By 
DIARMUID Martin admits that it has been a bonus for the Fintona contingent in the Omagh CBS MacRory Cup squad to get to play their two recent knockout matches on their own club grounds at St Lawrence’s Park.
Five Pearses players lined out for the Brothers in their quarter-final demolition of St Patrick’s Armagh a fortnight ago, goalkeeper Cillian Morgan, defenders Padriag Goodman and Owen Griffiths, and attackers Peter Colton and Diarmuid Martin. The latter two each found the net too as Omagh cantered to a 5-10 to 0-13 triumph in freezing conditions
Martin, the point scoring hero at the death for Tyrone Minors in last year’s All-Ireland Final victory over Kerry, said that it spoke volumes for the dedication and efforts put in behind the scenes at Fintona that they were able to defy the elements that bitter Friday evening and get the MacRory Cup match played.
“ Everyone at Fintona, the volunteers put in a lot of work to make sure the game went ahead. There was freezing conditions but the pitch was in perfect knick, given you seen other games postponed. So fair play to everyone and I suppose it was nice for the club too to have so many Fintona boys starting.”
Four goals in the opening quarter 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.
Diarmuid, who captained the school to the Rannafast Cup last season, was delighted with the performance overall, and said that the side had heeded lessons from their loss to Armagh in the group stages of the competition.
“ The boys put in a great shift. The last time we played them we were eight points up at half-time and they came back. This time we were nine points up at the break but we were determined not to have a repeat of the previous game and we continued to kick on.
“ They only scored one or two points in the second half. Every time we enjoyed a bit of a purple patch we expected them to come out all guns blazing but our defence was brilliant and we were able to contain them.
“ The boys stuck to the plan. Our use of the ball was good. We were patient and kept the ball when we had too but when we had to go at them we did that well too. It was a great all round performance and we were happy to get the job done and move onto the semi-finals.”
Omagh had a much tougher assignment in their last sixteen encounter with Patrician Carrickmacross before Christmas and Martin felt being able to grind out victory that day stood to the CBS in the quarter-finals.
“ We had to dig out a result in the last sixteen and that experience stood to us. We were a point down in that match with a few minutes left but we turned it around. So we were well ready for Armagh and just glad to get over the line. It’s knockout football and everybody is going to put it up to you. It doesn’t matter what school, you are up against at this level.”
