Sacred Heart boys clinch Ulster Schools O’Doherty Cup

Sacred Heart Omagh 10-10    St.Joseph’s Coalisland 3-10

SACRED Heart Omagh’s ability to get goals proved to be key at St.Patricks Park in Clogher as they defeated fellow Tyrone side St. Joseph’s Coalisland in the final of the Danske Bank O’Doherty Cup.

It was a contest that Sacred Heart always held the upper hand in and after a good start to the game they then rattled in a trio of goals just before the break to leave them in a commanding position leading 6-5 to 1-5.

To have any chance of making a game of it St. Josephs needed a good start to the second half but the opposite happened as the winners reeled off 1-4 without reply and while the Coalisland lads finished the game strongly it was only academic at that stage. It was a fine attacking display from Sacred Heart and they deserve all the credit for the football that they played on the day.

It was St. Josephs Coalisland who actually opened the scoring from an Eoin Colton free but that was to be as good as it got for them. Sean Gormley levelled matters before a neat left foot finish from midfielder Kaiden Harold produced the opening goal of the contest.

Luke Patterson converted a free but St. Josephs stayed in touch with scores from Fionn Rea and Cathal McErlean. It was at this stage that the winners took a firm grip on proceedings thanks to two quickfire goals from Ronan Coltn and Harold either side of a Gormley point.

Finn O’Connor and Charlie Byrne exchanged points and after Rea had reduced the deficit St. Josephs grabbed their first goal of the game through Matthew McQuaid at the end of the opening quarter. Any thought that they had of a fightback were quickly dispelled however as they failed to score for the remainder of the half while the winners tagged on 3-1.

Oran McMenamin and Byrne both scored similar goals when they lobbed the keeper before Gormley fired in an unstoppable shot to the top corner of the net. Oran Gallagher then had the final say of the first half with a point to leave Sacred Heart well on their way to the silverware.

Sacred Heart wasted no time in picking up were they had left off. A Patterson point was followed by a brace from Gormley before Harold added another score. Sacred Heart were in full flow and goal number seven arrived courtesy of Gallagher.

It took St.Joseph’s twenty three minutes to open their second half account but the scoring was far from finished. Colton found the top corner of the net and Gormley and Byrne also raised green flags before Shea Devenney got his name on the scoresheet with a point.

The game was well and truly over as a contest but St.Joseph’s deserve credit for not throwing in the towel. Colton, McErlean and Rea had points either side of a two goal salvo from centre half back Shane O’Neill but it was Sacred Heart’s day.

Sacred Heart scorers: Sean Gormley 2-4, Kaiden Harold 2-1, Charlie Byne 2-1, Ronan Colton 2-0, Oran Gallagher 1-1, Oran McMenamin 1-0, Luke Patterson 0-2, Shea Devenney 0-1

St.Josephs Coalisland scorers: Shane O’Neill 2-0, Fionn Rea 0-3, Matthew McQuaid 1-0, Eoin Colton 0-2, Cathal McErlean 0-2, Finn O’Connor 0-1, Shane Talbot 0-1