Goals from Peter O’Kane and Leo Meenan helped Killyclogher book their place in the second round of the WJ Dolan Tyrone SFC at Drumquin last night, with a 2-6 to 0-7 win over Aghyaran.
Tyrone attacker Martin Penrose was in top form for Aghyaran, hitting seven points, but he was forced to share the entire burden up front, with none of his team-mates managing a score. Penrose, with his third point, had just brought Aghyaran level when O’Kane drilled home a Killyclogher goal in first half stoppage time.
Earlier, Brian Meenan, Dermot Carlin and Leo Meenan had hit the target for the St Mary’s, who led by 1-3 to 0-3 at the interval.
And they had a second goal five minutes into the second half, Meenan flicking Carlin’s cross to the net.
Penrose kept the St Davogs in touch with accurately struck frees, but his colleagues were less clinical in their finishing, hitting a total of 16 wides as their championship challenge petered out.
A mouth-watering double bill at Healy Park this evening could produce the two outstanding ties of the first round. The evening features the sides that won the last two titles, as well as the reigning Ulster IFC champions, and electrifying action is anticipated.
Reigning champions Clonoe begin the defence of their crown by taking on newly-promoted Trillick. The newcomers go into the game as Ulster intermediate champions and will fancy their chances of causing an upset. The O’Rahillys will be wary of the threat posed by a talented Trillick side determined to makes its mark on returning to senior football.Family connections add an extra touch of intrigue to the tie, with Clonoe full-back Aidan Brady likely to be tasked to mark his cousin Niall Gormley.
Tyrone attacker Gormley carries a major scoring threat, as does teenager Mattie Donnelly, and the Clonoe rearguard faces a testing evening. But Emmet Teague will organise his defence with authority, and launch the attacks that Ryan T O’Neill, Colm Doris and Patrick Doris will seek to finish. Trillick defenders Fergal Donnelly, Kevin McCaughey, Damien Kelly and Sean Donnelly will, however, relish the thought of facing up to the champions’ front line. If they stand firm, a major shock could be on the cards.
In the second game on the Omagh double bill, Dromore and Coalisland meet for the third successive season. And the Fianna will be bidding to make it third time lucky, having lost out to the St Dympna’s in the 2007 final and last year’s quarter-final.
The odds are stacked against Coalisland’s prospect of ending their losing run against this weekend’s opponents. However, two key Dromore players will miss the game through suspension, Sean O’Neill and Cathal McCarron having received straight red cards in a recent league tie.
They now have five players in the Tyrone senior squad – Ryan McMenamin, Colm McCullagh, Cathal McCarron, Shaun O’Neill and Sean O’Neill – along with several other top-class players, such as Fabian O’Neill, Mickey Garry, Barry Collins and Eoin McCusker, not to mention a couple of key members of the All-Ireland winning Tyrone minor side.
Coalisland, with Peter Donnelly, the Toner brothers, Patrick O’Farrell and Paddy McNeice driving their challenge, believe they can create an upset, but this Dromore side has a wealth of championship experience, and look set to march on to the quarter-finals.
Source: The Irish News, 8th May 2009
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