Cookstown Under-14s complete the double at Omagh’s expense

Cookstown  1-17  Omagh1-12

COOKSTOWN completed the Grade One Under-14 double when they ran out five point winners over a gallant Omagh side in the Championship Final at Greencastle on Friday night.

It was a keenly contested clash throughout with the wind-assisted St Enda’s five points in front at the interval.

Five unanswered points put the Fr Rocks right back into contention and it was nip and tuck for the remainder of the game before the winners landed four scores in injury time to ensure victory.

The favourites Cookstown couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game with corner forward Tiernan Lagan finding the net with only two minutes gone.

Cathal McKeever pointed from play with Lagan converting a free and they could have been further ahead but for Jake Mulligan hitting the post with a goal chance. Still they were 1-2 to 0-0 in front with only seven minutes played and against the elements.

The rest of the half though belonged to Omagh. Brendan McKenna opened their account and in the 9th minute centre half forward Michael McMahon blasted in a superb goal. McMahon then knocked over a free before centre half back James McGarvey levelled matters at the end of the opening quarter with a terrific effort from distance.

Omagh now had their tails up with McMahon and Pascal McMenamin tagging on scores before James McGarvey landed a two pointer from a free.

Mattie Coyle then got Cookstown’s first score in eighteen minutes but it was Omagh who had the final say of the half via Tadgh Doherty to leave it 1-8 to 1-3 at the break.

Dan Sheridan opened the second half scoring for Omagh but then Cookstown enjoyed a purple patch that yielded them five points in a six minute spell. Coyle got their first and other points followed from Michael Herron, Mulligan, Lagan and midfielder Aidan Rushe.

A McGarvey free gave Omagh some respite but at the three quarter mark it was all square thanks to a Coyle effort from play coupled with a Mulligan free.

Mulligan edged Cookstown in front but Omagh quickly responded through McMahon.

Mulligan and Coyle both converted Cookstown frees with McMahon on target at the other end to leave the minimum between the sides. Cookstown though showed their strength to close out the game in style with points from Corey Devlin, Coyle, Lagan and Mulligan to take the silverware.

Scorers

Cookstown: Tiernan Lagan (1-3,1f), Jake Mulligan (0-5,3f), Mattie Coyle (0-5,1f), Cathal McKeever, Michael Herron, Aidan Rushe, Corey Devlin (0-1 each)

Omagh: Michael McMahon (1-4,2f), James McGarvey (0-4,1tpf,1f), Brendan McKenna, Tadgh Doherty, Pascal McMenamin, Dan Sheridan (0-1 each

Referee: Mickey Kelly, Urney