Fintona Power Past Brackaville

Saturday 17.09.2022

Championship Football

LCC Tyrone JFC 
Fintona 1-20 Brackaville 0-11

With sixteen minutes to go in the game jut one single point separated the two teams in Donaghmore.  Brackaville had gone toe to toe with Fintona in a keenly contested championship encounter.  What happened in the last quarter signalled a statement of intent from a Fintona Pearses side that not all that many years ago were propping up the Division 3 table.  They outscored Brackaville 0-9 to 0-1.

Fintona opened the scoring in the 6th minute of the game through a Cathal Starrs free.  That score was cancelled out in the 8th minute thanks to a Dale McSorley point from play.  Three minutes later a second Fintona free from Peter McGlinn eased them ahead once again however Brackaville hit back through a Ronan Fox mark and two points from Rian McHugh and a Ciaran Gervin 45 to lead by two on the 18th minute.

Fintona were back level again at 0-4 apiece within four minutes.  Conor McGillion, Jared Brogan Aidan Donnelly finding their range both from open play.  Gervin slotted over a mark in the 24th minute only for the game to be drawn all square through a fabulous point from Matty Armstrong.  Brackaville’s last point of the half came from a Dale McSorley free while Fintona finished the half much the stronger though.  First Tommy McGrath hit his first point of the game from a free.  Then a long ball into the Brackaville defence deceived the defenders and Conor McGillion hit the open net after Peter McGlinn slipped the ball to him.  It was a goal slightly against the run of play but nonetheless a big score to get before the break. Half Time – Fintona 1-6 Brackaville 0-6.

Both sides shared the opening four scores of the second half.  Brackaville bringing the game back to within a single point thanks to Ciaran Gervin and a Gary Ferguson mark.  By the 37th minute Fintona’s lead was three once again.  Aidan Donnelly splitting the posts from open play and Cathal Starrs launching over another free.  Undeterred Brackaville fought back to within a single point for a second time.  Dale McSorley and Ciaran Gervin both getting points from play with just sixteen minutes to go.  That was as good as it got for Brackaville as Fintona turned on the afterburners.

First, Cathal Starrs landed a point from play.  Within five minutes the lead had moved from two to five.  Tommy McGrath and Conor McGillion twice landing points from play.  Within another four minutes that lead was out to eight.  Peter McGlinn, substitutes Niall Mellon and Pauric Kelly, twice, thumping over scores and Cathal Starrs landing a free.  Fintona didn’t stop there.  Two more points from Starrs just ahead of a well struck consolation 45 for Jason O’Neill in injury time.  Final Score – Fintona 1-20 Brackaville 0-11

Fintona – C Gillespie, E Garrity, M McGlinn, M Monaghan, M Armstrong (0-1), N Murray, E McCarroll, C Starrs (0-6), C McGoldrick, A Donnelly (0-2), C Watson, T McGrath (0-2), P McGlinn (0-3), J Brogan (0-1), Conor McGillion (1-2)

Fintona Subs – C Rice, R Partington, N Mellon (0-1), P Kelly (0-2), O Hughes

Brackaville – J Allen, R McElhatton, D McKenna, M Campbell, J O’Neill (0-1), C Kearns, S Gervin, R Fox (0-1), C O’Neill, C Gervin (0-4), D McSorley (0-3), R Bell, G Ferguson (0-1), R McHugh (0-1), T Ruddy

Brackaville Subs – R McHugh, S McIntyre, C Stock, R McElhatton

Referee – Kieran Eanetta (Omagh)