Ardboe edge out St Enda’s in exciting Frank O’Neill Final

Omagh 1-15 Ardboe 0-19

ARDBOE claimed their first Frank O’Neill Cup title on Monday night with a one point victory over hosts Omagh at O’Neill’s Healy Park after an entertaining tussle.

Spearheaded by a brace of cracking two pointers from Shay McGuigan, Ardboe turned over a four point deficit to nudge ahead and eventually gain the piece of early season silverware up for grabs. While McGuigan’s contribution was key, Aaron Quinn and Eugene Teague also tagged on vital scores for the winners who hit fourteen wides on the night.

The teams were level six times in a game full of sweeping moves, great points, disciplined defending and a fluctuating scoreboard, with the sides swapping the lead throughout.

Omagh had their moments. Oisin Miller, Ronan O’Neill and Jason McAnulla were sharp up front, and Ben Groogan and Barry Tierney impressed at the back but on the balance of things Ardboe shaded matters.

St Enda’s led at the break after the teams had been level on five occasions. Fionnbarr Taggart opened the scoring for the hosts, Teague and Eoin Canavan replied and that set the narrative for the opening thirty minutes with neither side able to pull away.

Ronan O’Neill finished the half with a brace of scores, while Conan Campbell, Miller, McAnulla and Eoghan McNamee all contributed to the Omagh eight point tally.

Mattie Bell, Shay McGuigan, Cormac Devlin and Aaron Quinn registered for the visitors.

St Enda’s soon opened the gap to four on the resumption with McNamee pointing from the right and O’Neill tagging on two frees. Eoghan Devlin pulled one back on thirty seven minutes, before Quinn took advantage of a defensive slip and Teague scored a great long ranger from the right. McGuigan then dropped over the first of his two pointers to put the Rossas ahead.

The impressive Miller and Tierney pointed for Omagh, with Quinn on target again from a tight angle sandwiched between that brace, leaving the sides level again with twelve minutes remaining. Ardboe substitute Jamie Concannon burst through to register and seconds later he rattled Adam Groogan’s left post with a rare goal chance.

Tiarnan Campbell and Conan Grugan added to the Omagh challenge and both Grugan and Quinn exchanged points before Shea O’Hare teed up DD Mulgrew for a single and Mc Guigan sailed over his second two pointer that swung the advantage to five points for the visitors.

Heading into injury time Omagh pressed hard and while Shea Quinn led the back line well, Hugh Gallagher nipped in for a goal, Campbell teeing him up, but time ran out on St Enda’s.

Scorers

Omagh: Ronan O’Neill (0-4), Hugh Gallagher (1-1), Conan Campbell (0-2), Oisin Miller (0-2), Eoghan Mc Namee (0-2), Fionnbarr Taggart, Barry Tierney, Conan Grugan and Jason Mc Anulla (0-1 each)

Ardboe: Shay McGuigan (0-5,2tp), Aaron Quinn (0-5), Eugene Teague (0-2), Eoin Canavan, Mattie Bell, Eoghan Devlin, DD Mulgrew, Shea O’Hare, Cormac Devlin and Jamie Concannon (0-1 each)

Teams

Omagh: Adam Groogan, Ben Groogan, Cormac Corry, Jack McGuigan, Cormac Taggart, Barry Tierney, Dan Haigney, Fionnbarr Taggart, Paddy Bradley, Eoghan Mc Anulla, Oisin Miller, Jason Mc Anulla, Conan Campbell, Ronan O’Neill, Eoghan McNamee: Subs: Tiarnan Campbell for F Taggart, Bradley Fox for O’Neill, Conan Grugan for Haigney, Hugh Gallagher for E Mc Anulla.

Ardboe: Conall Quinn, Jeimi Muldoon, Oisin Devlin, Shea Quinn, Peter Devlin, Eoin Canavan, Mattie Bell, Shay McGuigan, Eoghan Devlin, Shea O’Hare, Cormac Devlin, Eugene Teague, Aaron Quinn,DD Mulgrew, Caolan Mallaghan: Subs: Jamie Concannon for Bell, Darragh Devlin for E Devlin, Manus Teague for Canavan, Sean O’Hare for C Devlin, Davin McKeown for P Devlin.

Referee: Andrew McKenna