Castlederg Minors earn their due reward

MINOR LEAGUE GRADE THREE FINAL

Castlederg 5-12  Gortin 3-12

AFTER coming up short in the Grade hree Minor Championship final it was a case of second time lucky for Castlederg as they deservedly claimed league honours when beating Gortin in the decider at Sigerson Park in Strabane on Sunday afternoon.

They lost out to neighbours Drumquin in that first final and this time around they were determined not to go home empty handed and on the day they deserved their success.

Only two points separated the sides with six minutes left to play but in a frantic finish there were a number of scores at both ends of the field.

Castlederg had good performances from Dylan McCrory, Shea Leonard, Oisin Lynch, Diego Lara, Eoghan Bradley and Oisin Harvey while a gallant Gortin side were best served by Darragh Ellis, Aidan McNulty, Ultan McConnell, James Kelly, Cillian Ellis and Sean McGlone.

It was Gortin who enjoyed the better start to the game with Lucas McGarvey opening the scoring from a free inside sixty seconds before Cillian Ellis doubled their advantage.

That was to be the only time that they would lead in the contest however as Castlederg began to get into their stride.

The winners grabbed their opening score in the sixth minute and it proved to be their first goal as well as full forward Corin McConnell won possession well before firing to the bottom corner of the net past keeper Darragh Ellis.

The same player tagged on a point from a free before they got a second goal in the 11th minute when Oliver James cut in from the right and fired low and hard past Ellis.

Ultan McConnell responded for Gortin with a well taken score from outside the arc only for namesake Orin to split the posts at the other end of the field. Sean McGlone then got his name on the scoresheet for Gortin to leave only a single score between the two sides.

Three scores in a row from Harvey, McConnell and Lynch added to Castlederg’s lead before Gortin had the final say of the half with a two point free from McGarvey to leave it 2-5 to 0-7 at the break.

In the opening attack of the second period Corin McConell split the posts with a two pointer and that was quickly followed by a single from a Harvey free. Gortin badly needed a response and it came from Ultan McConnell and McGlone but once again the accurate Corin McConnell cancelled those scores out with a two pointer at the other end of the field.

In the 43rd minute the winners grabbed their second major when the impressive Lara burst through the Gortin defence to blast home. That was a score though that stung Gortin into action as they enjoyed their best spell of the game.

Shane Mossey pointed before Cillian Ellis, who had moved into full forward after returning to the action from a knock, got on the end of a long delivery to raise a green flag.

Gortin now had the bit between their teeth and in the 53rd minute they scored another goal when Ultan McConnell galloped through from midfield to make no mistake with a fine finish.

All the momentum was with Gortin at this stage and McConnell quickly followed that goal with a point to leave it 3-10 to 2-11.

Crucially though Castlederg regained their composure in the closing stages to peg the match winning scores. Eoghan Bradley and Corin McConnell both had points before the pace of Lara got him through for his second goal.

With the game in injury time Lynch added goal number five and while Gortin had the final say with a goal and a point from McGarvey it was the St.Eugenes who took the silverware.

Scorers

Castlederg: Corin McConnell 1-8 (2 x 2pt, 1F), Diego Lara 2-0, Oisin Lynch 1-1 (1F), Oliver James 1-0, Oisin Harvey 0-2 (2F), Eoghan Bradley 0-1

Gortin: Ultan McConnell 1-4 (1 x 2pt), Lucas McGarvey 1-4 (1 x 2ptf, 1F), Cillian Ellis 1-1, Sean McGlone 0-2, Shane Mossey 0-1