LCC Intermediate Championship Wins For Gortin And Owen Roes

Saturday 16.10.2021

Owen Roes 0-16 Clogher 1-9

A Cathal McShane inspired Owen Roes side became the first team to book their place in the last four of this season’s LCC Intermediate championship when they held off a spirited Clogher outfit at Killyclogher on Saturday afternoon.

The Eire Ogs began the better of the two teams and twice inside the opening half hour they held a two point lead thanks to a brace each from Conor Shields,  and Ciaran Bogue, McShane and midfielder Seamus Dooher the Owen Roes marksmen. A great score from McShane closed the gap before wing half back Conall McCormick cut in from the left wing to land an equally fine effort, the first of his four points. As the half wore on the influence of Tyrone attacker McShane increased as he kicked a brilliant point from out on the left wing before following that up with a close in free. Clogher though had the final say of the first half when keeper Rory McElroy converted a “45” with the last kick to trim the deficit to the minimum, 06 to 0-5.

Owen Roes came out of the blocks flying in the second half as they set about establishing a match winning advantage. Michael Dooher intercepted a poor kick out to place McShane for a point in the 32^nd minute and sixty seconds later McCormick thumped over a beauty from distance. Good pressure from the Owen Roes forwards resulted on them winning a free which McShane knocked over before Sean Bogue opened Clogher’s second half account in the 39^th minute. 

The next kick out from keeper Ryan McShane went long and McCormick was onto it in a flash as he exchanged passes with Michael Dooher before confidently splitting the posts. Owen Roes had all the momentum at this stage and a McShane effort with his left was quickly followed by the score of the game from the same player from out on the left wing to leave his side in front by double scores in the 42^nd minute, 0-12 to 0-6.

Barry McKenna kicked an inspirational point from distance from Clogher but straight after the second water break that man McShane was at it again with a quick fire brace to leave him with 0-9 for the afternoon. Ciaran Bogue and Brendan Boggs swapped points before Clogher defender Jamie Callaghan drove over the bar. With two minutes left to play Clogher were thrown a lifeline when a free from Mark Bogue was finished to the net by team Captain Barry McKenna. Owen Roes didn’t panic though and McCormick had the final say to send them safely through to the semi final. 

Gortin 2-10 Beragh 0-14

Gortin are through to a last four meeting with Owen Roes in the LCC Intermediate championship after holding off a late comeback from Beragh at Killyclogher on Saturday afternoon.

The winners opened the scoring after eleven seconds through Sean Og McAleer before wing half back Peter Keenan doubled their advantage. Oisin Donnelly then opened the Red Knights account with a quality score from out on the right wing but Gortin were the better side with Eoghan McGarvey scoring from 50m out and then Fiachra McNulty pointing for a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage. Donnelly then closed the gap from a free before he provided the pass for midfielder Oran Treacy to leave it a one point game. 

Defender Keenan converted another free for Gortin but Pete Meenagh cancelled that out at the other end of the field after a surging run from Callum Corrigan. Shane Clarke then scored via the post from a Mark and after Jack Campbell and Keenan had exchanged points from frees Donnelly weighed in with another superb score from out on the wing. Keenan had another free to leave Gortin 0-8 to 0-6 in front at the short whistle.

The second half was only four minutes old when Gortin struck for a brilliant goal as a superb run from Daire McSwiggan opened the Beragh defence up with midfielder Ciaran Brolly finishing to the net with aplomb. Defenders Ben McSorley and Patrick McCullagh exchanged points before Gortin grabbed their second goal in the 38^th minute when Clarke scored from close range after Eoghan McGarvey’s initial shot had been saved.

Treacy got a much needed Beragh point just before the second water break but after that break McGarvey kicked a wonderful point with the outside of his boot to leave the scoreboard reading 2-10 to 0-8. It looked all over bar the shouting but credit to Beragh they staged a fightback that included points from Donnelly, Campbell, Mattie McSorley and Niall Owens but they had left themselves with too much to do.