Justin McMahon and Aaron Grugan tussle to gain possession in the closing stages of Sunday’s game against Ardboe.
There was another double round of victories in the All County League for the seniors and reserves on Sunday with impressive wins over Ardboe at Healy Park.
Seniors: St. Enda’s. 1-16, Ardboe 1-9
With the championship quarter-final against Eglish just a week away, Larry Strain and Barry McGinn’s seniors received another welcome shot in the arm with a convincing win over Ardboe.
Joe McMahon was forced to sit this game out through injury sustained in last week’s big win over Carrickmore and even though Ardboe got off to a relatively good start and were unlucky not to get an early goal, the Omagh men soon took a grip on the game and remained well in control for much of the action.
Finishing with another impressive haul of six points from play, Connor O’Donnell was in prolific form once again and along with points from Conor Meyler and Ronan O’Neill, Omagh took a five points lead going into the last four minutes of the opening half. It could have been much more however, had it not been for some wayward shooting and Conan Grugan was also denied a goal by the Ardboe keeper.
Two minutes before the break, Ronan O’Neill found the net following an impressive build up with Aaron Grugan stretching the lead to 1-8 to 0-3 at the interval.
After the break O’Neill, O’Donnell and Conan Grugan tagged on further scores to stretch the lead to 1-14 to 0-6. With Kyle Coney now working from full forward, Ardboe began to pick off a few good scores and attempted to turn up the pressure although they will also rue some bad misses going into the final quarter.
Coney found the net for Ardboe nine minutes from the end to add some respectability to the score and although they pressed hard they found Justin McMahon at full back, Ciaran McLaughlin, Hugh Gallagher and Conor McMahon hard to break down.
Conan Grugan and Cormac O’Neill did well to pop over a pair of points in the final five minutes to break the Ardboe momentum but in truth there was never any real danger for the home side as they held out with seven points to spare.
St. Enda’s scorers – Connor O’Donnell (0-6). Ronan O’Neill (1-2), Conan Grugan (0-4), Jason McAnulla, Conor Meyler, Cormac O’Neill, Aaron Grugan (0-1 each)
St. Enda’s – Ryan Clarke, Hugh Gallagher, Justin McMahon, Stevie Mullan, Ciaran McLaughlin, Barry Tierney, Conor McMahon, Conan Grugan, Michael Flanagan, Cormac O’Neill, Jason McAnulla, Aaron Grugan, Connor O’Donnell, Ronan O’Neill, Conor Meyler.
Subs – Conor Hannigan for Stevie Mullan (inj), Danny Mullan for Conor Hannigan (inj), Rory McBride fro Ciaran McLaughlin, Conor Starrs for Michael Flanagan, Joe Colton for Aaron Grugan (inj)
Reserves: St. Enda’s 0-11 Ardboe 0-8
St. Enda’s Reserves set the winning tone for the day with three points to spare over Ardboe in the opening game of the day.
The game had to be delayed for a short period in the first half as an incredible deluge almost forced the players to look for snorkels, but when the action resumed, it was the Omagh men who managed to keep their head above water to lead 0-5 to 0-4 at half-time.
The second half say Rory McBride turn in an impressive performance in front of goals with a string of early points opening up an 0-8 to 0-4 lead by the 38th minute.
Despite being seemingly down and out, Ardboe did stage a revival as the game edged into the final two minutes and brought the game to within two points 0-10 to 0-8. Some great defending, however, managed to keep the visitors at bay in a nervous finale with Joe Colton scoring his fourth point of the game in stoppage time to relieve the pressure.
St. Enda’s scorers – Rory McBride (0-6), Joe Colton (0-4), Mickey Gallagher (0-1)
Aaron Grugan is helped off the field after sustaining an injury in the closing stages of Sunday’s game against Ardboe.
Ciaran McLaughlin and Justin McMahon stops Ardboe’s Shay McGuigan in his tracks in Sunday’s 1-16 to 1-9 win over Ardboe.
Justin McMahon and Aaron Grugan tussle to gain possession in the closing stages of Sunday’s game.
Waterboy Cormac in full flight.
Ronan O’Neill, scorer of 1-2 in Sunday’s 1-16 to 1-9 win over Ardboe.
Conan Grugan holds off his opponent in Sunday’s 1-16 to 1-9 win over Ardboe.
Conan Grugan takes flight in Sunday’s 1-16 to 1-9 win over Ardboe.
Connor O’Donnell scores one of his six points in Sunday’s 1-16 to 1-9 win over Ardboe.
Aaron Grugan set up an attack in Sunday’s 1-16 to 1-9 win over Ardboe.
Frantic goalmouth action in the closing stages of Sunday’s reserve game at Healy Park which resulted in a 0-11 to 0-8 win over Ardboe.
Conor Hannigan in action for the reserves
Rory McBride, scorer of 0-6, in action in Sunday’s Reserve game at Healy Park which resulted in a 0-11 to 0-8 win over Ardboe.
Action from Sunday’s reserve game at Healy Park which resulted in a 0-11 to 0-8 win over Ardboe.
Action from Sunday’s reserve game at Healy Park which resulted in a 0-11 to 0-8 win over Ardboe.
Joe Colton scores one of his four points in the 0-11 to 0-8 win for the Reserves
Keith Burns tries to force his way through the Ardboe defence
Action from Sunday’s reserve game at Healy Park which resulted in a 0-11 to 0-8 win over Ardboe.
Action from Sunday’s reserve game at Healy Park which resulted in a 0-11 to 0-8 win over Ardboe.
Action from Sunday’s reserve game at Healy Park which resulted in a 0-11 to 0-8 win over Ardboe.
