CBS make it three wins from three in the MacRory Cup

Omagh CBS 1-10  St Macartan’s Monaghan 0-8

OMAGH CBS made it three wins from three in the MacRory Cup when Adrian McGurren’s goal at the end of the third quarter proved decisive against a dogged St Macartan’s Monaghan side at O’Neills Healy Park on Thursday night.

It was a contest were the holders always had their noses in front having led by four points at the interval but it took that goal from the Dromore full forward to put significant daylight between the two sides.

It means that Omagh CBS are joint top of their section alongside St Mary’s Magherafelt with both due to meet in the last group game were there is little at stake.

Omagh CBS opened the scoring in the fifth minute when impressive centre half back Brian Gallagher split the posts. Thomas Meenan then made it 0-2 to 0-0 but hat proved to be the only other score ion an opening quarter that was dominated by compact defences at both ends of the field.

It took the visitors until the 16th minute to get up and running on the scoreboard through corner forward Daniel Boylan. Conan Hegarty then got the first of his five points on the night but that was quickly cancelled out by impressive attacker Killian Kierans who would finish the contest with half a dozen scores to his name.

That was as close as St Macartan’s were to get to their opponents however and it also proved to be their last score of the half. With the interval approaching the home side began to find their range with a three point salvo in a five minute spell.

Tiarnan Loughran set the ball rolling before Hegarty scored from a free as well as from play to leave Omagh CBS leading 0-6 to 0-2 at halftime.

St Macartan’s improved in the second half and proved difficult to break down at the back. Kierans had the opening score inside sixty seconds with Hegarty replying for Omagh CBS seven minutes later.

John McCrystal and McGurren then exchanged points to leave the scoreboard reading 0-8 to 0-4 going into the final quarter.

A goal was always going to be a massive score and it was the holders who got it when a sweeping move the length of the field saw full forward McGurren getting on the end of it to make no mistake in raising a green flag.

The Brothers looked to be well in control at this stage and they looked like they were going to kick on but St Macartan’s Monaghan had other ideas as they made them work hard for their victory.

Centre half forward Kierans was at the heart of their most promising attacks and he landed the next four points of the night, two from frees and two from play.

That left just a single score between the sides but Omagh CBS didn’t panic with defender Gallagher splitting the posts from thirty metres out before a fifth of the night from the boot of Hegarty ensured victory.

Scorers

Omagh CBS: Conan Hegarty 0-5 (1F), Adrian McGurren 1-1, Brian Gallagher 0-2, Thomas Meenan 0-1, Tiarnan Loughran 0-1

St Macartan’s Monaghan: Killian Kierans 0-6 (2F), Daniel Boylan 0-1, John McCrystal 0-1