GAA: Eglish snatch victory over Pomeroy in Grade 2 final

Eglish 4-7 Pomeroy 4-6 There was a dramatic finale to the grade two minor championship final between Eglish and Pomeroy in Coalisland on Sunday night.
Pomeroy's Eoin Mills gets to grips with Eglish's Christopher McNeill.INTT3015-403Pomeroy's Eoin Mills gets to grips with Eglish's Christopher McNeill.INTT3015-403
Pomeroy's Eoin Mills gets to grips with Eglish's Christopher McNeill.INTT3015-403

Eglish had taken the initiative in the 53rd minute when blood substitute Thomas Murtagh pounced in a 45 seconds cameo appearance to give his side a one point lead.

The Plunketts equalised however, when wing-forward Aidan McKenna, who had grabbed a hat-trick of goals for Pomeroy, tied the scores from a free as the game entered it’s final minute of normal time.

Eglish hit back almost straight away, however, as full-forward Mark Donnelly scored a great individual point, chip lifting the ball into his hand out on the wing, running towards goal and confidently slotted over.

Eglish minors who were crowned grade 2 minor championship shield winners after defeating Pomeroy in Sunday evening final at Coalisland.INTT3015-396Eglish minors who were crowned grade 2 minor championship shield winners after defeating Pomeroy in Sunday evening final at Coalisland.INTT3015-396
Eglish minors who were crowned grade 2 minor championship shield winners after defeating Pomeroy in Sunday evening final at Coalisland.INTT3015-396

Pomeroy however were not out of the game just yet and got one final chance as they won a 45 deep in injury time.

Aidan Woods stepped up to the ball and struck his shot well only to see it cannon off the post and into the arms of the waiting Eglish full back Kevin Muldoon.

It was a heartbreaking way to lose what had been an exciting and fiercely contested grade 2 final, a game which had swayed back and forth over the course of the 60 minutes.

Mark Donnelly had given Eglish the lead in the second minute of the game with a well taken point but Pomeroy hit right back with Aidan Woods and Matthew Rafferty both scoring to give their side the lead after ten minutes.

Tyrone County Board Chairperson Roisin Jordan hands over the grade 2 minor championship shield to Eglish winning captain Cathal McGready.INTT3015-395Tyrone County Board Chairperson Roisin Jordan hands over the grade 2 minor championship shield to Eglish winning captain Cathal McGready.INTT3015-395
Tyrone County Board Chairperson Roisin Jordan hands over the grade 2 minor championship shield to Eglish winning captain Cathal McGready.INTT3015-395

Two minutes later Eglish took the lead once more, Donnelly slotting under Eoin McCourt for a goal after a fine lay-off from Chris McNeill.

Pomeroy not to be outdone scored a goal of their own almost straight from the kickout with Aidan McKenna alert to fire to the net after a Matthew Rafferty effort had hit the post.

Woods added another to extend the Plunketts lead but Seamus Muldoon cancelled out this score soon after.

Woods and Muldoon exchanged frees before the Pomeroy wing-forward Woods added his second of the tie witha fine score from play.

Pomeroy's Odhran Corrigan breaks free from Eglish's Kevin Muldoon during Sunday evening's Grade 2 Minor championship final at Coalisland.INTT3015-401Pomeroy's Odhran Corrigan breaks free from Eglish's Kevin Muldoon during Sunday evening's Grade 2 Minor championship final at Coalisland.INTT3015-401
Pomeroy's Odhran Corrigan breaks free from Eglish's Kevin Muldoon during Sunday evening's Grade 2 Minor championship final at Coalisland.INTT3015-401

Eglish corner back Conor Murtagh got forward to fire to the net with a fine half volley after the ball broke lose to him but as before Pomeroy netted almost straight away with Aidan McKenna, firing under Jack Gibney.

The second half was almost as hectic with Pomeroy’s McKenna and Eglish corner forward Jack Mullan exchanging goals early in the second half.

McKenna got his third goal in the 51st minute for Pomeroy and they were two ahead before the blood sub Thomas Murtagh struck with his first touch.

Then the late drama was to unfold with Donnelly’s strike in the 61st minute proving crucial as Eglish secured a dramatic late win.

Pomeroy's Ciaran Kelly gets away from Eglish's Shane McCann.INTT3015-402Pomeroy's Ciaran Kelly gets away from Eglish's Shane McCann.INTT3015-402
Pomeroy's Ciaran Kelly gets away from Eglish's Shane McCann.INTT3015-402

Pomeroy: Eoin McCourt, Peter Rafferty, Eoin Mills, Matthew Rafferty, Eoin Quinn, Ciaran Kelly, Jack Devlin, Aidan Woods, Caolan Sloan, Aidan McKenna, Sean Doran, Ronan Lagan, Dylan McWilliams, Odhran Corrigan, Jude Campbell. Subs: Aidan Murphy for Mills, Kevin Corcoran for McWilliams, Cormac Quinn for Lagan

Scorers: Aidan McKenna 3-2, Aidan Woods 0-3, Sean Doran 1-0, Matthew Rafferty 0-1

Eglish: Jack Gibney, Conor Murtagh, Kevin Muldoon, Jarlath Barrett, Matthew Clerkin, Kevin McConnell, Shane McCann, Cathal McGready, Ryan Feeney, Seamus Muldoon, Christopher McNeill, Philip Barrett, Jack Mullan, Mark Donnelly, Dara McKenna. Subs: Michael Owens for Murtagh, Dillon Horsfield for P Barrett, Thomas Murtagh for Donnelly (Blood- reversed), Thomas Murtagh for Clerkin.

Scorers: Mark Donnelly 1-3, Jack Mullan 1-1, Conor Murtagh 1-0, Thomas Murtagh 1-0, Seamus Muldoon 0-3.

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