Five star showing from Beragh in replay

TYRONE INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND REPLAY

Beragh 5-14 Drumquin 1-10

A REMARKABLE five goals in five minutes totally transformed the Beragh challenge in this first round replay at Ballinamullin on Sunday which eventually saw the Red Knights progress to the last eight with a 16 point victory.

It was looking decidedly dicey for them as they trailed to Drumquin at the end of the first quarter. But Mattie McSorley’s penalty goal got them going and later, two goals from Jack Campbell and one each for Conor and Niall Owens set them on the road to victory.

Those five goals in quick succession proved Beragh’s dominance in that first half.

For all that, though, it was Drumquin who had made most of the early running with a display of energy which highlighted their control.

The Wolfe Tones played against the wind during the opening period. Their main aim was to thwart the hopes the Red Knights of making the most of their advantages. But instead Drumquin carried on where they had left off in the drawn game a week earlier.

Stephen Gormley, Daniel Patterson and Ronan Strain were to the fore. Their strong running caused Beragh problems and they raced into the lead. Oisin Gormley got them going with a great two-pointer and then Sean McDonagh converted a free to leave them 0-3 to no score ahead.

Beragh’s account was opened by Martin Rodgers, but they struggled to match their opponents at that stage. Drumquin’s strong start was highlighted when Cormac Donnelly ran through to put them 0-4 to 0-1 ahead, before Oisin Gormley converted a two-point free to leave five between them.

The Red Knights needed urgent action to stem the tide. Conor Owens converted two fine two-pointers to give them hope, and his brother, Jonathan kept them in the mix when he pulled off a brilliant point-blank save from Sean McDonagh.

Nevertheless, with ten minutes of that first half remaining, Beragh needed more. But even their most ardent supporters couldn’t have envisaged what was to happen next with those five goals in five minutes.

Goal number one came courtesy of Mattie McSorley. He converted a penalty after a foot-block from a Drumquin defender. Suddenly, Beragh were 1-5 to 0-6 ahead, and there was much more to come from them.

Almost right from the kick-out, Jack Campbell fired in a low hard shot from the 21 which hit the net. Moments later, he took a pass from Conor Owens to hit the net from close range. Now the Red Knights were 3-5 to 0-6 ahead, and their fourth goal arrived in the 25th minute when Sean McCann palmed to the net after the Drumquin goalie had spilled the ball.

Conor Owens added a point that could and perhaps should have been a goal, but they were back on the attack seconds later when Niall Owens drove the ball to the net to leave them an amazing 5-6 to 0-5 ahead at half-time.

Drumquin had led the drawn match by 10 points in the second half a week earlier. Now the Wolfe Tones were attempting to repeat what Beragh had done by striking back in emphatic fashion. Conor Owens fired over to extend the Red Knights lead, but it was Drumquin who got their hopes up subsequently.

Sean McDonagh raced through to score their opening goal. It was a strike which raised their confidence of perhaps repeating the comeback produced against them, and they upped the tempo with Eoin Skelton, Ronan Strain and Cormac Donnelly all to the fore.

But it was Beragh who settled best in the minutes that followed to put the tie firmly beyond reach. Seamus Grant, Cathal Owens, Sean McCann and Johnny Woods kept things calm, as Martin Rodgers, Matthew McSorley and Jack Campbell continued to hold possession in attack.

Five points in the next 10 minutes boosted their total. Oisin Donnelly impressed with three of them, Niall Owens fired over another as Conor Owens also helped make the score 5-12 to 1-6 entering the closing stages.

Drumquin’s challenge was now gone, but they rallied somewhat through Eoin Skelton, Sean McDonagh and Ronan Strain. However, the Red Knights defence held firm as they emerged winners with 16 points to spare.

Scorers