Flying Fintona too good for Glenelly

ACL DIVISION THREE ROUND-UP

Glenelly 0-8 Fintona 3-12

FINTONA found the net three times en route to recording a ninth league win of the campaign away at Glenelly on Friday evening.

The St Joseph’s were expecting a tough test against the joint leaders but they were right in the mix at midway after a low-scoring opening half that yielded a narrow 1-2 to 0-3 lead for the Pearses. Space was at a premium in this half before play opened up more so after the restart.

Early exchanges were tight and indicative of what was to unfold during the course of the first 30 minutes. Both defences refused to give much away and scoring chances came intermittently as a consequence. The pivotal score arrived late in the half when Jared Brogan netted for Fintona.

Earlier in the contest, Ronan O’Kane put Glenelly ahead with a 5^th minute point and it wasn’t until the 15^th minute that Fintona found their way through to register a ‘mark’ via Odhran Hughes.

Cormac McBride edged the St Joseph’s one up again when landing a 17^th minute point. Chances continued to be limited for both sides but Jared Brogan struck for a well finished Fintona goal two minutes before the interval as his team took the lead for the first time.

There was still time for a late exchange of first half point conversions from Glenelly’s Nathan McLaughlin and Niall Murray in reply. That left the score standing at 1-2 to 0-3 for the Pearses at the turnaround.

Fintona made a bright start to the second half as Conor McGoldrick (free) and a Liam Maguire point preceded a 35^th minute Conor McGillion goal when McGillion found and angle to drill low to the home net.

The Pearses now held a 2-4 to 0-3 advantage and Niall Murray tagged on a place kick. Glenelly responded through Nathan McLaughlin (free) and Garrett O’Neill who arrived on as a sub to good effect.

Odhran Hughes and Conor McGillion points kept the away section of the scoreboard ticking over approaching the middle phase of the closing half. Conor McGoldrick, Hughes and McGillion added further scores.

Glenelly strived for a way back with Cormac McBride and Garrett O’Neill pointing but the St Joseph’s had reached the goals needed stage at this stage of proceedings. Fintona’s defence stayed solid and at the other end Pauric Kelly plus Aidan Donnelly curled over points.

Brackaville 1-24 Urney 0-13

THE Roes and the St Columba’s had both been boosted by wins the previous weekend but it was Brackaville who followed up in clear-cut fashion to reach a nine-point table tally from nine games.

Brackaville were on song with their point taking here as the Roes sent the ball over the bar on twenty four occasions. They also netted the game’s only goal through Daire Carberry and set Urney a high target to bridge. The guests did manage to score thirteen times but the St Columba’s were playing catch-up once Brackaville settled into stride.

The scoreline stood at 1-11 to 0-7 over half-time as Daire Carberry(1-8) complemented his goal with several well-taken points. Dale McSorley contributed six points to the Roes cause overall as well. Jamie McAleer sent over for points in reply and Johnny Lafferty scored seven points on his return to the fray for the St Columba’s.

Eskra 2-21 Clann na nGael 1-13

THESE two teams took to the field determined to put respective round eight reversals behind them and it was Eskra who chalked up their sixth win of the campaign thus far.

Clann na nGael found themselves 2-7 to 0-8 behind at midway as Eskra topped and tailed the first half with goals supplied by Mickey Woods and Johnny Hackett. Woods was also on triple points target alongside Cathal Meegan as the Emmets established a decent advantage.

The visiting team continued to try hard and a second half penalty conversion from Shea Browne boosted their side of the scoreboard. Browne had 0-3 too and Danny Ball claimed 0-7. Eskra, though, drilled over a series of scores as Mickey Woods tagged on three more and Cathal Meegan landed five in the final 30 minutes. Fergal Arkinson, Aaron Kelly, Joe McCarroll and Johnny Hackett had further points for the Emmets overall as well.

Aghaloo 2-9 Castlederg 0-9

THE O’Neill’s welcomed a Castlederg side still seeking their first points of the season and Aghaloo were glad to net two first half goals that divided the teams scorewise by the finish.

Aghaloo now move onto twelve points in the listings, although the St Eugene’s will feel they could possibly have taken something from the contest had they performed better in the opening half. It was 2-7 to 0-3 for Aghaloo at midway as Eoin Gildernew and Jody McGlone supplied the three-point finishes. Ruairi McGlone and Patryk Kinder sent over some tidy points as well for the O’Neill’s.

The St Eugene’s dug in well during the second 30 minutes, restricting Aghaloo to just two scores and sending over six points themselves. Adam Traynor led those St Eugene points overall with six but Aghaloo had built up enough of a lead in the opening half to see them over the winning line.

Derrytresk v Drumquin – postponed

THERE are dedicated club players and then there is Liam ‘Lele’ Patterson. The Drumquin man is rightly held in very high regard not just by his home Tones club but across the football spectrum. ‘Lele’, as he is popularly known, incurred a serious injury during Drumquin’s Friday night league game at Derrytresk and the match was subsequently abandoned.

The Drumquin club were quick to pay tribute to the Derrytresk club for all their help and the medical folk who attended to Liam. The Tones club also wished Liam well in his recovery; as did many from beyond the club and we all join in those heartfelt good wishes too.

Drumquin’s facebook summed up the feelings of people eloquently: ‘’Tonight our senior game in Derrytresk ended abruptly when Lele Patterson sustained a bad injury. We would like to thank the paramedics for their prompt arrival to the pitch and to Marie and Pauline for their medical expertise. We would also like to thank the players and club officials from Doire Treasc Fir an Chnoic for their respect shown as Lele left the pitch. We wish Lele a very speedy recovery and hope to see him back in the white & red soon’’.

Donaghmore III 1-1 Cookstown 1-14

COOKSTOWN headed for Donaghmore in search of win number nine on Saturday and they did claim the league points against a battling St Patrick’s side.

Matthew Carberry, John Gilmore and company have been forging the way well in scoreboard terms this season for the Fr Rocks, with a 1-14 return clinching that important ninth victory off the reel. The result saw Cookstown regain joint top spot in the table alongside Fintona on 18 points apiece as Fintona had won the evening before at Glenelly.

This tie represented a tough task for Donaghmore but the St Patrick’s showed spirit and they managed to breach the away net. The St Patrick’s will be hoping to press on once the second half of action begins after the holidays. Cookstown can reflect on a strong first half of the league as they prepare for some key games once play starts up on the weekend of July 21^st.

Augher 0-10 Errigal Ciaran III 0-10

THE host St Macartan’s welcomed Errigal Ciaran on Saturday to Fr Hackett Park where the teams finished all-square following a close contest.

Errigal had lost their previous fixture to Glenelly but arrived here for this local derby contest with two wins and a draw in the league locker. The St Macartan’s defeated Killyman in their deferred round eight tie played earlier in the week and they thus faced the first whistle holding 13 points. Both teams therefore got something from Saturday’s encounter as Augher joined Drumragh in joint third place and Errigal moved into tenth place.

Augher showed ahead at the break by 0-7 to 0-4 but the St Macartan’s were unable to sustain that leeway as Errigal Ciaran came back from 0-10 to 0-8 down in the closing stages to secure a share of the honours.