Gortin show little mercy to Sigersons

Gortin 2-20  Strabane 0-4

STRABANE’S relegation fate was confirmed in emphatic manner at rain-sodden O’Neill’s Healy Park on Sunday night as they bore the brunt of an attacking onslaught from a Gortin side keen to end a frustrating season on a positive note.

The St Patrick’s will still be considered as outsiders to land the Intermediate Championship title, and while the paucity of the challenge posed by the Sigersons must be kept in mind, nonetheless they will approach their quarter-final assignment in fine fettle.

Gortin took advantage of the wide expanses at the county ground to run amok with ten different players registering on the night, the likes of Odhran Brolly, Liam Og Mossey, Brian McGarvey and Sean Og McAleer taking the opportunity to hone their shooting skills.

Oran McGrath worked hard around centre field for Strabane, while Kyle Morrison and Oisin McGillion also put in solid shifts, but they emerged a distant second best on the night.

By the time Gavin Molloy stroked over Sigersons opening score in the 12th minute, they were already three down, with McAleer (free), Ruairi Keenan and Brolly converting at the other end. It also required a fine stop from Strabane netminder Ryan McGowan to tip aside McAleer’s close range effort.

However the pattern of the night had been firmly set and after Mossey, McAleer and Eoghan McGarvey had split the posts, Gortin swooped for the first goal on the quarter hour mark. The lively McAleer was the creator squaring for the grateful Cian McConnell to palm home from close range.

While the hard working McGrath banged over a brace of scores for Strabane (one free), they could do little to prevent the blues attacking waves submerging them at the other end.

Brolly, Mossey and Brian McGarvey each slotted over with great composure as Gortin led 1-9 to 0-3 at the turnaround.

The second half fare was Championship by name only with the outcome long since confirmed. Gortin’s marksmen kept the foot down, though in fairness despite the gulf in class, the Sigersons kept at it.

Brian McGarvey teed up Mossey to put away a second goal in the 45th minute and the white flags continued to come for Gortin at regular intervals all the way up to the final whistle. For the record Oisin McGillion mustered Strabane’s only second half point.

THE SCORERS