OMAGH CBS displayed their Hogan Cup credentials in style at St Tiernachs Park in Clones on Saturday afternoon as they secured their place in the final at Croke Park in style with an emphatic victory over holders Naas CBS.
It was a game that the Tyrone school were always in control off and after being reasonably contained in the opening 20 minutes by their Kildare opponents they cut loose from their until halftime hitting 2-5 without reply to effectively end the game as a contest.
Despite that healthy lead, however, team Captain Eoin McElholm stressed that they were taking nothing for granted as joint manager Diarmuid McNulty told the squad at half-time of his experiences on Omagh’s last Hogan Cup winning team sixteen years ago.
“When Mr McNulty won the Hogan with Omagh CBS back in 2007 they were nine points down and came back to win so we knew at half-time that the game still wasn’t over despite having a sizeable lead,” said Eoin.
“Anything can happen in schools football so we had the attitude that it was still all to play for and was 0-0 but once Conor (Owens) and Caolan (Donnelly) got those early second half goals we never looked back.
"It was an unbelievable performance from the whole team. We knew that we had to get a good start against them because Naas have been playing in patches and scoring heavily but thankfully we got into out stride in the closing stages of the first half with points from Conor Owens and goals from Ruairi McCullagh and Liam Og Mossey.
"It has to be a team performance every time that you go out. It’s about moving the ball quickly and getting it to the player in the best position and we will have to play as well as that if we are to climb the steps in Croker in three weeks time.
"All you can do is go out and leave everything on the field, that is all the managers can ask of you, and if you do that you have a good chance of winning any game.”
Summerhill College from Sligo will provide a novel pairing in the decider at Headquarters on St Patrick's Day and Eoin is well aware of the challenge that lies ahead having played them in a friendly at the beginning of the year.
“We played them just after Christmas and it was a good battle,” he said.
“Both teams were missing players that day but we are well aware of how good a side that they are. They beat a strong St Brendan's side and are in the final on merit but we have a couple of weeks now to prepare for what will be a massive game at Croke Park.”
