Second half surge seals league crown for Dromore Under-14s

Dromore 4-15  Na Doiri Oga 3-4

DROMORE are Grade 2 U14 League champions for 2023 after they produced an impressive second half display to get the better of Na Doiri Oga in the final at Newtownstewart on Saturday morning.

The winners led by five points at halftime but they didn’t get matters their own way with their opponents closing the gap to three early in the second half.

That was the signal for the winners to step on the gas and they were clinical with the chances that came their way as they ran out comfortable winners in the end.

Centre half forward Shae O’Donnell hit the opening three points of the game and in the 11th minute Padraig Edgar scored a goal. Na Doiri Oga had as much possession but they couldn’t penetrate a Dromore defence with Tiernan McCarron to the fore.

Emmett McQuaid split the posts and O’Donnell added another brace as they moved 1-6 to 0-0 in front.

In the 25th minute Na Doiri Oga opened their account in style when full forward Cathair Campbell blasted to the net after collecting a pass from Ben O’Neill.

Moments later Campbell almost got in for another goal only to be denied by a superb save from Dromore keeper Oran Kelly. O’Neill then had the final say of the half to leave it 1-6 to 1-1 at the break.

O’Donnell opened the second half scoring but in the 33rd minute Corbin O’Neill struck for a brilliant goal for the Derrytresk/ Derrylaughan select. O’Donnell and Ben O’Neill traded points before the former cut in from the right wing to find the net.

That was the beginning of a purple patch for the winners with O’Donnell hitting a brace of points and Oisin Colton scoring two goals while Corbin O’Neill found the net at the other end of the field.

To their credit Na Doiri Ogs kept plugging away with Corbin O’Neill notching two points but they were fighting a losing battle. Nathan McCusker weighed in with a trio of points with Colton and Eoin McCusker also on target as Dromore ran out worthy winners to take the silverware.