Day Of Double Delight For Newtownstewart

Saturday 08.10.2011

Club

Newtownstewart St Eugene’s enjoyed a day of double delight when their boys and girls under sixteen teams lifted league and championship titles in Trillick this afternoon. The girls got the ball rolling with a 5-04 to 3-01 victory over a gallant Fintona Pearses side. Indeed the Fintona girls had gone into the break leading 3-01 to 2-0 following three goals from Marcella Mc Cann but the Newtown girls raised their game in the second half to lift the title after some fine all round football. Team captain Lucy Arnold received the League Shield sponsored by Heraldic Crafts on behalf of her team mates.

It was then the turn of the St Eugene’s boys as they took on Greencastle in the Grade Three Championship Final and in a very entertaining and high quality match the Newtown lads emerged victorious after an great hour’s football 2-06 to 0-08. The half forward line of Piaras and Aidan Mc Sorley and Sean Hargan worked tirelessly and were always a threat while midfielders Shane Ashenhurst and Niall Mayse got through an enormous amount of work. However it was their ability to deny the opposition goal chances that ultimately won them the game with Connor Loughrey in nets making two point blank saves from Mel Mc Cullagh and full back Matthew Mc Collum denying Kevin Conway with a fantastic last ditch block.

The first half was fairly even and there was only a point between the sides at the break as Newtown led 0-05 to 0-04 with their scores coming from Tiarnan Mc Namee, Ashenhurst 0-2 and Aidan Mc Sorley 0-2 while Mel Mc Cullagh, Gavin Slane and Patrick Clarke were on target for Greencastle. the St Patrick’s chances were dealt a huge blow before the start when team captain Lee O’Neill was forced to withdraw from the game after damaging his knee in the warm up.

Greencastle began the second half well but three minutes in a fine flowing move from Newtownstewart finished with Mayse finding Daryll Mc Guigan in space and the full forward made no mistake from ten metres. Greencastle responded well  and scored four in a row to level the game on thirteen minutes but then Sean Hargan struck for their second goal and Greencastle just could not close the gap a second time. Gavin Slane, Seamus Warnock and Shane Mc Guigan battled hard to keep their side in it but another Aidan Mc Sorley point made sure of the win for the men from Newtownstewart on a final score of 2-06 to 0-08.