Penalty shootout heartache for Lough lads

TRILLICK 0-13 LOUGHMACRORY 0-13

(aet, Trillick won 4-3 on pens)

TRILLICK keeper Joe Maguire emerged as their penalty shoot-out hero late into the night at O’Neill’s Healy Park on Friday, his two fine saves ensuring that the Reds finally shook off the brave resistance of crestfallen Loughmacrory in the first round of the Tyrone Senior Championship.

The St Teresa’s showed tremendous resilience and character throughout this riveting affair, the introduction of sub Pauric Meenagh at half-time kickstarting their challenge after a first period dominated by the Reds.

Meenagh banged over a wonder score in the 65^th minute (he hit five in total) to send the contest into extra-time- with the sides deadlocked at 0-10 apiece. With their spirits soaring Loughmacrory then jumped two in front when action resumed, but Trillick kept their composure and nerve, the wily heads of Rory Brennan and Richard Donnelly pivotal in this regard, and ultimately it required spot-kicks to determine the outcome.

While Cathaoir Gallagher and Conall Grimes (whose bustling energy impressed throughout) knocked over confident points to hand Loughmacrory an early advantage inside five minutes, they were soon pegged on the backfoot as the likes of Ciaran Daly and the livewire Seanie O’Donnell helped Trillick gain the ascendancy.

A brace of Lee Brennan frees drew them level, and as a series of costly turnovers began to stymie St Teresa’s challenge, Brennan again with another placed ball, and Ryan Gray, after a rapier burst, put the Reds two in front.

With Stephen Grimes serving ten minutes on the line for a black card offence, Loughmacrory were doing their best to hang on in there but another sweet strike from Daly had them trailing 0-5 to 0-2. St Teresa’s could have found themselves in a deeper hole when Daire Gallagher cut in from the right and smashed an effort off the nearside post, with Rory Brennan’s follow-up attempt cannoning back into play off the bar.

Cathal Donaghy broke Loughmacrory’s scoring drought with an excellent conversion, though the latest classy Daly score at the other end with the outside of the foot, ensured Trillick enjoyed a double scores advantage- 0-6 to 0-3- at the turnaround.

That was still the deficit when sub Meenagh (free) and that man Daly again traded points, but with Trillick having failed to make their dominance count (Seanie O’Donnell being deprived of a goal in one of their latest sorties), Loughmacrory mounted a superb fightback.

Pearse Grimes bulldozed down the middle to rifle over from close range, while Meenagh tagged on another free, and Eoin McElholm cleverly wriggled his way into space to crack over the leveller.

The match had been turned on its head and with their confidence soaring super-sub Meenagh sent over a rocket to put them in front.

This Trillick team have been around the block however and they reasserted some degree of control again with three points on the spin. O’Donnell fisted a score, Daly struck his fourth from play, and Ryan Gray swooped on the counter-attack to register.

While sub Shane Grimes dragged a goal chance wide of the target, Loughmacrory refused to wilt and after Gallagher stroked over a free, it was Meenagh in the dying embers who set up extra-time.

Meenagh again (free) and Gallagher, with a super strike, eased the Lough two ahead, but typical of the see-saw nature of the exchanges, this time Trillick rallied and scores from Rory Brennan, James Garrity and Richard Donnelly (punching over) gave the Reds the edge.

Gallagher restored parity with a close range free right at the death to set up the dreaded penalty shoot-out, and it was Maguire’s brace of saves which made all the difference thereafter.

THE SCORERS

Trillick

Ciaran Daly (0-4), Lee Brennan (0-3,3f), Ryan Gray (0-2), Seanie O’Donnell, Richard Donnelly, Rory Brennan, James Garrity (0-1 each)

Loughmacrory

Pauric Meenagh (0-5,3f), Cathaoir Gallagher (0-4,2f), Conall Grimes, Eoin McElholm, Pearse Grimes, Cathal Donaghy (0-1 each)

THE TEAMS

Trillick

Joe Maguire, Stephen O’Donnell, Peter McCaughey, Daley Tunney, Seanie O’Donnell, Rory Brennan, Daire Gallagher, Richard Donnelly, Liam Gray, Ciaran Daly, Niall Donnelly, Ryan Gray, Daniel Donnelly, Lee Brennan, James Garrity. Subs used: Colm Garrity for N Donnelly (56mins), Darragh McQuaid for P McCaughey (70), Damian Kelly for D Tunney (70), Paul Courtney for L Gray (77)

Loughmacrory

Conor Kelly, Dara Curran, Nathan Kelly, Ronan Fox, Eoin Mullin, Conall Grimes. Pearse Grimes, Arnoldas Macidulskas, Aodhan Donaghy, Shane Dobbs, Cathal Donaghy, Stephen Grimes, Eoin McElholm, Cathaoir Gallagher, Gareth Donaghy. Subs used: Pauric Meenagh for S Grimes (h-time), Shane Grimes for R Fox (h-time), Eoin Donaghy for Arnoldas (37), Leo Meenan for P Grimes (51), Diarmaid Gallagher for S Dobbs (56), Shane Dobbs for E Mullin (73), Ryan Grimley for G Donaghy (77), Ronan Fox for C Kelly (78)

Referee: Stephen Campbell (Stewartstown)