Connollys of Moy Tyrone IFC final
Pomeroy 0-13 Moy 2-4
POMEORY are back in senior football after a two-year absence, and they return to the top tier as champions following their three-point victory over Moy in the Connollys of Moy Tyrone IFC final.
They appeared to be on their way to a comfortable win at O’Neills Healy Park, ahead by 0-6 to 0-1 at the interval, but two quickfire goals left them trailing going into the closing eight minutes.
Key men stood tall in the clutch moments, however. Kieran McGeary had already kicked four points by the time his Tyrone team-mate Frank Burns sent over three magnificent late scores to seal the Paddy Cullen Cup for the Plunkett’s.
“Championship football, there’s something just different about it,” said McGeary.
“If you can get over the line on the final day it’s a huge thing, and I’m just delighted for everybody here today, the supporters, players, management, the whole thing.”
McGeary hailed the success of the game-plan, which saw a combination of High Pat McGeary, Gareth McAleer and Brendan Burns thwart the threat of Moy danger men Michael Conroy and Ryan Coleman.
“We put a bit of emphasis, obviously, on their marksmen, and every team does that.
“From one right through to thirty, we had a plan, we stuck to it.
“We did see the ball in the net twice, right enough, near the end, and we had to deal with that.
“But it worked in our favour, thank God, and we got over the line.”
A first-minute Coleman free proved to be Moy’s only score of the opening half, as Pomeroy bossed all the main areas, getting their match-ups spot on.
Two points each from Ryan Loughran and Jude Campbell, along with scores from Hugh McNamee and McGeary had them ahead by 0-6 to 0-1 at the interval, but they needed a fine save from John McCourt to deny Mark Gribbin.
Moy, with 40-year-old player-manager Sean Cavanagh off the bench, narrowed the gap to three through Michael and Declan Conroy, before three McGeary scores restored the five-point advantage.
But two goals in the space of four minutes turned the game on its head. First Ryan Conroy punched to the net, and in the 51st minute, the Tir na nOgs were awarded a penalty.
Coleman’s kick was saved by McCourt, but he managed to slide the ball back across the goalmouth for Diarmuid McKeown to net from close range.
Now a point ahead, Moy looked set to complete the comeback, but Burns took centre stage with three inspired scores to seal the Paddy Cullen Cup and a record fifth IFC title for the club.
Scorers
Pomeroy K McGeary 0-4, F Burns, J Campbell 0-3 each, R Loughran 0-2, H McNamee 0-1
Moy D McKeown, R Conroy 1-0 each, M Conroy 0-2 (1f), R Coleman (f), D Conroy 0-1 each
