Castlederg Minors battle past Beragh in Gr 3 Final

Castlederg 1-10  Beragh 0-12

CASTLEDERG won a gripping Grade Three Minor Championship title at Trillick on Saturday morning, a late goal from Corin McConnell helping to give them the edge over battling Beragh.

St Eugene’s trailed by four points in the early stages of the second period but inspired by the likes of Jamee Doherty, Oisin Lynch, Eoghain Bradley and captain Blaine Lynch they stormed back into contention to ultimately take the title.

This will be a tough one for the Red Knights who gave their all in a competitive and engaging encounter, with Shea Colton, Eoghan Donnelly and skipper Sean McCann among those who stood out, but in the end they came up just short.

The lively Donnelly and midfielder McCann both split the posts for Beragh inside the first five minutes, before Ben McCrossan and Jamee Doherty responded for the Derg boys to level it up.

Despite the heavy underfoot conditions, both teams combined to serve up a decent spectacle, which was laced with some super scores.

The Red Knights jumped two in front again, with McCann (free) and Donnelly once more on target,
while St Eugene’s keeper Ryan McLaughlin also produced a fine save at his near post to deny Donnelly a goal.

While Oisin Lynch hoisted over a quality effort for Castlederg, they fell three in arrears when Donnelly again and Eoghan Mullan (free) registered Beragh points.

A quick release from Doherty put Oisin Lynch clear to send over his second point, but a brace of
McCann frees handed Beragh a double scorers advantage, 0-8 to 0-4, before Oisin Lynch curled over the final point of the half at the other end.

Beragh might have sensed it wasn’t to be their day when Mullan’s free cannoned back into play off the bar, with Donnelly also striking the upright with the rebound.

Cathal Forbes did put them four in front shortly after, but that was the cue for St Eugene’s fightback.

Blaine Lynch thundered through to score twice, the second tipped over the bar by keeper Callum Rodgers, while the impressive Eoghain Bradley also found space to knock over a couple of points which levelled it up at 0-9 apiece

With their confidence soaring Oisin Lynch then handed Castlederg their first lead of the day.

While McCann drilled over the equaliser, the crucial score fell Castlederg’s way on 52 minutes,
Blaine Lynch with a fantastic pass inside to McConnell who did the
rest with a terrfic high finish to the net.

He almost repeated the trick soon after when he galloped through again but this time his effort banged off the base of the post.

Beragh kept pushing but inspite of points from Darrach McKenna and McCann (free) they ran out of
time.

Teams & Scorers

Beragh

Callum Rodgers, Daire McSorley, Cahir Owens, Shea Colton, Ruairi Kerr, Oisin Kelly, Sean McCann (0-6,4f), James Boyle, Eoghan Mullen (0-1,f), Conal McAleer, Cathal Forbes (0-1), Darrach McKenna (0-1), Eoghan Donnelly (0-3). Sub: Eoghan Loughran for E Mullan

Castlederg

Ryan McLaughlin, Cathaoir Keenan, Dennis Gallagher, Jamee Doherty (0-1), Blaine Lynch (0-2), Padraig Corry, Shea Leonard, Cealef McMenamin, Eoghain Bradley (0-2), Oisin Lynch (0-4), Matthew Smith, Ben McCrossan (0-1), Corin McConnell (1-0). Sub: Emmet Patton for B McCrossan

Referee: Justin McKenna (Dungannon)