Paul McGirr Under-16 Ulster Club Championship Quarter Final
Dromore 1-14 v Enniskillen 2-7
Dromore were to finish the stronger of these sides on Saturday past as the Paul McGirr Under-16 Ulster Club tournament started with a neighbouring clash between hosts Dromore and Enniskillen Gaels.
The Enniskillen side came through the Fermanagh championship without any major tests and this may go down as to why the Gaels crashed out in the first round here.
It was the host club Dromore who started brighter with early points from Oran Sludden, Ruairi Gallagher and Caolan McCarron (free) before a Ronan Quinn point finally settled Enniskillen’s nerves.
Dromore midfielder Cahir Goodwin then got up the field to take in a superb pass from Jamie Louis Law before striking over a fine point as the Tyrone side bossed the opening period of the game.
John Rehill replied for Enniskillen with a free and it was the same player in the next move who pointed after good patient build up by Enniskillen involving Callum Jones and Patrick Cassidy as the Dromore lead was cut to one.
Caolan McCarron pointed from a free for Dromore after a foul on John MacRory but once again Enniskillen came back with a free through Ronan Quinn to leave it a one point game.
Enniskillen were to it the opening goal of the game in the 20th minute when a Ronan Beattie pass found Conor Love and the quick thinking corner forward had no hesitations in burying his shot past Ross Hunter to give Enniskillen the lead, 1-4 to 0-5.
Dromore came back quickly as centre half back Mark McGrade strode forward to kick a fine score as the game became more open.
With 7 minutes to go of the first half Dromore’s Caolan McCarron pointed from a free to draw the sides level but once again Enniskillen showed great composure and it was wing half forward Matthew Dixon who seen the space and with his driving run he fired his shot low and into the net to push Enniskillen ahead, 2-4 to 0-7. Conor Love then pointed from a 45 but the final two scores of the half belonged to the home side as midfielders Cahir Goodwin and Nathan McCarron pointed to leave 2 in it at the break, 0-9 to 2-5.
Dromore got the perfect start to the second half in the 35th minute when corner forward John MacRory hit the back of the net to give his side the lead once again and then it was captain Oran Sludden who pointed twice inside a minute, the second a real beauty from the sideline as Dromore went ahead 1-11 to 2-5.
Conor Love got Enniskillen’s opening point of the second half via a great Eoin Beacom ball in the 43rd minute and then Callum Jones pointed after showing great composure with two Dromore defenders on him to make it a one point game.
Mark McGrade pointed for Dromore in the 53rd minute and with under 7 minutes remaining it was Dromore who were winning the major kickouts and a Caolan McCarron free was soon followed up by a well drilled Pearse McNabb point to leave 4 between them at the end.
Enniskillen will be bitterly disappointed not to have won this game but on the day Dromore just had too much for them.
Dromore – Ross Hunter, Caolan Slevin, Ruairi Teague, Padraig Quinn, Jamie Louis Law, Mark McGrade, Oisin Gallogly, Cahir Goodwin, Nathan McCarron, Odhran Rafferty, Caolan McCarron, Pearse McNabb, Ruairi Gallagher, Oran Sludden (c), John MacRory. SUBS – Caolan McKenna for Oisin Gallogly.
Scorers – Oran Sludden 0-3, Ruairi Gallagher 0-1, Caolan McCarron 0-4, Cahir Goodwin 0-2, Mark McGrade 0-2, Nathan McCarron 0-1, John Macrory 1-0, Pearse McNabb 0-1
Enniskillen – Cian Newman, tom hughes Jordan, Brandon Horan, Jack O’Hare, Gavin Greene, Jonathan Cassidy, Ethan Beresford, Eoin Beacom (c), Patrick Cassidy, Matthew Dixon, Ronan Beattie, Ronan Quinn, Callum Jones, John Rehill, Conor Love. SUBS – Conor Rippey for Jack O’Hare, Matthew McAleer for Tom Hughes Jordan, Thomas Corrigan for Ethan Beresford.
Yellow cards – Tom Hughes Jordan, Conor Love
Scorers – John Rehill 0-2, Ronan Quinn 0-2, Conor Love 1-2, Matthew Dixon 1-0, Callum Jones 0-1
