Killyclogher 0-13 Omagh 0-10 (Match Report Courtesy of The Tyrone Herald)
A LATE scoring rally saw hosts Killyclogher emerge victorious in their derby clash with Omagh on Sunday evening. As so often in the past, it was Leo Meenan who was the hero up front for the St Mary’s men, his three points bringing the home side from one down to two up, before Conor Meenan’s late score consolidated a three point win for the Ballinamullin men.
In a game riddled with unforced errors and broken play, perhaps due to the thunderstorm which had engulfed the area in the hours before throw-in,
neither side managed to really take a grip on proceedings as the momentum swung from one side to the other over the course of the hour. It was Omagh who settled quickest, and could have had an opening minute goal but for Killyclogher goalkeeper Sean Fox’s smart stop with his feet. Both sides continued to spurn chances and there were six minutes on the clock before Conor Meenan opened the scoring for Killyclogher. A long ball into the Omagh square caused confusion, allowing James Carlin to turn smartly and fire over to double Killyclogher’s lead.
Omagh eventually made an impression on the scoreboard after 11 minutes, when an early ball in allowed Connor O’Donnell to turn and fire over to make it 0-2 to 0-1. Wing-back Declan Leonard burst upfield and won a 20 metre free which was duly converted by Meenan as the hosts edged two points in front.
But then the pendulum swung in favour of Omagh, as Jason McAnulla pointed a free awarded for an off the ball incident. McAnulla then made light of a series of challenges to land a superb long-range score and the sides were level after 21 minutes. They took the lead for the first time soon after, as O’Donnell hoisted over another longrange score. They could easily have added a goal, a hanging ball was challenged for by Michael Flanagan, but in the ensuing scramble it was Gary Wallace who emerged with the ball and cleared.
Just before the break, O’Donnell was dragged down, and Conor Meyler duly converted the resulting free to open up a two point lead for the visitors. However, there was still time for midfielder Michael Meenagh to produce
a clever turn and shot as he pointed to leave the scoreboard reading 0-5 to 0-4 in Omagh’s favour at the break. It was O’Donnell who opened the second half scoring with an early point, but Conal McCann pointed a free from the ground to keep the gap at just a point. Killyclogher were again thankful to goalkeeper Sean Fox, as a flowing Omagh move involving O’Donnell and McAnulla saw Myler race through and shoot on goal, but the St Mary’s netminder was equal to the challenge. McAnulla helped himself to an extremely tasty score eight minutes into the second half as he fired over from an extremely narrow angle off his left foot to make it 0-7 to 0-5. Substitute Tiernan Cox won a 20 metre free which McCann converted from the deck, and patient Killyclogher build-up saw a chance open up for centre-back Niall Bradley who fired over from long range to make it 0-7 a piece. Meenan, foraging around the middle and winning a wealth of break ball, showed great strength to shrug off a series of tackles and fire over an inspirational score, before Conor Meenan also found his range for a fine point to edge the home side two ahead. A mazy McAnulla run was brought to an abrupt end, and Meyler converted the resulting free kick to narrow the gap to one. When O’Donnell fired a superb shot from over his shoulder, the sides were level once again as the game headed into the final five minutes. The visitors took the lead once more when Hugh Gallagher hit a fantastic long-range score to make it 0-10 to 0-09. Then the Leo Meenan show stepped up a few gears. A point off his trusty left foot leveled matters, and he sent his side in front with a stinging rising shot. His third score in as many minutes came from a dead ball from an extremely narrow angle, the free awarded after Conal McCann had been fouled. A clever flick from substitute Simon O’Neill put Conor Meenan through, and he fired over the bar in injury time to secure a three-point win for his side and maintain their march at the top of the Division One league ladder.
