Owen Roes Lift Minor League Title.

Sunday 25.09.2011

Club

Second Half Owen Roes Blitz Takes Title to Leckpatrick
Owen Roes bookended their U14 title from earlier in the year on Saturday as they annexed the 2011 minor league title. With the scores level early in the second period the North Tyrone side dominated the late exchanges to run out convincing winners and in turn bring a first minor title to the parish of Leckpatrick for the first time, since the now defunct Leckpatrick Pearse Og won the 1964 Championship.
Seamus Dooher opened the scoring for the day with a first minute point before the impressive Kevin O’Gorman chalked up two scores- one from play- to lead. Ryan Devine (0-2) and Ryan McShane put the Leckpatrick charges in front again before they hit the game’s opening goal.
Kevin Kelly and Stephen Harper did the spade work in defence that allowed Charles O’Doherty in to finish well.
However within 30 seconds Aghaloo struck back as Tiarnan Donnelly slammed a penalty high past Ronan McNulty in goals. Ryan McShane converted an Owen Roes free, before Aghaloo grabbed their second major.
A high ball into the Owen Roes’ square was misjudged and Peter McCormack applied the close range finish despite the best efforts of Connor Donaghey.
On this occasion it was Owen Roes who wasted no time in replying with a major of their own, Ryan Devine bursting through to slam his shot into the Aghaloo net. Donnelly replied for the border club, and a fine Aghaloo move ended with Conor Mullen raising their third green flag of the day.
A cool Cathal Mc Shane point was replicated by an excellent Padraig McGeary effort as the sides went toe to toe. Ryan Mc Shane and a Cathal Mc Shane dead ball gave the Leckpatrick side a narrow lead at the break. However there was still time for Ryan Devine to strike the post in injury time.
Half Time: Owen Roes 2-8 Aghaloo 3-4
Excellent defending by Sean Dooher was the platform to the second half’s opening score, Stephen Kelly the beneficiary for Owen Roes but by the 36th minute the game was levelled up again as the impressive Kevin O’Gorman split the sticks twice.
From this point onwards Owen Roes dominated the contest as Seamus Dooher, Conor Casey and Conor Doherty came more into the game. Centre half back Stephen Harper burst forward to score, with Ryan McShane collecting and pointing the kick out.
On 13 minutes the Leckpatrick side bagged their third goal. Excellent play by Ryan Devine sent Charles O’Doherty away and his astute pass allowed Fergal McNulty to fist home at the back stick.
Cathal Mc Shane and Charles O’Doherty added to the Owen Roes’ lead, before Devine teed up O’Doherty for his second goal as Owen Roes looked set to erase the memories of their defeat at the same stage 12 months ago.
The Mc Shane cousins Ryan and Cathal added to the tally with Harper adding another via a worked sideline ball.
Cathal Mc Shane tagged on another to his tally, just after Jason Mulgrew had denied him with a smart save.
Deep in injury time, substitute Liam McCay caressed over a 40 yard free to seal the deal for the boys from Leckpatrick to end their long wait for a minor title.
Aghaloo had some strong individual showings from keeper Mulgrew, the excellent Kevin O’Gorman to Tiarnan Donnelly. However after several final defeats in 2010 this was Owen Roes’ day, with the industry of Sean Dooher, and Seamus Dooher the basis of an excellent second half showing.
Referee: John Devlin.
Aghaloo: Jason Mulgrew, Tiarnan Muldoon, Barry Mohan, John Corley, Padraig McGeary (0-1), Caolan Boyle, Kyle Thompson, Cathal Cuddy, Owen Ward, Kevin O’Gorman (0-4), Peter McCormack (1-0), Conor Mullen (1-0), Tiarnan Donnelly (1-1).
Owen Roes: Ronan McNulty, Connor Donaghey, Conor Doherty, Conor Casey, Stephen Harper (0-2), Kevin Kelly, Charles O’Doherty (2-1), Seamus Dooher (0-1), Cathal McShane (0-5), Ryan Devine (1-2), Stephen Kelly (0-1), Fergal McNulty (1-0), Ryan McShane (0-5). Subs: Sean Dooher for Donaghey (28 mins), Liam McCay (0-1) for Fergal McNulty (55 mins), Connor Donaghey for Conor Casey (58 mins), Paddy McDaid for Charles O’Doherty (58 mins), Joe Casey.