Stewartstown seal the Junior double

STEWARTSTOWN 2-12 AGHALOO 0-12

LEAGUE champions Strewartstown wrapped up the double with victory over Aghaloo in the Tyrone Junior Championship Final at O’Neill’s Healy Park on Sunday afternoon.

Goals in either half from Shea O’Neill and Dan Lowe proved to be the defining scores as the Harps held their opponents at arms length down the finishing straight to clinch the Pat Darcy Cup.

There was a dramatic start to the contest with Stewartstown finding the back of the net just twelve seconds after the throw-in. Macauley Quinn hoisted the ball in and the lively Shea O’Neill nipped in to divert the loose ball beyond the advancing keeper Neil McKenna.

Aghaloo recovered quickly from this early body blow as Tiarnan Donnelly and captain Niall McElroy (free) both registered points, before the early flow of the exchanges was interrupted following a length hold-up while Stewartstown midfielder Shea Burke was treated for a leg injury which hastened his departure.

Gareth Devlin and Niall McElroy then traded frees and in the run-up to the interval, the quality of attacking play stepped up a notch or two.

Skick inside play from Aghaloo was rewarded with further scores from Donnelly and McElroy, but the Harps were also hitting their straps and defender Conor Quinn and midfielder Stephen Talbot each belted over quality points. And with Gareth Devlin also landing a lovely effort it was Stewartstown who led 1-4 to 0-5 at half-time.

Macauley Quinn, Gareth Devlin and captain Mark Rooney extended Harps advantage on the restart, but Aghaloo were not going down without a fight.

Tiarnan Donnelly and Niall McElroy continued to slip over scores, but whern Dan Lowe got on the end of a cross from Theo Lowe to fist a close range goal in the 42^nd minute, Stewartstown seemed set fair to drive on.

A fisted score from Ruairi McGlone and excellent Niall Henderson point left just three between the sides, but it was Stewartstown who put in the sustained late assault, with Gareth Devlin leading the way, to clinch the silverware.

Teams & Scorers

Stewartstown

Greg Kelly, Jason Park, Darren Devlin, Conor Quinn (0-1), Kyran Robinson, Mark Rooney (0-1), Tiernan Rush (0-1), Stephen Talbot (0-1), Shea Burke, Gerard O’Neill, Macauley Quinn (0-1), Cathal Devlin, Gareth Devlin (0-6,2frees, 1mark), Shea O’Neill (1-0), Dan Lowe (1-1,1free). Subs used: Theo Lowe for S Burke (15mins)

Aghaloo

Neil McKenna, Darragh Muldoon, Ruairi McGlone (0-1), Gerard Daly, Padraig McGeary, Conor Mullen, Eoin Ward, Jody McGlone, Stewart Douglas, James O’Hara, Enda McGarrity, Gary O’Gorman, Niall McElroy (0-6,5frees), Niall Henderson (0-1), Tiarnan Donnelly (0-4,1free)

Referee: Cahal Bell (Killeeshil)