it took extra time to decide two well matched sides who gave it everything that they had it pursuit of glory. Omagh CBS led for most of the game and in fact were ten points clear going into the final quarter only to be reeled in by pre-match favourites Maghera.

In extra time Maghera looked like they were going to assume control but Omagh stuck to the task in hand and came perilously close to snatching victory right at the end when Dillon Chism’s shot went just the wrong side of the right hand post.

Dara McPeake and Charlie Donnelly traded early points before the latter struck for a 3rd minute Omagh goal. A Shea Birt brace reduced the gap but Omagh will feel that they should have been further in front as they missed a number of chances.
Danny McDermott had a Maghera point but just before half time Donnelly turned sharply and ran through to fire to the bottom right hand corner of the net for a 2-3 to 0-4 interval advantage.
Chism and Ciaran Chambers exchanged points before Donnelly burst through the Maghera defence and just as he appeared to have lost control of the ball he toe poked it to the net to complete his hat trick.
Two minutes later Omagh substitute Charlie McCrory blasted the ball to the roof of the net to leave the Tyrone school 4-4 to 0-7 in front and seemingly well on their way to the title.

Maghera though had other ideas as they began to play their best football. Chambers and Conor Downey had points before Conor Coyle bagged a 50th minute goal.

The pressure was now mounting on the Omagh CBS defence and Chambers, Tom Quinn, McDermott and Tiarnan McCormack closed the gap further before an injury time score from Downey sent the game to extra time, 4-5 to 1-14.

Chambers opened the scoring in extra time but moments later McCrory got his second goal of the contest to put Omagh back in front. Downey replied with a free before substitute Lee O’Neill blasted the ball into the roof of the Omagh net.

That left Maghera leading 5-5 to 2-16 at half-time in extra time but on the re-start Reece McAleer reduced the deficit to the minimum. A second O’Neill goal looked to have sealed it for Maghera but again Omagh hit back through Nathan Farry and a Donnelly brace but the Derry school held on.

St Patrick’s Maghera: C McCallion, R McErlean, B Butcher, C Bradley, T McCormack (0-2), F McEldowney, D McDermott (0-2), D McPeake (0-1), T Quinn (0-1, 1F), F McShane, S Birt (0-2), A Donnelly, C Coyle (1-0), C Chambers (0-5, 1F), C Downey (0-3, 2F).

Subs: J McGuckian for Donnelly, L O’Neill (2-0) for McShane, C Moore for Coyle, S Walsh for Chambers, E Hasson for Butcher,

Omagh CBS: C McGillion, S Broderick, B Lynch, N McGlinchey, C Daly, N Farry (0-2), D Chism (0-1), R McKinney, C Donnelly (3-5, 3F), N McCarney, T Gavin, D Devine, R McAleer (0-1), E Donaghy, A Colton.

Subs: C McCrory (2-0) for Gavin, C Hughes for McKinney, B Gallagher for McGlinchey, S Donnelly for Hughes

Referee: P Faloon, Down