By 
Omagh CBS 5-10 St Pat’s Armagh 0-13
OMAGH CBS were on fire at a frigid Fintona on Friday evening, hitting five goals to storm through to the semi-finals of the Ulster Schools MacRory Cup at the expense of a shell-shocked St Patrick’s Armagh.
What on paper appeared set to be a tight-fought tussle, featuring a number of last season’s Tyrone All-Ireland Minor winners in direct opposition, proved to be anything but as the Brothers took revenge in superb fashion for their loss to St Pat’s prior to Christmas in the group phases.
Four goals in the opening quarter, dispatched by Eoghan Donnelly, Diarmuid Martin, Cathal Cunningham and Thomas Meenan, left the Orchard lads playing a hapless game of catch-up, which never really looked on the cards, and a blaster to the net by Peter Colton right at the death capped a satisfactory night’s work for Omagh.
In freezing conditions at St Lawrence’s Park, the Brothers grabbed the initiative from the off, superbly marshalled by team captain Michael McNamee from his centre-half back berth.
They enjoyed a dream start with Donnelly fisting Thomas Meenan’s delivery past Armagh keeper Niall Murphy in the third minute to set the tone.
Though Armagh replied courtesy of scores from Cathaoir Hughes (free) and Danny McGrugan, which sandwiched a lovely Omagh conversion by Harley Patton, the Brothers were carving them open at will and a quick fire goal burst left St Pat’s toiling.
An incisive counter attack led by Thomas Meenan resulted in Diarmuid Martin finishing smartly to the net at the keeper’s near post, before Meenan again turned creator with a dangerous high ball in which was spilled by the goalie and Cunningham was on hand to bundle across the line.
While Hughes stopped the rot with another point, Omagh raised a fourth green flag in the 16th minute, Thomas Meenan cutting in to drill to the net from a precise cross field pass by Ryan Baxter.
Omagh were leading 4-1 to 0-3 and already appeared to have one foot in the semi-finals.
A brace of two pointers from Matthew Daly (placed ball) and Caomh Agnew handed Armagh renewed hope, but scores from Meenan, captain McNamee and Peter Colton (free) left the CBS very much in the box-seat at the interval leading 4-4 to 0-9.
The first half scoring blitz dried up somewhat on the result but there was an impressive composure and control about the Omagh play which snuffed out any real threat of a St Pat’s rally.
Martin and Hughes (free) traded scores in a low scoring third quarter, though Donnelly screwed another fine Omagh goal chance off target, after sterling work from the skipper McNamee.
Donnelly did slot over a fine point, as did Thomas Meenan, as the match drifted towards its inevitable conclusion.
With Cathal Farley getting his name on the scoresheet Omagh enjoyed a double scores advantage (4-8 to 0-10) entering the last ten minutes.
The action was petering out though Colton did cap some polished approach work with a score, while Martin tagged on another on his home Fintona pitch.
With their berth in the semi-final copperfastened Omagh finished with something of a flourish, sub Aodhan Corry teeing up Colton for a fifth goal.
Scorers
Omagh CBS: Peter Colton (1-2,1f), Diarmuid Martin (1-2), Thomas Meenan (1-2), Eoghan Donnelly (1-1), Cathal Cunningham (1-0), Michael McNamee, Cathal Farley, Harley Patton (0-1 each)
St Pat’s Armagh: Cathaoir Hughes (0-4,2f), Matthew Daly (0-4, 2 tpf), Caomh Agnew (0-3,1tp), Aodhan McGrane, Danny McGurgen (0-1 each)
Teams
Omagh CBS: Cillian Morgan, Jack Gartland, Padraig Goodman, Owen Griffiths, Ryan Baxter, Michael McNamee, James Maguire, Charlie Meenan, Cathal Cunningham, Eoghan Donnelly, Peter Colton, Thomas Meenan, Harley Patton, Diarmuid Martin, Cathal Farley. Subs used: Aodhan Corry for E Donnelly (50mins), Cormac Darcy for H Patton (57)
St Pat’s Armagh: Niall Murphy, Tiernan Moore, Donnacha Gribben, Donnacha Aherne, Aodhan McGrane, James Daly, Cormac Murphy, Oisin Gribben, Ewan Kearney, Ryan McQuade, Caomh Agnew, Ruairi McGrane, Matthew Daly, Cathoir Hughes, Danny McGurgen. Subs used: Brendan Ferreria for E Kearney (h-time), Aodhan Gallagher for R McGrane (47), Brian Og McGuckin for D McGurgan (48), Ethan Hughes for R McQuade (57)
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
