Section A
Omagh CBS 0-15 St Michael’s, Enniskillen 0-7
OMAGH CBS got off to a winning start when they overcame St Michael’s, Enniskillen at a foggy O’Neills Healy Park on Wednesday evening.
The Brothers were worthy winners on a night when their opponents failed to score from play.
The winners led 0-6 to 0-2 at the break, with corner-forward Ruairi McCullagh proving a handful for the Enniskillen defence throughout.
St Michael’s enjoyed plenty of possession at the beginning of both halves but failed to capitalise on it.
Liam Og Mossey, McCullagh and Eoin McElholm all raised white flags for the winners in the opening period with Conor O’Hanlon on target for St Michael’s.
O’Hanlon hit a brace of frees on the restart to narrow the gap but that was as good as it got for St Michael’s.
Conor Owens and McCullagh tagged on points for the Tyrone school and they never looked back with the latter finishing the game with 0-6 to his name.
Section C
Holy Trinity, Cookstown 2-7 St Patrick’s, Dungannon 2-10
ST Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon opened their campaign with a deserved three-point success over Tyrone rivals Holy Trinity, Cookstown at Pairc Chormaic in Eglish on Wednesday evening.
The winners looked the better side for long spells of the game but two converted penalties from Michael McElhatton either side of half-time took Holy Trinity right back into the game.
The Academy, though, didn’t panic as they used the ball well in possession to get enough scores to get over the line.
Dungannon dominated the opening half but a late rally from Holy Trinity saw them close the gap to just four points at the break, 1-7 to 1-3.
The Academy got off to a dream start when a Ronan Cassidy point was followed by a well taken second-minute goal from Theo Lowe.
Points from Ryan Quinn and Shea McCann got Holy Trinity up and running but Dungannon continued to look the sharper team.
Sean Hughes, Lowe, Ben Cullen, Fiacra Nelis and Cassidy (2) all kicked points as they established a commanding 1-7 to 0-2 advantage. In the 29th minute, though McElhatton converted a penalty after he had been fouled himself before a Ryan Quinn free closed the gap further.
The second half was less than a minute old when referee Sean Hurson awarded another penalty, this time for a foot block, and once again McElhatton confidently converted it.
Cassidy and Cormac Devlin exchanged points before Lowe and substitute Eoin McGeary left three between the sides again.
A superb effort with the outside of the boot from Ryan Quinn kept Holy Trinity in touch but Dungannon were always able to respond.
Midfielder Sheehan Fay got a decisive goal two minutes from time to open the gap to five and while Holy Trinity had late points from Jack Martin and Quinn it came too late in the day to save them.
Section D
St Colman’s, Newry 1-13 Our Lady’s, Castleblayney 4-6
HISTORICALLY this MacRory Cup victory for Our Lady’s, Castleblayney in Páirc Esler is significant, but the Monaghan side’s win over St Colman’s last year in the Danske Bank Rannafast Cup gives some context to their success.
St Colman’s struggled to deal with Stephen Mooney in the first half. Mooney scored two goals and was also involved in Max McGinty’s green flag. St Colman’s eventually moved Callum O’Neill over to mark Mooney, but that probably cut down the Newry side’s attacking options as well.
Nevertheless, helped by a goal from Cormac O’Reilly and points from Aaron O’Neill and O’Reilly, St Colman’s were back in touch by the break, trailing 1-7 to 3-3.
Castleblayney were very effective in packing defence and grabbing scores on the break, while St Colman’s tried to go player on player and work scores from colleagues coming off the shoulder.
The two points’ margin was maintained for a good bit of the second half until a goal from Bobby McCaul opened the gap to five with four minutes remaining.
Once again St Colman’s closed the gap to two points before time ran out on them.
