Double Disappointment for Tyrone’s Representatives.

Sunday 14.11.2010

Club

It was a day of double disappointment for Tyrone sides on Sunday at Brewster Park in Ennisklillen when both Derrylaughan and Coalisland bowed out of The Ulster Club series . Derrylaughan were caught in a tide of blue as Doohamlet of Monaghan completely bossed the first half and led two seven to three points at the break. The Kevin Barrys faced a second half mountain to climb and although they started well with a goal and two points in the opening five minutes they found the physicality and tenacious play of their opponents too hard to handle.

Indeed The Monaghan men shut up shop so well that the Tyrone Champions failed to score for the remainder of the game. In fairness to Derrylaughan they never stopped trying with Liam and Ciaran Gervin straining every muscle in an attempt to claw their way back into the game. However Doohamlet caught them on the break a few times and the final score of 2-12 to a goal and five points was not a fair reflection on the efforts of the Loughshore side.

Damien O’Hagan’s Coalisland side looked a bit off the pace in the first half of their game with Glenties. They struggled to break down the Glenties defence and were guilty of over elaborating which too often resulted in the ball being given away and scoring chances lost. On one such occasion twenty minutes into the game Stephen Curran lost the ball and within fifteen seconds the Donegal men had manufactured a fabulous goal to lead by four points.

The Fianna were struggling and half time came at just the right time for them. Whatever their manager said to them during the break seemed to work because they were a different side in the second half playing some fantastic football. In truth the second half had everything and the outcome hung in the balance right up until the end as the game ebbed and flowed at a fierce pace. Coalisland actually led by a point halfway through the second half following a fabulous Plunkett Kane goal but Glenties never gave up and Cathal Corey’s side held out to win by a single score.

Some Coalisland supporters were very irate with the officials at the end of the game and when you consider there was only a point between the teams at the end and the referee had over ruled his umpires to award a point to Glenties in the first half, you can understand their anger. However overall this game will be remembered for all the right reasons and it is just a pity that there had to be a loser. The Fianna have had a good season and it is not over yet as they have a league final still to play for. It will be difficult for them to pick themselves up for the game with Errigal but if Damien O’Hagan can lift them for that match like he lifted them for their second half, who knows they might complete the double yet.