By 
ULSTER SCHOOLS RANNAFAST CUP FINAL
Omagh CBS 2-14 St.Pats Maghera 2-16
OMAGH CBS came up short in the Ulster Schools Rannafast Cup Final at the Dub in Belfast on Wednesday evening when they were narrowly beaten by St.Pats Maghera in a cracking encounter.
When these two last met it was in the Oisin McGrath Final last season which Omagh narrowly won and after a dozen minutes in this encounter they looked to be in a strong position to repeat that success when they held a five point lead.
Maghera tough reduced that deficit to the minimum by the short whistle and when they hit 1-3 without reply in the opening five minutes of the second half they gained an advantage that they were never to lose.
To their credit Omagh threw everything at them in the closing stages but the Derry lads had just done enough to claim the silverware.
Tadgh Bradley, who was outstanding for the inners with 0-7 to his name from play, opened the scoring in the first minute before midfielder Don Mulholland doubled that advantage sixty seconds later.
Omagh CBS though opened their account in style with a good finish to the net in the 3rd minute from full forward Cahir Cassidy and that was the beginning of a very productive spell for the Brothers.
Midfielder Tom Gallen, who put in a big shift for Omagh, landed a superb two pointer and that was followed by points from impressive duo Caolan McKinney and Aodhan Corry to open up a 1-4 to 0-2 lead by the 12th minute. Omagh were well on top at this stage with Gallen, Conor Fyffe, McKinney and Cormac Darcy all to the fore. Gradually though St.Pats Maghera began to find their feet with outstanding midfielder Sionan McCormack leading the charge.
He began their comeback with a 14th minute goal and after Bradley had split the posts again the same player then raised an orange flag to leave Maghera with their noses in front. Omagh were guilty of giving the ball away too cheaply as they tried to force passes that perhaps weren’t on and there is no doubt that blitz from their opponents affected them.
McKinney burst through from halfback to level matters when he drove over and Omagh got their second major almost immediately when Dara Burns finished off a crisp move that involved Gallen.
The end to end nature of the contest continued as Bradley landed his second two pointer of the contest before the hard working Cahir McDonnell sent over the equaliser.
It was Omagh though who had the final say of the half when Fyffe turned over the ball in his own halfback line and surged down the field with the Maghera defence doing well not to rush at him and he fired over the bar when there was perhaps a chance of a goal.
Omagh CBS led 2-6 to 1-8 at the break but the halftime team talk went out the window following Maghera’s electric start to the second half. Mulholland opened the scoring and further points came from Bradley and Ronan O’Loughlin before wing half back Joey Griffin produced a clinical finish from a flowing move in the 35th minute to leave them firmly in the ascendency. Burns opened Omagh’s second half account two minutes later but it was Maghera who now had the bit between their teeth.
McDonnell and Dan McEldowney both registered points either side of an inspirational score from McCormack as they moved seven clear. Corry and McCormack then swapped points and going into the final quarter Omagh had it all to do.
They did have plenty of possession and missed opportunities but a seven minute spell yielded them points from McKinney, Gallen, Burns and Corry to leave it 2-15 to 2-12.
It was still very much up for grabs but that man McCormack had a settling score for the winners and while Matthew McGarrity split the posts with a two pointer it proved to be the last kick of the contest as Maghera emerged victorious.
Scorers
Omagh CBS: Dara Burns 1-2, TomGallen 0-3 (1 x 2pt, 1 x “45”), Caolan McKinney 0-3, Aodhan Corry 0-3 (1F), Cahir Cassidy 1-0, Matthew Garrity 0-2 (2pt), Conor Fyffe 0-1
St.Pats Maghera: Tadgh Bradley 0-7 (2 x 2pt), Sionan McCormack 1-3, Joey Griffin 1-0, Don Mulholland 0-2, Cahir McDonnell 0-2, Ronan O’Loughlin 0-1, Dan McEldowney 0-1
Teams
Omagh CBS: Turlough O’Hagan, James McGarvey, Aidan Farley, Cormac McCusker, Caolan McKinney, Conor Fyffe, Tomas McElholm, Tom Gallen, Conal Loughran, Matthew Garrity, Aodhan Corry, Cormac Darcy, Dara Burns, Cahir Cassidy, Daniel McGurren. Subs: Micael McMahon for Cassidy, Shea McGinn for McGurren, Jayden Lloyd for Burns
St.Pats Maghera: Seamus Og Woulihan, Danny Bradley, Dara McKaigue, Oran Glackin, Joey Griffin, Dara McKenna, Fergal McLarnon, Don Mulholland, Sionan McCormack, Tadhg Bradley, Dan McEldowney, Cahir McDonnell, Donnacha Collins, Finn O’Neill, Ronan O’Loughlin. Subs: Karl Friel for McKenna, Cori Harbinson for Bradley
Referee: Paul Faloon, Down
