Gortin Through In Penalty Shootout Drama

Sunday 30.08.2020

Championship Football

There can be little doubt that the Tyrone Championship throws up some amazing games across all grades. Sunday evening in Omagh and Gortin v Eglish was the last game of an incredibly entertaining weekend of top class club football.

Once again we were treated to a rip roaring, nerve wracking thriller between two very evenly balanced teams that had everything the purists of Gaelic Football long for.

Gortin and Eglish were playing for a place in the semi final of the intermediate championship and with so much at stake the exchanges were not for the feint hearted . Gortin settled quickly and opened up an early two point lead courtesy of two Sean Óg Mc Aleer free kicks. Ethan Jordan responded for an Eglish point with nine minutes on the clock and came close to putting his team in front when he broke through two minutes later only to see his goal bound shot bounce back off the crossbar.

Gortin responded with points from Eoghan Mc Garvey and Ruairi Keenan to move three in front. Emmett Mc Kenna created and finished a fine score for Eglish after seventeen minutes but with Ciaran Brolly, Niall Mc Ginn and Fiachra Mc Nulty in outstanding form Gortin continued to create chances and added two further Sean Óg Mc Aleer scores to go in at the break leading Eglish six points to two.

Luke Donnelly came on for Eglish at the start of the second half and immediately his pace and movement began causing problems for the Gortin defence. Donnelly and Mc Aleer swapped points before Emmett Mc Kenna waltzed through the Gortin defence to add two points inside a minute. Luke Donnelly hit his second point to narrow the gap to a single score. Eglish were very much on top but with the Gortin forward line relying on scraps Sean Óg Mc Aleer clipped over a free to put hit team 0-8 to 0-6 ahead. Ethan Jordan pointed again but Mc Aleer once again made it a two point game with fifteen minutes remaining.
With the game going into the final quarter and tired bodies all over the field, mistakes were bound to happen. Paul Mason drove through to send over a fine point but Eoghan Mc Garvey stretched the lead to two with the next attack.
With time running out Eglish piled forward and Colm Byrne, Ethan Jordan and Emmett Mc Kenna all converted chances to out their team ahead for the first time in the game. Gortin, as they had done all night, responded well and once again Sean Óg Mc Aleer clipped over the equaliser as the game ended 0-11 apiece.

Extra time was required and this time it was Eglish who made the better start. Jordan and Conall Mc Nulty scored early points to put their team two in front. Mc Aleer responded with a point for Gortin but a superb stop from the Eglish goalkeeper Jack Gibney meant the teams went off at the break with Eglish leading by one.

Both sides looked tired after the break but still the pace never relented. Eoghan Mc Garvey levelled the game with a lovely point but Ethan Jordan sent over a 45 to put Eglish in front again. Nerves were frayed and tempers boiled over but Gortin created one more chance and Ruairi Keenan sent the game to penalties with a well executed equaliser from out wide on the right.

Penalties were required and after the teams were tied following the first set of five it was down to sudden death. Eglish missed with their kick and so it was left to Ruairi Keenan. The Gortin midfielder was calmness personified as he fired his shot past Jack Gibney to take his team through to the semi finals of the LCC Tyrone Intermediate Championship after another superb game of Tyrone club football.