Sacred Heart Come Up Just Short

Wednesday 08.05.2019

Club

Sacred Heart Omagh came up just short in their bid to follow in the footsteps of Dean Maguirc and keep the Danske Bank O’Hara Cup in Tyrone for another twelve months when they lost out by the minimum margin to Virginia College Cavan at the Monaghan Harps ground on Wednesday afternoon.

The Tyrone lads will look back on regret in two spells in the game when they struggled to get scores and allowed their opponents to gain the upper hand. With just over five minutes until half time Sacred Heart had registered just one point and trailed their opponents by nine but two goals in as many minutes allowed them to get back on level terms by the break. There is no doubt they would have been the happier of the two sides but the Cavan lads came out and hit 1-3 without reply to take a stranglehold on proceedings again. Sacred Heart though once again showed great character to fight back and in the closing stages they had their chances but just came up short on a 2-12 to 3-8 scoreline.

Points from Conor Smith and inspirational Captain Turlough Farrelly came either side of an early penalty goal from Cillian McCabe as Virginia hit the ground running. A free from Ciaran McArdle in the second quarter got Sacred Heart up and running before a goal from defender Cathair Conway was followed by a penalty from Stephen Drumm sixty seconds later to leave it 1-7 to 2-4 at the short whistle.

Ryan Tobin, Sean McGeathy and Farrelly all raised white flags for the winners on the restart before a goal from Dean McCabe left them six points to the good. Many a lesser side would have thrown in the towel but points from McArdle and Drumm coupled with a second major from the penalty spot from the latter saw Sacred Heart close the gap to the minimum. Oisin Tynan left two between the sides and while McArdle had the final say they just couldn’t find the equaliser despite having a few chances.

Sacred Heart Omagh: D Murray, J Gallagher, C Conway (1-0), C Kelly, F Glackin, S McCaul, F Patterson, P Goan, S McKenna, T Campbell, S Drumm (2-2, 2-0 penalties), C McArdle (0-6, 4F), T Cunningham, M Hayes, T Cox. Subs: M Bradley for Murray (black card), T Mullan for Campbell

Virginia College Cavan: O Rourke, J Murray, C Smith, M Comey, P Morgan (0-1), S McGeathy (0-1), M Smith, L Gillick, C Smith (0-2), D McCabe (1-0), T Farrelly (0-6, 4F), R Tobin (0-1, 1F), O Tynan (0-1), C McCabe (1-0), J Kelly. Sub: J Husband for Murray

Referee: N McKenna, Monaghan