St Colman's midfielders help end 12-year wait

MCRORY CUP FINAL/St Colman's, Newry 1-14 Omagh CBS 1-8:ST COLMAN'S regained the MacRory Cup at Casement Park, Belfast, yesterday following a thoroughly deserved victory.

Had the Down side not been so wasteful in attack during the first half, the margin would have been much greater, but there was rarely a doubt about where the silverware was heading.

With towering Niall McParland and Connor Gough controlling midfield, the winners’ attack got an ample supply of the ball, but shot nine first-half wides and another five in the second half.

McParland and Gough weren’t the only stars of the Newry victory as players all over the field shone with Paul Lively, Jerome and Ryan Johnston, Chris Clarke and Colin Stevenson all on form in a team that combined beautifully.

In contrast, Omagh relied more on individual efforts with only Ronan O’Neill a real danger up front. Ryan O’Neill and Thomas Canavan worked hard in the centre of defence but with Newry’s midfield dominance they needed greater support around them.

O’Neill was Omagh’s sole first-half scorer and his goal, as he slipped a defender on the end line, in the 15th minute put his side 1-1 to 0-3 ahead, but points by Ryan Johnston, who soloed through from half back, and Jerome Johnston (two) put St Colman’s 0-6 to 1-1 ahead at the break.

Two minutes after the restart arrived a decisive score – a wonder goal for St Colman’s by Caolan Mooney, who was sent inside by Colin Stevenson and carefully picked his spot chest high just inside the right-hand post.

That seemed to inspire Omagh to greater effort and points by John McCullagh, substitute Steafan Tierney and Ronan O’Neill wiped out the Newry goal.

Niall McParland stopped the Newry slide, but Lynch and Clarke closed the gap to the minimum at 1-7 to 1-6 on 44 minutes.

It was then the winners really showed their class and in the last quarter rifled over seven points to just two in reply. Six minutes from time, Shane McCartan sliced through on a super solo, but, with the goals at his mercy, shot wide.

However, in the closing minutes the winners knocked over four points without response to claim a merited victory.

ST COLMAN’S: M McNeice; S McGreevy, N Donnelly, R Lively; R Johnston (0-2), P Hillen, P Lively; N McParland (0-2), C Gough; D O’Hare, C Clarke (0-2, both frees), C Mooney (1-2); C Stevenson (0-1), J Johnston (0-5), T McGreevy. Subs: R McGarry for O’Hare 37 mins, S McCartan for McGreevy 47 mins.

OMAGH CBS: R Clarke; S Mullan, Ryan O’Neill, D Bradley; N Sludden, T Canavan (0-1), D Connolly, C Grugan, S Warnock; C Clarke (0-1), Ronan ONeill (1-2), A O’Donnell; J McCullagh (0-1), C McCullagh, C MacCrory. Subs: S Tierney (0-1) for C McCullagh 23 mins, R Lynch (0-2) for Bradley 35 mins.

Referee: P McEneaney (Monaghan).