Sigersons see off Cookstown in Ulster Junior Club League Final

Strabane 2-17  Cookstown 0-14

Páirc Naomh Eoghain Newtownstewart was the venue on Sunday afternoon as Strabane and Cookstown clashed in an all-Tyrone Ulster Junior Club League decider.

The two town teams are engaged in a rebuilding process at present, and it was Strabane with an exceptional performance over the hour and a bit played who lifted the title in what is a great boost for the Sigersons club ahead of the new Tyrone club season.

Both sides would have been understrength going into this clash but were keen to finish their Ulster League campaign by lifting silverware. As it transpired it was Strabane who proved the hungrier side and claimed the title with a deserved win and will hope that it’s a springboard for the Tyrone club season ahead.

Cookstown opened with a point from a free kick via Craig O’Kane in the opening minutes and Strabane responded with Oran McGrath hitting a fine two pointer from a free kick (the first such score I’m informed at Páirc Naomh Eoghain).

Cookstown took early control of the contest with Niall McMurray, Matthew Carberry and Darragh McHugh all adding a point apiece before Niall McMurray sent over an excellent two pointer.

Strabane responded with a slick move that resulted in Haydn McNamee finishing the ball to the Cookstown net to cut the Fr Rocks lead to just a point.

Matthew Carberry then hit a fine two pointer from a free kick from all of fifty metres out to increase the Cookstown lead. Sigersons response was sharp with the impressive McNamee scoring a quartet of points, three from free kicks and one from play.

Before the interval, Cookstown levelled matters with Craig O’Kane landing a point, but Strabane finished the half well with Haydn McNamee firing over a point from play and the equally impressive Oran McGrath landed his second two pointer of the game and followed this up with a point from play.

Cookstown were sharp out of the blocks after the interval hitting points from play via Craig O’Kane and Ruairi Mullan. Strabane responded with points via Kelvin Nelson and a Haydn McNamee free kick.

The impressive Ruairi Mullan then added a point from play for Cookstown, but minutes later he sadly left the pitch on a stretcher picking up a leg injury. His loss was advantageous for Strabane with Strabane scoring a second goal after Haydn McNamee picked up a fine pass from Oran McGrath and blasted the ball to the roof of the Cookstown net.

The sides then traded a brace of points with McNamee again on target for Sigersons on both occasions whilst Nathan Connolly and Matthew Carberry hit the Fr Rocks scores.

Strabane finished the game in style with Gary Quigg, Kelvin Nelson and the industrious Ruairi Gormley all landing good points from play to secure an impressive win and collect some early season silverware.

Scorers

Strabane – Haydn McNamee 2-8, Oran McGrath 0-5 (2×2), Kelvin Nelson 0-2, Gary Quigg 0-1, and Ruairi Gormley (0-1)

Cookstown – Matthew Carberry (0-4) (1×2), Niall McMurray (0-3) (1×2), Craig O’Kane (0-3), Ruairi Mullan (0-2), Darragh McHugh (0-1) and Nathan Connolly (0-1)

Teams

Strabane; Eoin Haire, Joe Bishop, Oran Sweeney (Captain), Jamie Hughes, Ronan McLaughlin, Ryan McElroy, Kyle Morrison, Oran McGrath, and Ruairi Gormley, Gavin Molloy, Gary Quigg, Daniel McHagney, Kelvin Nelson, Haydn McNamee, Oisin McGillion. Subs: Ruairi White for Jamie Hughes, Ethan Corry for Ronan McLaughlin, Adam Duffy for Gavin Molloy, Oran White for Oisin McGillion

Cookstown:  Eoghan Donnelly, Matthew McCann, Matthew O’Neill, Michael Oscar Devlin, Darragh McHugh, Callan Kelly, Ronan Donnelly, Luke Cullen, and Ruairi Mullan, John McIvor, Karol Wawrynkiewicz, Nial McMurray, Craig O’Kane, Matthew Carberry, Nathan Connolly. Subs: Ryan McIvor for Ruairi Mullan, Karol McGuigan for John McIvor

Referee: Thomas Devlin (Newbridge)