Danske Bank MacRory Cup quarter-finals
Omagh CBS 0-11 St Colman’s, Newry 0-9
Holy Trinity, Cookstown 2-6 St Patrick’s, Maghera 2-5
IT proved to be a good night for Tyrone schools in the Danske Bank MacRory Cup as both Omagh CBS and Holy Trinity, Cookstown advanced to the semi-finals at the expense of St Colmans, Newry and St Patrick’s, Maghera respectively.
At Healy Park Omagh came from a point down with six minutes to go to win 0-11 to 0-9. It was the Newry lads who edged the first half. The outstanding Aaron O’Neill opened the scoring with a brilliant point despite two defenders on him but the Tyrone school quickly levelled with a fine score from Liam Og Mossey.
Good strength from Omagh full-forward Conor Owens finished with him splitting the posts but by the end of the opening quarter the Newry lads had their noses in front thanks to points from Patrick Ruddy and O Neill.
In the 19th minute, St Colman’s almost got in for a goal but O’Neill twice had shots blocked, while Omagh CBS keeper Conor McAneney saved well from the rebound.
A superb free from out on the left wing from Ruairi McCullagh levelled matters and the same player then put Omagh CBS in front from another placed ball.
It was Colman’s, though, who closed the half out on top with another O’Neill free before the same player notched his fourth of the night with an outstanding effort from play.
O’Neill cut in from the left wing to open the second-half scoring before Omagh defender Thomas Haigney responded. A great score from Owens levelled matters before Ruddy and Mossey swapped points.
Two superb placed kicks from O’Neill gave Colman’s the upper hand but Omagh weren't finished yet. Eoin McEholm narrowed the gap before a McCullagh brace and a late Owens free won it.
There was even a more dramatic finish at Owenbeg as Holy Trinity, Cookstown hit 1-1 in injury-time at the end of the game to win 2-6 to 2-5. The winners got off to a good start with an 11th-minute Conan Devlin goal but they only added a Liam Lawn point. Ciaran Chambers weighed in with three points with Eoin Higgins also on target as the Derry lads led 0-5 to 1-1 at the break.
The second half was only two minutes old when Higgins found the net and it looked as though Maghera would push on. Holy Trinity, though, had other ideas with Michael McElhatton and three from Ryan Quinn leaving it 1-5 apiece.
With four minutes of normal time left to play a second goal from Higgins looked like being the winning score. Holy Trinity, though, dug deep and three minutes into injury-time McElhatton fired in a goal before Quinn landed the winner from the next kick-out.
