Omagh CBS advance to the Dalton Cup Final

Omagh CBS 1-14 St.Mary’s Magherafelt 3-7

A brilliant contest between two well matched sides was decided by Omagh CBS defender Odhran Goodman as he landed the winning point two minutes into injury time to beat a gallant St.Mary’s Magherafelt side in the Ulster Schools Dalton Cup semi-final.

It was a game that saw both sides enjoy spells of dominance with first of all Omagh racing into an eight point lead before their opponents had opened their account.

Twice in the closing minutes Magherafelt had managed to turn things around to get their noses in front but each time Daniel Colton and then Cormac McGarvey equalised before Goodman had the final say to send them into the decider where they will meet Abbey CBS or St.Ronan’s Lurgan.

Patrick Turner opened the scoring for the winners in the fifth minute an Colton added a point from a free before the latter got the opening goal of the contest in the eighth minute. Full forward Jack McCarroll then got his name on the scoresheet before a brace from Colton left the Brothers leading 1-5 to 0-0 at the end of the opening quarter.

The Derry school were struggling but they rallied after a Tommy Loughran free in the 21^st minute got them up and running. Kevin Johnston tagged on another point and four minutes before the interval they were right back in the contest as Jude Devlin found the net to leave it 1-5 to 1-2.

Billy McElholm opened the second half scoring within sixty seconds and when McGarvey tagged on another point in the next attack it looked as though Omagh CBS were going to take a grip on proceedings again.

A 33^rd minute penalty from full forward Matthew Ward though threw Magherafelt a lifeline but Omagh responded with points from McGarvey and Turner. Ward and Turner then exchanged points before Dan Sheridan raised a white flag for Omagh to keep them in front at the end of the third quarter.

St.Mary’s Magherafelt though were proving difficult to shake off and after Kane had pointed a 52nd minute Loughran goal saw the lead change hands. Colton sent over the equaliser but back came St.Mary’s with Ward on target again to edge them back in front in the 58^th minute.

In the next attack McGarvey tied the game and it looked set for extra time until Goodman scored a dramatic injury time winner.

Omagh scorers: Patrick Turner 1-3, Daniel Colton 0-4 (2F), Cormac McGarvey 0-3, Jack McCarroll 0-1, Billy McElholm 0-1, Dan Sheridan 0-1, Odhran Goodman 0-1

Magherafelt scorers: Matthew Ward 1-2 (1-0 pen), Tommy Loughran 1-1 (1F), Jude Devlin 1-0, Daithi Kane 0-2, Kevin Johnston 0-1, Pauric McGuckin 0-1