ACL Div 3A round-up: Clogher and Cookstown setting a hot pace

ACL DIVISION 3A ROUND-UP

Clogher 3-22 Strabane 2-14

THE Eire Og’s welcomed the Sigersons to St Patrick’s Park for a significant fixture as the league race moves into the home straight and Clogher showed a more decisive scoreboard kick when it mattered.

Strabane kept their end of the scoreboard moving as Haydn McNamee landed seven points and Oran McGrath provided a goal plus four points for good measure. Ryan McElroy also registered a goal on the evening and Conal Crawford chipped over two points but the Sigersons were unable to match the same level of productivity displayed by the Eire Og’s.

Cillian Barkey and Marc McConnell both contributed 1-3 to the home cause, ably assisted by Fergal McKenna with 1-1 alongside 0-4 from Ciaran Bogue, Ryan McCaughey (0-4), Mark Bogue (0-3) and company. At the end of play, Clogher’s victory maintained their divisional leadership by two points over Cookstown who have a brace of games in hand.

Cookstown 6-20 Drumragh 3-12

DRUMRAGH arrived in Cookstown to take on an unbeaten Fr Rocks team that again found a high scoring gear as they maintained close pursuit of leaders Clogher.

The Sarsfields were chasing the Fr Rocks from early doors but they did keep battling away against the free-flowing home team who were sharp-paced in attack. Cookstown claimed five first half goals to present Drumragh with the sort of problems that they couldn’t counter despite some spirited spells from the Sarsfields.

Nathan Connolly led the goal charge for Cookstown by netting twice plus John McIvor, Karol Wawrynkiewicz and Matthew Carberry were among several to supply additional scores as the Fr Rocks reached full-time having recorded an impressive 6-20 tally. Drumragh, for their part, picked off 3-12 overall through the efforts of Daniel O’Neill (0-6), Niall McCarney (1-2), Malachy McManus (1-0), Frankie Monk (1-0) and Eamon McCann (0-2) who were the away team’s main score providers.

Castlederg 0-13 Augher 1-11

THE St Macartan’s and St Eugene’s have both found points tricky to come by so far but Augher managed to shade matters by the minimum margin here after an Eoghan Keenan goal proved pivotal.

Castlederg looked to be on track for an opening league success when leading by a five-point margin over half-time but the visitors turned things round in the process of completing a home and away double over the St Eugene’s this season. The victory moves Augher onto four points in the table and leaves Castlederg yet to get off the mark.

Seven-point contributions from both Darragh Kavanagh(Augher) and Castlederg’s Conan McConnell helped keep the respective sides of the scoreboard ticking over but Eoghan Keenan(1-2) netted in the third quarter as the match momentum shifted. Blaine Lynch had a home two-pointer but by the finish they found themselves just one shy of the St Macartan’s.

Glenelly 2-14 Eskra 5-12

ESKRA headed for Plumbridge to face Glenelly and the Emmets made it three wins on the bounce helped by a five-goal tally at the St Joseph’s base.

The point exchanges between these two sides were pretty even but the key stat centred on the away side netting five times to two in reply. Daire McCarroll led the Eskra goal surge alongside Cormac Hughes as the Emmets worked their way into a winning position. The 5-12 to 2-14 outcome sealed a third consecutive success for Eskra following verdicts over Augher and Castlederg in recent matches.

Glenelly were only two points adrift at midway(1-8 to 1-6) but four final half goals from Eskra put added daylight between the teams. Lorcan McCullagh landed five points for the St Joseph’s overall and Eamon McConnell tagged on 0-4 to the home total. The St Joseph’s goals came courtesy of Nathan McLaughlin and Garrett O’Neill.

ACL DIVISION 3B ROUND-UP

Tattyreagh 3-18 Brocagh 0-12

THE home St Patrick’s turned in a fruitful second half to pull clear from a Brocagh team that had been three points ahead at one stage of the opening 30 minutes.

The Tatts started brightly before Brocagh rallied with some well-taken points to move in front, albeit that the St Patrick’s responded quickly to take a 2-5 to 0-8 advantage into the interval. Brocagh were unable to make a big imprint on the second half scoreboard and Tattyreagh began to stretch clear as play unfolded. It’s a result that sees the second-placed St Patricks maintain their chase behind leaders Derrytresk.

Kealan McDonagh contributed 2-4 for Tattyreagh, with Gareth Mimnagh netting as well. Joe Cartin, Stevie Gervin and Ronan Collins all chipped in with 0-3 apiece plus Niall Murray scored 0-2. Michael Hughes supplied five of Brocagh’s scores and Barry Donnelly sent over three. Stephen Canavan and Michael Robinson each scored 0-2.

Killyman 3-11 Urney 5-12

THE host St Mary’s battled bravely but the visiting St Columba’s held sway in terms of goals scored to secure both league points.

Urney held a four-point lead by the halfway stage(2-6 to 2-2) and they tagged on three further goals after play resumed. Killyman kept trying and they remained in the mix as play progressed. Both teams maintained a lively pace to their play on a warm evening at the St Mary’s venue.

Enda McGahan scored six points for Killyman, with the home goals supplied via Gary Hamill, Cathal McGahan and Caomhan McGahan. Urney’s five goal count comprised a Conor McDaid double and McDaid finished on 2-3. Luke Kelly, Conor Laverty and Matthew Sproule claimed goals too as Urney closed out the victory. Ryan Henry found the target five times in terms of points to provide an added level of gloss for the St Columba’s.