OMAGH HOLD OUT TO BEAT ABBEY BY THE BARE MINIMUM

MacRory Cup Quarter Final 2005 Abbey CBS V Omagh CBS

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Omagh CBS 0-7 V. Abbey CBS, Newry 1-3

A goal in the last minute by Abbey’s Stephen Quinn wasn’t enough to get the Newry school into the hat for the next round of this years Bank of Ireland MacRory Cup. Omagh CBS greated the final whistle with relief at a wet and windy Monaghan Harps ground with their Christian Brothers’ opponents pushing for the equaliser in this low key quarter final match. The Newry school shall be disappointed as they won more possession than Omagh CBS but a combination of not converting this possession into scores and poor passing in the final third of the field led to their downfall.

The game started with the Abbey captain and Ulster Colleges Hurling Allstar Eoin McGuinness leading the way and pointing the opening score after driving forward from midfield. Then Omagh got three unanswered points. The first was from Shaun O’Neill after determined work by Cathir Tierney. This was followed by a good team effort out of the Omagh defense that led to Kevin Gallagher in full forward latching onto a point. Abbey’s Kevin Dyas at centre half back was beginning to show why he has been an Armagh county minor for the last two years with his ability to break down moves and set up attacks for his own team.

As the weather conditions deteriorated both teams to their credit battled with the elements. Mistakes were made on both sides as passes went astray and balls skidded on the greasy surface. Nippy corner forward Shane Coyle gave the Tyrone school a two point cushion when he gathered a ball that had slid under his marker and with only the ‘keeper to beat blasted the ball over the bar. The Abbey forward line was re-organised and Stephen Quinn pointed the last score of the half after good work by his team mate Seamus Toner.

Half time score Omagh CBS 0-3 V. Abbey CBS, Newry 0-2.

Omagh started the second half stronger and scored a point in the first minute when their big midfielder and Ulster Colleges Allstar Sean O’Neill latched onto a ball following inter-passing from Shaun O’Neill and Kevin Gallagher. Silverbridge’s Gerard McGarvey pulled a point back for the Abbey before Gallagher got onto a pass that had been fielded by Tierney in the middle. Another one of Omagh’s three football Allstars Stephen Donaghy, playing in full forward pointed a free to give the Tyrone school a three point lead.

Midway through the second half Michael McAllister in the Abbey goals pulled off a great save from Omagh’s Conor McCullagh, diving at his feet to put the ball around the post. Burren’s Kevin McKernan was trying to drag his school back into the match with his display in midfield. The Ulster Colleges football Allstar won possession for the Abbey as he fielded numerous balls under pressure from his opponents.

Omagh CBS moved into a four point lead in the last ten minutes when their captain Ronan McRory scored the school’s last point from twenty metres. Rather than continue to attack, Omagh pulled players back to defend their lead and this nearly cost them the game as the Abbey pushed forward to get that elusive goal. In this thrilling period numerous balls were lobbed into the Omagh square but each time were either blocked or cleared by a stubborn defence. Defenders like Hugh Gallagher, John Cassidy, Joey Kelly and Dean O’Neill were not giving up their lead without a fight.

With five minutes left Abbey’s Stephen Quinn missed an important close-in free, but he made up for his miss a few minutes later when Dyas passed to him and ‘soccer style’ he danced around a few defenders and slotted the ball low into the net in the final minute. Much as they tried to get another score, the Newry school were out of time – the goal had come too late.

Omagh must raise their game for a semi-final against either St. Michael’s, Enniskillen or St. Patrick’s, Maghera as another performance like this shall not be good enough to get a day out on St. Patrick’s Day in Casement Park in the final. Although they shall be satisfied that ‘the job was done’ they know that it was too close for comfort and that if the Abbey had possessed more scoring forwards then the result could have been different.

Teams and scorers:

Abbey CBS Newry: Michael McAllister, Mark Digney, Darren Fegan, Rory Grant, Robert Ryan, Kevin Dyas, Darren Rowland, Kevin McKernan, Eoin McGuinness, Captain(0-1), Stephen Quinn(1-1), Cathal Magee, Padraig McGahon, Seamus Grant, Gerard McGarvey(0-1), Seamus Toner. Subs used: Ruairi Cunningham and Brendan Allen.

Omagh CBS: Kerill Winters, Hugh Gallagher, John Cassidy, Joey Kelly, Dean O’Neill, Brendan Martin, Mel Cassidy, Sean O’Neill(0-1), Cathir Tierney, Conal McCullagh, Ronan McRory, Captain(0-1), Shaun O’Neill(0-1), Shane Coyle(0-1), Kevin Gallagher(0-2), Stephen Donaghy(0-1). Subs used: Conor O’Donnell and Cathal McCarron.

Referee: Michael Convery, Derry.

© Abbey Grammar School