Donnelly goal is key for Trillick

Trillick 1-8  Ardboe 0-9

A WIN by two points after a below-par display overall is just about satisfactory for the county champions who are into the Senior Championship semi-final following this victory over a battling Ardboe on Sunday.

Mattie Donnelly first half goal and a series of well-taken scores during the final quarter proved to be the difference between the teams at Pairc Naomh Colmcille. But this year’s Tyrone championship has produced a number of last gasp goals and the possibility of another was very real right until the end of this quarter final encounter.

Both teams struggled to really find their form in the first half. Perhaps that was due to the heat at Pairc Colmcille in Carrickmore, or the massed defences which thwarted the space available to their respective opposition attacks.

The half-time score of 1-4 to 0-5 for Trillick probably reflected the overall course of the game. For, while the Reds looked at times like forging further ahead, they were also fortunate that Ardboe’s accuracy let them down on numerous occasions.

It was the Loughshore side who started more brightly. Points from David Mulgrew and Shay McGuigan edged them ahead, as the efforts of Shea O’Hare, Aidan Duffy and Cormac Devlin also boosted their confidence. But even at that early stage, they lacked attacking bite, and a number of wides also undermined them.

Rory Brennan raced through the centre in characteristic style to open the Trillick account. Their economy of effort augured well, as Ritchie Donnelly made space for himself to bring the teams level.

The Reds challenge was enlivened right at the end of the first quarter with a great goal. A move which began in their own square when Ritchie Donnelly intercepted a dangerous Ardboe attack culminated in a great pass from James Garrity to Mattie Donnelly. He duly obliged by rounding the Rossa defence before firing to the net.

That left them 1-2 to 0-2 ahead, and provided a golden opportunity press even further ahead. However, things didn’t work to plan, and their sporadic attacks from then until the interval failed to yield the impact that they sought.

Ardboe corner back, Aidan Duffy found himself in on goal and pointed when he could and probably should have hit the net. But the score highlighted his team’s workrate. Time and again, Michael O’Neill, Cormac Devlin, Shea O’Hare and Shay McGuigan pressed forward. Unfortunately for them, five wides over the course of the opening 20 minutes meant that they didn’t totally capitalise.

The county champions seemed to have the greater attacking threat. But they couldn’t really utilise the threat posed by Mattie Donnelly, James Garrity and Ciaran Daly. Points from James Garrity and Lee Brennan boosted their total and they led by 1-4 to 0-5 at half-time. Still, there was little between them at that stage and everything still to play for.

More of the same level of stalemate prevailed during the third quarter, but it was Ardboe who displayed the greater attacking imagination. Points from Shea McGuigan and David Mulgrew brought them level. Importantly, though, the promptings of Shea O’Hare, Michael O’Neill and Shea Quinn caused the Trillick defence problems.

The Rossas momentarily looked capable of causing a shock. But they were eventually thwarted when Trillick finally and just about found their form. Good work from Stephen O’Donnell, Peter McCaughey and Rory Brennan saw them soak up the Ardboe pressure, and leave the way clear for them to make inroads during the closing stages.

Daire Gallagher took a pass from Mattie Donnelly to regain the lead for them. Then Rttchie Donnelly assisted Liam Gray who made no mistake from long range. This was more like it from the St Macartan’s as the calm approach of Rory Brennan, and the fielding of Ritchie Donnelly and Liam Gray finally gained them a foothold.

Their advantage was stretched to three again when Peter McCaughey got forward to place Daire Gallagher. Now, it was Ardboe who were struggling to find the form of earlier in the game. They pressed and were rewarded when Cormac Devlin fired over. But, from then on, Trillick’s counter-attacks were leading to a wave of attacks.

James Garrity and Lee Brennan’s movement created openings, while Mattie Donnelly also orchestrated a number of attacks. The in-running Seanie O’Donnell and Ciaran Daly ensured that the county champions remained in the ascendency.

A point courtesy fo Ryan Gray made it 1-8 to 0-8 with time running out. For all, that though, the Reds shot a number of wides that ensured the closing stages were more nerve-wrecking than should have been the case.

Shea Quinn reduced the deficit to two, but Ardboe’s hopes of snatching a late goal never materalised and it was the westerners who ultimately progressed.

The Scorers
Trillick

Mattie Donnelly 1-0, Daire Gallagher 0-2, Rory Brennan 0-1, Lee Brennan 0-1, James Garrity 0-1, Ryan Gray 0-1, Liam Gray 0-1, Ritchie Donnelly 0-1.

Ardboe
David Mulgrew 0-3 (1 OM), Shay McGuigan 0-2 (2f), Aidan Duffy 0-1, Cormac Devlin 0-1, Shea Quinn 0-1, Michael O’Neill 0-1.