Edendork end Dromore’s dreams in nip and tuck clash

TYRONE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHP FIRST ROUND

Dromore 2-16  Edendork 2-19

EDENDORK and Dromore defied the wintry conditions to serve up a pulsating first round encounter in Pomeroy on Sunday afternoon, the St Malachy’s eventually edging the verdict.

A last minute goal from Patrick McLernon proved to be the decisive score handing the victors a four point cushion, and while the dynamic young Dromore attacker Paudi Dillon slotted over a two pointer as well as a single to bring his team to within one, a two point free from Darren McCurry at the other end sealed the deal for a euphoric Edendork.

Dromore enjoyed the elements in their favour in the first half, albeit the wind was swirling across the park, and they got off to a positive start when Adrian McGurren teed up Aidan Colton to race through and fist over.

Skipper Niall Sludden then doubled St Dympna’s advantage, with Peter Teague crafting the opening, but Niall Morgan thumped a fine effort over at the other end to get Edendork off and running.

Ball handling was always going to be an onerous task on a dog of an afternoon, but Dromore were playing with an admirable poise and purpose in the opening quarter, with Teague and Ciaran McCoy prominent around the centre.

Attacker Adrian McGurren also got off to a lively start and he was released by Brian Gallagher to drill over a score, but even playing against the breeze Edendork were hanging in there as Stephen Corr finished over the black spot.

Dromore then opened some significant daylight.

Ciaran McCoy rampaged through the middle to strike a point and in the 13th minute, Teague collected a misdirected kickout from Edendork keeper Dara Mallon, powered through and fed McGurren who sidestepped the goalie to find the net.

St Malachy’s were then denied a major of their own with Dromore keeper Mark McGale reacting sharply to divert aside Fiachra Nelis’ close range attempt, after a Darren McCurry try for a point cannoned down off the post.

The Tyrone star did register a point shortly after, and while Paudi Dillon replied with a close range free, it was Edendork who began to establish a grip.

Morgan drilled a placed ball from outside the arc high and handsome over for a two pointer into the wind, while McCurry (free), Conor Mallon and Harry Og Conlan, with a sublime two point strike, put them ahead.

Dromore though rallied in the closing stages of the half as McGurren darted through again to fist a score, and keeper Mark McGale knocked over a two point free with the last kick before the break. (Half-time Dromore 1-8 Edendork 0-9)

Brian Gallagher and Peter Teague doubled that advantage but in a match of constant momentum shifts, the ball was back in Edendork’s court as McCurry and Conn Kilpatrick combined neatly to set up Cormac Mallaghan to fist home to the net.

Jake Ferguson then tapped over the equaliser (1-10 apiece) but back came Dromore courtesy of a brace of scores by the lively Dillon.

McCurry’s dead ball expertise (including a two point effort) leapfrogged Edendork in front before a bullet of a shot high into the net from Dillon in the 50th minute had Dromore two to the good.

That remained the gap as Rian Nelis and Oran Sludden traded points.

However, the late 1-5 scoring spree by Edendork represented a brilliant sign off statement, McLernon with a goal and point in the midst of that sparkling late show.

Scorers

Dromore: Paudi Dillon (1-6, 1tp,1f), Adrian McGurren (1-2), Mark McGale (0-2,tpf), Aidan Colton, Peter Teague, Brian Gallagher, Ciaran McCoy, Oran Sludden, Niall Sludden (0-1 each)

Edendork: Darren McCurry (0-7,2tpfs,, 2fs), Patrick McLernon (1-1), Niall Morgan (0-4,1tpf), Cormac Mallaghan (1-0), Harry Og Conlan (0-2,tp), Conor Mallon, Jake Ferguson, Stephen Corr, Rian Nelis, James Fearon (0-1 each)

Teams

Dromore: Mark McGale, Cathal Colton, Nathan McCarron, Conor O’Hara, Aidan Colton, Peter Teague, Brian Gallagher, Ciaran McCoy, Odhran Rafferty, Sean McNabb, Oran Sludden, John MacRory, Adrian McGurren Niall Sludden, Paudi Dillon.

Edendork: Dara Mallon, Eoin McGlinchey, Fionn Devlin, Fiachra Nelis, Ben Cullen, Niall Morgan, Correy Bell, Conn Kilpatrick, Cormac Mallaghan, Patrick McLernon, Conor Mallon, Jake Ferguson, Darren McCurry, Harry Og Conlan, Stephen Corr. Subs used: Rian Nelis for J Ferguson (45mins), James Fearon for E McGlinchey (47)

Referee: Mark Loughran (Errigal Ciaran)