Omagh hang on as Errigal pay penalty for Harte miss
OMAGH’S ninth Tyrone SFC title triumph was a story of survival rather than conquest as they edged out Errigal Ciaran in a tense decider.
Peter Harte’s missed penalty in the first half proved costly in the end, but the Tyrone star almost dragged his side back into it single-handedly.
Harte was Errigal’s only real scoring threat, while Omagh trio Ronan O’Neill, Conan Grugan and Connor O’Donnell nailed the points that carried them to a second title in four years.
Harte nudged Errigal ahead with a score inside the opening minute, but that was to prove their one and only conversion of the first half.
They could have had two goals, should have had at least one, but it was Omagh who controlled the play, moving confidently from deep.
Barry Tierney got forward at every opportunity, and they crafted a goal chance when Micheal O’Neill sent Cormac O’Neill in, but his effort was cleared off the line by midfielder Ben McDonnell.
DENIED
Errigal also had a goal opportunity, Harte’s superb pass sending Ronan McRory in, but he was denied by Niall McGinn’s superb save.
Omagh eased a head with scores from Connor O’Donnell, Conan Grugan and Ronan O’Neill, but O’Neill was spared the cost of conceding a penalty when he impeded Mark Kavanagh in the 22nd minute.
Harte, normally lethal from the spot, stepped up, but sent his kick crashing against the butt of a post.
Omagh bossed the remainder of the half, and while they could only manage one score, a Grugan free, they were gradually taking control, with Conor Meyler and Barry Tierney raiding from deep, comfortable at 0-4 to 0-1 at the break.
O’Neill, Grugan and O’Donnell found the range to keep Errigal at arm’s length, and Harte, along with sub Peter Óg McCartan, were left to carry the fight to the home side, but they went a man down following the second booking of Eoin Quinn, and were unable to recover after Omagh went four clear.
SCORERS – Omagh: C Grugan (1f), R O’Neill (2f), C O’Donnell (1f) 0-3 each; J McMahon 0-1. Errigal Ciaran: P Harte 0-5 (3f); P Óg McCartan, D Canavan, R Lynch (f) 0-1 each.
OMAGH: N McGinn; G Murray, H Gallagher, S Mullan; C McLaughlin, J McMahon, B Tierney; C Clarke, M Gallagher; T Gallagher, C Grugan, R O’Neill; C O’Neill, C O’Donnell, C Meyler. Subs: A Grugan for T Gallagher (40), A Grugan T Gallagher (40), Justin McMahon for Murray (60). ERRIGAL CIARAN: R McAnenly; N Kelly, A McCrory, C Quinn; M Kavanagh, M McRory, C McRory; B McDonnell, E Kelly, P Harte, E Quinn, R McRory, D Harte, P McGirr. Subs: P Óg McCartan for E Kelly (17), S McRory for McGirr (h-t), D Canavan for R McRory (h-t), D McDermott for M McRory (h-t), R Lynch for D Harte (52), P McAnenly for Kavanagh (55).
REF – S Dorrity (Coalisland).