By 
CORN NA NOG CUP SEMI-FINAL
St Patrick’s Academy 3-14 Omagh CBS 2-17
(AET: Dungannon won on pens)
ST Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon are through to the Danske Bank Corn na Óg Final after winning a gripping encounter with Omagh CBS at Plunkett Park in Pomeroy.
It was a contest that was laced with quality football from both sides, and they couldn’t be separated after normal and extra time and it required penalties to decide as Dungannon made it through to the decider against St Pat’s Maghera.
Omagh enjoyed a great start to the contest with points from Eamon Barrett and Daniel Colton coming either side of an eighth-minute Cathaoir Gormley goal. Pearse Barrett opened Dungannon’s account, and in the 14th minute, the same player fired the ball to the net.
Sixty seconds later Academy corner forward Conor Rafferty raised a green flag as well before tagging on a point.
Daniel Colton and Caellum Hendron traded points before Sean and Daniel Colton reduced the deficit to the minimum.
It was Dungannon, though, who closed out the first half on top with a brace from Barrett to leave it 2-5 to 1-5 at halftime.
Hendron opened the second half scoring but Omagh CBS responded with two quickfire points from Cormac McGarvey. Senan Kelly and Donal Devlin had points for Dungannon but Omagh stayed on their heels thanks to scores from Daniel Colton (2) and Dan Sheridan.
Charlie Hughes and Jake Mulligan then both registered for Dungannon and they were looking the likely winners at this stage with less than five minutes left on the clock.
The impressive Daniel Colton hit a brace for Omagh but going into injury time midfielder Kelly looked as though he had secured victory for Dungannon when he put them three clear. There was to be one last twist, however, as Colton sent the ball to the net right at the end to leave it 2-12 apiece.
In the first period of extra time Omagh CBS were the better side as they held their opponents scoreless while hitting points from Patrick Turner, Daniel Colton and Ciaran McBrearty. In the opening attack of the second period Barrett scored for Dungannon but Thomas Colton cancelled that out at the other end of the field. Kelly then reduced the deficit before a 75th minute goal from Mulligan edged Dungannon back in front.
It came as no surprise though that Daniel Colton sent over the equaliser to send the match to a penalty shootout after which Dungannon prevailed.
Scorers
Dungannon Academy: Pearse Barrett 1-4, Conor Rafferty 1-2, Jake Mulligan 1-1, Senan Kelly 0-3, Caellum Hendron 0-2, Donal Devlin 0-1, Charlie Hughes 0-1.
Omagh CBS: Daniel Colton 1-9, Cathaoir Gormley 1-0, Cormac McGarvey 0-2, Eamon Barrett 0-1, Sean Colton 0-1, Dan Sheridan 0-1, Thomas Colton 0-1, Patrick Turner 0-1, Ciaran McBrearty 0-1.
