Strabane V Loughmacrory Minor Championship Report

Thursday 02.05.2013

Club

Strabane Sigersons 3-10
Loughmacrory St Teresa’s 1-13

The Minor footballers of Strabane Sigersons hosted Loughmacrory St Teresa’s at Páirc Mhic Sioghair on Wednesday night past in the opening round of the Tyrone Grade 1 Minor Championship and advanced to the quarter-finals courtesy of a narrow win after leading at one stage by eleven points only to be clawed back significantly by the visitors.

Strabane had raced into a commanding early lead with Haydn McNamee and Kyle Morrison sending over points from play and Daragh McCauley hit the first goal of the game and also added a point from play with Jason Sweeney quickly adding a second goal for the home side.

Loughmacrory did tag on a few points but when Jason Sweeney hit goal number three for Sigersons and Eoghan Farrell added a point from a free kick it looked all over for Loughmacrory by half-time as Strabane led 3-6 to 0-4.

The start of the second half saw a rejuvenated visiting side take to the field and they sent over two early points and then hit a somewhat fortunate goal via the impressive Niall Grimes quickly followed by a point from a free kick to reduce the deficit to just five points.

Strabane responded with a fine point from play via the hard working Haydn McNamee but Loughmacrory promptly hit back with a similar score. A point from a free kick through Eoghan Farrell slightly increased the lead for Strabane before Loughmacrory hit a purple patch scoring four unanswered points in a row all of them coming from play to leave just two points separating the teams and time running out.

Strabane then lost the services of the influential Daragh McCauley for a second yellow card offence but his team mates responded in fine fashion with Jason Sweeney who had a terrific hour and Haydn McNamee both sent over good points from play. Loughmacrory finished the contest with a further point from a free kick but Sigersons held out for a narrow yet deserved win with their impressive first half display standing them in good stead as they march on to the quarter-finals.

The Strabane team and scorers were; Eunan Harkin, Michael McElwee, Conal McGlinchey, Eoin Devine, Marc McAdams, Lorcán Glackin, Aaron McDermott (0-1), Haydn McNamee (0-3) and William McCauley, Kyle Morrison (0-1), Eoghan Farrell (0-2), Adamh Devine (0-1), Sean Doherty, Daragh McCauley (1-1), Jason Sweeney (2-1).
Substitute: Matthew Gillespie for Kyle Morrison

The referee was; Martin Sludden (Dromore)