St Pat’s Dungannon win Oisin McGrath Trophy

St.PATRICK’S ACADEMY DUNGANNON  0-13     OUR LADY’S CASTLEBLAYNEY 2-5

IT has been an unbelievable season for Tyrone schools and that trend continued at Garvaghey as St.Patrick’s Academy Dungannon annexed the Oisin McGrath trophy at the expense of a battling Our Lady’s Castleblaney side.

It was the Academy who opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a converted free from the boot of Liam McGeary, the first of eight points from the full forward. Our Lady’s corner forward Lorcan Mone then levelled matters with a quality effort from out on the left wing but with a dozen minutes on the clock McGeary gave his side an advantage that they were never to lose when his shot was tipped over the bar by keeper Cathal Malone. Both sides missed chances before McGeary got his and his side’s third point of the afternoon from another placed ball.

The underfoot conditions were proving to be a good leveller with scores proving difficult to come by and after Senan Hanratty and McGeary had swapped points from frees it was 0-4 to 0-2 in Dungannon’s favour with twenty two minutes gone on the clock.

The Academy almost got in for a goal but Aaron Convie was denied by Malone, the first of three superb saves that the keeper would make against the corner forward. Joe Kerr stretched that advantage from a free but on the stroke of half time Academy full back Dare O’Hagan made a timely interception just as Castleblaney threatened to get in on goal.

It took seven minutes for the first score of the second half to arrive but it was well worth waiting for as Darragh Devlin, Ross Daly and Rian McIvor combined for Kerr to hit a brilliant point. Sixty seconds later the wing half back was at it again with another outstanding effort from out on the left wing. Tristan Nugent then opened Our Lady’s second half account with a quality point but it was Dungannon who continued to make all the running with McGeary and Lorcan McMurray both on target for a 0-9 to 0-3 lead. Sandwiched in between those two scores keeper Malone saved from Convie again.

With a dozen minutes left to play though Castleblaney were right back in contention when a high delivery in from midfielder Hanratty was won by Mone who found the net. That was quickly followed by a superb point from distance from centre half back Pauric Carville and all of a sudden the gap was down to two. The Academy didn’t panic though with McGeary knocking over a free which was quickly followed by one from play to leave four between the sides with eight minutes left to play.

A brilliant pass from Devlin then picked out Convie in space but once again Malone was equal to the task to produce another fine save. A long ball in from Castleblaney wing half back Harry McQuillan was allowed to bounce over the bar but that was cancelled out at the other end of the field by a McGeary free before Devlin kicked a brilliant point as we moved into injury time.

Five points now separated the two sides but the Academy were made to endure a nervous finish to the game as Castleblaney, despite having had a player black card, threw everything at them. Nugent sent in another long ball which McQuillan did well to keep in play for Dylan Watters to finish to the net from close range. Moments later though the final whistle sounded as Dungannon deservedly took the silverware.