Cookstown are crowned Division Three champions

Glenelly 0-7 Cookstown 0-13

THE St Joseph’s welcomed a Fr Rocks team on the trail of league win number 15 and the Fr Rocks duly delivered to claim league title honours in the process.

It’s been a great race between Cookstown and Fintona all season at the top of the table. Fintona’s narrow one point defeat away at Cookstown a few weeks ago was to prove pivotal. That Fr Rock’s victory over Fintona would settle the title issue on the head-to-head result, should there be a tie between the two.

Cookstown led by 0-7 to 0-5 over half-time at Glenelly and the away defence kept a tight lock on the home forwards despite the visitors being a man down. St Joseph’s keeper Conor McAneney landed four place kicks, with Lorcan McCullough, Eoghan McConnell and Garrett O’Neill also scoring. Michael McElhatton sent over four points for the Fr Rocks alongside scores via Matthew Carberry and company.

Pearses find goal touch

Fintona 5-12 Eskra 0-11

THE host Pearses ran out impressive winners over neighbours Eskra as Caolan Donnelly led the goal charge with a well constructed hat-trick.

Fintona started play situated in second spot, with Eskra occupying seventh place. Cookstown’’s win in Glenelly means the league title is out of Fintona’s reach but the Pearses remain on course for second place following a tremendous effort this campaign. They were interval leaders on Sunday by 2-7 to 0-6 after Aidan Donnelly and Caolan Donnelly both netted. Aaron McCarney, Conor McGoldrick, Conor McGillion and Eugene Liam McCarroll got among the points.

Eskra were playing catch-up once Fintona moved into goal mode but Cathal Meegan(0-4), Joe McCarroll(0-2), Niall Marlow(0-2), Conor O’Hagan(0-2) and Mickey Woods scored for the Emmets. Caolan Donnelly added two more second goals for his trio of Fintona majors plus Conor McGillion also netted. Aaron McCarney brought his point tally to five as Fintona secured league win number 13.

Comeback win for Aghaloo

Drumquin 1-12 Aghaloo 2-14

THE Tones and O’Neill’s met at McGirr Park where Aghaloo staged a strong finish to draw alongside their hosts in the table on 22 points.

Drumquin and Aghaloo now share third place as the play-off race reaches the closing two rounds. Drumquin moved into a first half lead here as Finnen Patterson found his range with some judged scores. Benny Gormley for the home team and Niall McElroy in reply contributed goals plus McElroy and Ruairi McGlone were in the point mix as the teams started the second 30 minutes all-square.

A Ruairi McGlone goal in that last half helped to give Aghaloo added leverage as play progressed. Finnen Patterson brought his overall tally to nine points as Sean McDonagh, Oisin McMenamin and Matthew McDermott got home scores as well. Aghaloo, though, had that McGlone goal in tandem with Stewart Douglas, McElroy and Patyrk Kinder points to seal the victory.

St Columba’s picking up well

Urney 2-14 Brocagh 1-8

ST COLUMBA’S continued their recent rise in form to seal a sixth league win at the expense of Brocagh in this Sunday encounter.

Urney have taken time to find their feet this season but the improvement has been steady and they returned a decent 2-14 on home soil against a battling Brocagh team. Johnny Lafferty supplied eight of the St Columba points, with Jamie McAleer and Sean Hughes finding the back of Brcoagh’s net along the way as well. McAleer also had three points and Hughes chipped in with a brace.

Brocagh’s goal came courtesy of Niall McCloskey who tagged on a point too. Mickey Hughes sent over four points and Aidan Dorman landed two to maintain the Brocagh effort. Justin Campbell scored one as the Emmets kept chasing but Urney had established enough of an advantage that enabled the St Columba’s to stay in command of the scoreboard.

Goals boost St Eugene’s cause

Killyman 1-10 Castlederg 3-10

ST MARY’S were on home ground for the visit of a St Eugene’s side that had won their first game the round before and the guests made it back-to-back victories as they build some momentum.

Killyman contested well but Castlederg’s three goals to the home side’s one decided the destination of the league points on this occasion. Enda McGahan and Cathal McGahan provided the bulk of the home score account overall but the St Mary’s faced into a 1-7 to 0-5 deficit as the closing half got underway.

Matthew McMenamin and Daire Corry were at the centre of Castlederg’s point tally plus Daire Corry netted two goals for a 2-4 contribution. Conor Harper had a St Eugene’s goal as Darren Traynor, Paudric Keyes and Adam Traynor sent over singles. The victory moves Castlederg onto five points as both the St Mary’s and St Eugene’s prepare for forthcoming championship dates.

Sarsfields press for play-offs

Drumragh 5-18 Brackaville 1-6

THE Sarsfields kept their play-off bid on course and reached 21 points in the table standings following this clear-cut success over Brackaville at Clanabogan.

Brackaville arrived at Clanabogan Park after being defeated narrowly by Aghaloo in a high-scoring contest more than a week earlier. Drumragh, meanwhile, had staged a stirring second half show to overcome Augher. Sunday’s game slipped away from Brackaville despite a goal arriving in the early phases of play. Drumragh soon upped the tempo and the scores flowed accordingly.

Tommy Murphy claimed a goal and six points for the hosts and Niall McCarney scored 1-3. Shane Devine, Oran Devlin and Malachy McManus each rowed in with 1-1. Alex McGlinchey(0-2), Gareth McGrath, Ronan Maguire, Kevin Marron and Andy Colgan wrapped up the Drumragh scores. Ciaran Gervin got Brackaville’s goal and Shea Fee was among their point providers but the league points were more than well secured by Drumragh.

Errigal continue decent campaign

Errigal Ciaran III 3-6 Derrytresk 1-10

CARDINAL MacRory Park in Dunmoyle was the venue as Errigal Ciaran III reached the 14-point mark to maintain their productive league run.

The home side held off the ‘men from the hill’ by a two-point margin at the end. They showed ahead at half-time on a scoreline of 2-5 to 1-6, adding a third goal after the restart to emerge with a sixth league win alongside two earlier draws. Daniel Blake scored four points for the victors, with Davy Harte and Ciaran McGinley pointing too. Ben McDermott, Eunan Loughran and Davy Harte in bustling fashion booted home the goals.

Derrytresk weren’t far way from getting something from the game and Niall Gavin played his part by delivering 1-7 overall. Niall Gavin mixed some tidy play and place conversions alongside his goal as Aidan Gavin also joined in the point returns. Errigal, though, did enough to pocket the two points.

Home team on goal target

Clann na nGael 5-18 Donaghmore III 0-7

CLANN na nGael were on the goal trail as they chalked up a 5-18 tally at home to Donaghmore III on Sunday.

The visiting St Patrick’s were seeking a first league success and had been boosted by a few near misses of late. This game, though, got away from them but the St Patrick’s still kept working hard to the finish. Clann na nGael will feel that their overall campaign merited more league points on the board but they clicked into gear well here.

Shea Browne has been a steady supplier of scores for the North Tyrone team throughout the season and he continued in that vein with 1-10 registered during the course of this contest. Browne got good assistance from Robbie Conway whose 3-3 scoreboard credit made it the second goal hat-trick of the round 15 exchanges in Division Three as Conway emulated Caolan Donnelly’s major treble for Fintona.