By 
ULSTER JUNOR HURLING CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND
Truagh Gaels 2-11 Omagh 0-11
By Damien Donnelly
TRUAGH GAELS posted a goal in each half to help them overcome the spirited challenge of Omagh St Enda’s in Saturday’s Ulster club hurling contest at St Mellan’s Park.
This was a decent tussle between the Monaghan and Tyrone champions. The St Enda’s battled bravely to try and record a breakthrough Ulster win but they undercooked some chances plus the concession of two untimely goals contrived to undo their Ulster ambitions.
The host side led at midway by 1-6 to 0-7 and Omagh were unable to wrestle the advantage from Gaeil Triucha during the second half. The St Enda’s tried all the way to the finish but it wasn’t to be for them on the day. A swirling breeze supplied the backdrop as the Truagh team began brightly to notch points from Garth Mohan and Niall Coyle. The St Enda’s settled into their stride and midfielder Oisin McGuigan secured Omagh’s first point on five minutes.
Omagh’s defence was working hard to keep a lively home attack at bay through the efforts of Cain McGuigan, captain Ciaran Lagan, Paul McKernaghan and company. The guests were winning some more turnovers and they started to turn the scoreboard over too as Tom McClements pointed from play and added an angled free as well plus Liam Griffiths landed a point too.
Conor McKenna pointed in response for Gaeil Triucha and 17 minutes in the home team struck for goal number one when Niall Coyle netted from a flicked effort to frustrate the away defence.
David Carville tagged on a free as the hosts endeavoured to build on the boost provided by their goal. The St Enda’s however, counter-attacked effectively and an excellent side-line free from Tom McClements preceded another well judged placed effort by McClements as well.
Home captain Matthew Flood supplied a fine point but Oisin O’Neill replied in kind on behalf of the St Enda’s. Back came Gaeil Triucha, though, with David Carville pointing to leave the interval scoreline reading 1-6 to 0-7 for his side. The influential Matthew Flood hoisted over the first point of the last half but Tom McClements drove over another side-line free. David Carville, though, had a home score to re-establish the three-point leeway.
McClements continued his accurate free taking to keep Omagh just two behind as the closing quarter dawned. Gaeil Triucha full-back Conor Boyle belted over a long-range free and in the 50th minute Conor McKenna slipped the defence to finish home his side’s second goal. Omagh now faced a 2-9 to 0-9 deficit with time ticking away and Kieran McGuirk made the gap seven not long afterwards. The St Enda’s, to their credit, kept trying and Brian Gallagher landed a tidy point for the Tyrone champions.
The St Enda’s survived a McGuirk goal effort as Gaeil Triuacha went to finish the game off stylishly before the sides swapped closing scores through Damien Woodhead and Gary Mohan.
Scorers
Truagh Gaels: Niall Coyle 1-1, Conor McKenna 1-1, David Carville 0-3(2f), Matthew Flood 0-2, Conor Boyle 0-1(f), Kieran McGuirk 0-1, Garth Mohan 0-1, Gary Mohan 0-1
Omagh St Enda’s: Tom McClements 0-6(5f), Liam Griffiths 0-1, Oisin McGuigan 0-1, Damien Woodhead 0-1, Oisin O’Neill 0-1, Brian Gallagher 0-1
Teams
Truagh Gaels: Niall Slevin, Niall McQuillan, Conor Boyle, Donnacha McCloskey, John McAnespie, Oisin Hagan, Ronan Boyle, Matthew Flood, Daithi McMeel, Diarmuid O’Domhaill, Conor McKenna, Noel Flood, Garth Mohan, David Carville, Niall Coyle. Subs: Aidan Coyle for Garth Mohan, Gary Mohan for D O’Domhaill, John Treanor for A Coyle, Kieran McGuirk for Gary Mohan
Omagh St Enda’s: Ryan Woods, Oran O’Doibhilin, Paul McKernaghan, Byron O’Neill, Cormac Taggart, Cain McGuigan, Ciaran Lagan, Malachai Leonard, Oisin McGuigan, Brian Gallagher, Eunan Campbell, Oisin O’Neill, Eoin Maguire, Liam Griffiths, Tom McClements. Subs: Pascal O’Neill for E Maguire, Damien Woodhead for O O’Neill
Referee: John Dornan, Down