Mixed Fortunes For Tyrone Champions

Monday 29.11.2021

There were mixed fortunes for Tyrone hurling sides in their Ulster Championship campaigns at the weekend with Eire Óg making the provincial semi finals while Naomh Colum Cille lost out to Con Magee’s. 

Free taker Conleth O’Loan helped keep his side in pole position during a first half that saw the Antrim champions play into the breeze. Late points from Paul Greville and Chris Kearns sent the Tyrone side in at the break trailing by one.

Con Magee’s improved after the break and O’Loan put them in front with a well finished goal. Naomh Colum Cille hit the net themselves just before the second water break courtesy of Niall O’Neill but from then until the end the Antrim lads dominated and pulled away to win comfortably with their second goal coming from Cathal Hynds with four minutes to go.

Eire Óg saw off the challenge of Antrim champions Carey Faughs at Ballycastle on Sunday with a fine team display that saw them hit the net four times over the course of the hour before winning 4-9 to 1-13.

With Justin Kelly in fine form the Tyrone champions began confidently hitting the net with a brace of early goals through Ruairi Sloane and Cormac Murray. A third goal from a penalty late in the half by Dermot Begley after Brian Mc Gurk was fouled meant Eire Óg reached the break in a strong position. However an early Carey Faughs goal knocked them back somewhat and with Connor Mc Bride and Conleth Mc Kinney in fine scoring form for the Faughs the gap narrowed. Eire Óg were in need of direction and the experienced Justin Kelly helped settle the nerves as Sean Óg Grogan added a fourth goal to seal the win.