Brocagh Surprise Favourites Castlederg

Saturday 31.08.2024

Championship Football

Tyrone JFC Rd 1
Brocagh 2-14 Castlederg 1-15

What a wonderful advertisement for the Tyrone junior championship. This game had everything, goals, black cards, saves, missed chances, excellent score taking, disallowed goals, and an underdog who refused to read the script. In the end, Brocagh were clinging on, but they held out for a fully deserved victory.

Brocagh opened the scoring through Micheal Robinson, but a trio of Adam Traynor points settled the Derg. Niall McCloskey and Cian Harper swapped scores before Joe McNally left the minimum between them with twenty minutes played. Castlederg were guilty of an extra pass on too many occasions, as they spurned goal opportunities while on top.  They paid the price minutes later when Niall McCloskey forced Robinson’s high ball home. Blaine Lynch levelled with a fisted point and a fifth Traynor point and Daire Corry free cancelled out Mickey Hughes’ free to give Castlederg a slender advantage at the break.

With wind advantage Brocagh started the half on fire, the early ball into James Mckeever was really effective. In the opening six minutes Brocagh hit their opponents for 1-4, Mckeever with the goal and the Go man of the match playing a role in the majority of the scores. Darren Traynor’s point Derg’s only response.

Brocagh had further goal chances but settled for points and they assumed full control. As the game reached its final quarter Brocagh led by 7 with scores from Hughes and Mark Canavan.

Castlederg were now intent on finding the necessary goals to stage a comeback. A wonderful run by Blaine Lynch saw his centre finished to the net but it was ruled out because of a square ball infringement. Paddy Lynch then smashed the crossbar. Six points still separated the sides when Cathal Donnelly received a black card, Adam Traynor taking his personal haul to 0-9. There was still time for further drama as Matthew McMenamin’s last minute goal gave Castlederg renewed hope. But Brocagh navigated the 4 additional minutes despite being reduced to 13 with Stephen Canavan seeing black. Goalkeeper Dan Davidson’s alertness ensuring it would be the Emmet’s day.

Brocagh now face Aghaloo, whose excellent facilities hosted today’s game.