Strong first half sets the CBS on their way to McGrath Cup Final

Omagh CBS  0-12  St.Colmans  0-6

OMAGH CBS qualified for the Ulster Schools Oisin McGrath Final when they produced a strong first half display to lay the foundations for their victory over St.Colman’s Newry in Lurgan.

With the wind at their backs the Brothers established a six point lead at the break and they comfortable maintained that gap in a second half that saw both sides only register two scores apiece.

In the end they were deserving winners and their reward is a final date with St.Pats Maghera as they bid to add their third grade “A” title of the season with the School already having the Rannafast and Dalton Cups safely tucked away.

There was less than sixty seconds gone when Omagh CBS opened the scoring from an Aodhan Corry free before Cathair McCaul levelled matters for the Down School after four minutes. Omagh were looking lively in the early stages and they began to turn possession into scores.

Cormac Darcy gave them a lead that they were never to lose and by the 12th minute they had tagged on points from Caolan McKinney and Corry.

Oisin Morgan then got a much needed score from a free for St.Colmans and when the same player then raised a white flag from play they were right back in contention by the end of the opening quarter at 0-5 to 0-3. The next dozen minutes though belonged to Omagh CBS and it was during that spell that they managed to chalk up a match wining advantage.

Matthew Garrity and Corry both scored with impressive wing half back Tomas McElholm getting forward to split the posts on three occasions. The Newry lads had the final say of the half via Paudie Morgan but no doubt Omagh were the happier of the two sides.

In the early moments of the second half St.Colmans almost got in for a goal but Omagh keeper Turlough O’Hagan came to his side’s rescue with a crucial save.

The CBS were happy to sit back and hold onto the ball and try and invite their opponents to come out. It took St.Colmans a quarter of an hour to open their second half account through Oisin Morgan and the winners would have been more than pleased with the way that things were going.

Corry converted a free for the Brothers in the 17th minute and while Oisin Morgan cancelled that out at the other end of the field it was a goal that they badly needed to try and ignite a comeback and it never looked like coming.

That actually proved to be their last score of the game and it was Omagh CBS who closed things out with a Daniel McGurren point.

Scorers

Omagh CBS: Aodhan Corry 0-4 (2F), Tomas McElholm 0-3, Caolan McKinney 0-2, Cormac Darcy 0-1, Matthew Garrity 0-1, Daniel McGurren 0-1

St.Colmans Newry: Oisin Morgan 0-4 (1F), Paudie Morgan 0-1, Cathair McCaul 0-1