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When Is A Draw Not A Draw?
Thursday 10.04.2025
When is a draw not a draw?
Well when one team outscores the other and thinks they have won a match only to be told the result was not what they thought and the game will have to be replayed.
Players, mentors and supporters of Omagh CBS will waken up this morning and wonder was Wednesday night’s Oisin Mc Grath final really a bad dream. How could they have gone from a comfortable position five points clear with time all but up to discover that Maghera’s second converted penalty of added time meant the game ended in a draw?
There was much confusion at Gortacladdy on Wednesday evening when at the end of the Oisin Mc Grath final the game was declared a draw after problems with the scoreboard during the second half.
The early exchanges saw both defences very much on top. The teams swapped scores early on with Conal Loughran for Omagh and Don Mulholland for Maghera on target. Tomas Mc Elholm pointed to put Omagh ahead but the Tyrone school were rocked back on their heels when they allowed midfielder Donnacha Collins to burst through and fire to the net on eight minutes and put Maghera ahead.
Omagh regrouped and Aodhan Corry reduced the gap with a fine point thirteen minutes in. Questions were being asked of Omagh’s defence but with Tom Gallen Peter Caterson and Aidan Farley in fine form Maghera found space hard to come by.
A fine point from Tadgh Bradley made it a two point game before the CBS had something of a purple patch hitting 1-3 without reply between the 17th and the 24th minutes. Daniel Mc Gurren (1-1), Tom Gallen and Matthew Garrity were on target as Omagh opened up a four point lead.
However it was Maghera who finished the half strongest with a brace of converted Don Mulholland frees to send the teams in at the break with Omagh leading 1-6 to 1-4.
The second half saw defences still on top with Omagh’s fast break from the back paying dividends. Aodhan Corry stretched the Omagh lead with a fine soccer finish two minutes into the second half to give Omagh the perfect start. Maghera’s main man Mulholland converted a free to reduce the gap before Daniel Mc Gurren bagged his second goal of the game. Leading 3-6 to 1-5 Omagh continued to look dangerous and Thomas Mc Elholm made it an eight point game when he finished off a fine team move.
At this stage there was confusion when it was noticed that the scoreboard was displaying the wrong score. But what happened from there seems equally unclear. One thing is clear that during five minutes of added time Maghera were awarded and converted two penalties which still left two points between the teams when the final whistle sounded. Both penalties for the South Derry school were scored by full forward Mulholland.
However the referee called the game a draw and appeared to be waiting for extra time to start. With confusion reigning and the light fading fast it was decided that a replay would be the best decision for all.
We will wait and see.
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