By 
TYRONE UNDER-16 GRADE 1 LEAGUE FINAL
Carrickmore 6-15 Loughmacrory 1-7
AFTER losing out in the championship final a week earlier Carrickmore ensured that they weren’t going to finish the season empty-handed as they produced a superb display of attacking football at Beragh on Saturday afternoon to defeat neighbours Loughmacrory and retain their Under-16 League title.
The crucial spell in the game was in the final six minutes of the first-half and the opening seconds of the second as the winners hit 2-3 without reply to turn a three point deficit into a six point lead and in truth they were never troubled after that.
Up until then Loughmacrory were giving as good as they got with centre half forward Lorcan Meenagh to the fore. Carrickmore though then found their rhythm with Vincent Gormley pulling the strings on the 40 on a day when Finbar Donaghy, Brayden McNally, Ruairi Daly and Conal Loughran all stood out for the winners in a terrific all-round team display.
Ruairi McNamee opened the scoring for Loughmacrory before Gormley levelled matters from a free.
It was a nervous opening from both sides as they struggled for scores with the next one arriving in the 16th minute when a looped shot from Meenagh from the left finished in the back of the Carrickmore net.
Meenagh then tagged on a point with his left before Carrickmore responded when full forward Conal Loughran raised a white flag following a surging run.
Gormley and Loughmacrory defender Hugh Duff exchanged points before Carrickmore assumed control. Gormley landed a brace of well-taken points either side of a 26th-minute goal from McNally when he raced clear of the Loughmacrory defence before the same player had the final say of the half with a point for a 1-6 to 1-3 lead.
Carrickmore couldn’t have wished for a better restart as within 20 seconds the ball was fisted across the goalmouth for Donaghy to finish to the net from close range.
It was a hammer blow to Loughmacrory and Gormley and McNally tagged on points before a Meenagh free got the St Theresas up-and-running in the second half.
Gormley converted a free and in the 42nd minute it was effectively game over as Aaron McElhone, Daly and Joseph Hughes combined for Donaghy to flick the ball to the net.
Meenagh did respond with a quality two-pointer but Carrickmore continued to attack in droves with McNally and Loughran adding points before Donaghy completed his hat-trick after Loughmacrory keeper Oisin McAnespie had denied McNally.
Carrickmore continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over with points from Lorcan Dobbs, Aaron McElhone and Paudi McCallan, with McNally getting their final goal.
Scorers
Carrickmore: Brayden McNally 2-4 (1F), Finbar Donaghy 3-0, Vincent Gormley 0-6 (1F), Conal Loughran 1-1, Lorcan Dobbs 0-2, Aaron McElhone 0-1, Paudi McCallan 0-1 (F).
Loughmacrory: Lorcan Meenagh 1-5 (1 x 2pt, 2F), Ruairi McNamee 0-1, Hugh Duff 0-1.
Teams
Carrickmore: Conall Bennett, Ruairi Daly, Niall Morris, Rian Martin, Padraig Loughran, Finbar Donaghy, James Kerr, Patrick Haughey, Lochlann Gillen, Joseph Hughes, Vincent Gormley, Aaron McElhone, Ronan Hurson, Conal Loughran, Sean Slane. Subs: Brayden McNally for Haughey, Paudi McCallan for Slane, Lorcan Dobbs for Hurson, Oisin McElhone for Aaron McElhone, Conn Hughes for Kerr.
Loughmacrory: Osin McAnespie, Cormac Fox, Eoin Kelly, Tiarnan McAleer, James Conway, Ciaran McCrystal, Hugh Duff, Matthew Mulholland, Damhan Meenagh, Ruairi McNamee, Lorcan Meenagh, Mark Harte, Eolann Kelly, Micheal McCrystal, Owen Kelly. Subs: Cahir Mullin for McAleer, Dara Conway for James Conway, Aidan McElduff for Eoin Kelly, Pearse Kelly for Owen Kelly.
Referee: Niall Conlon, Moortown.
