ULSTER MINOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE, GROUP B
Tyrone 2-18 v Fermanagh 1-6
Tyrone were to brush past Fermanagh on Saturday past at the splendid Garvaghey venue in Tyrone.
Coming into the game Keith Reilly’s side had picked up two defeats against Donegal and Antrim so a third defeat would all but kill off any hopes of a League Semi Final.
The Erne lads did start off well and actually led 1-1 to 0-2 after 6 minutes but slowly but surely Tyrone got on top and a personal haul of 1-8 from Dromore man Emmett McNabb was the stand out performer for Iggy Gallagher’s side.
Emmett McNabb and Oisin Donnelly pointed early on for the home side but Fermanagh gradually got on top around a congested middle and Enniskillen Gaels attacker Conall Quinn showed huge skill to go past two Tyrone defenders before dispatching his shot low to the net to put Fermanagh into the lead with a well taken goal.
Fermanagh were guilty of 5 wides early on but Tempo’s Tiarnan Bogue pointed from a difficult free to push Fermanagh 1-1 to 0-2 ahead on 6 minutes.
Wing half back Peter Og McCartan then got up twice from defence to split the posts to make the game level and Tyrone exploited a mistake in the Fermanagh defence in the 12th minute when Brannon Molloy fired his shot to the net to make it 1-4 to 1-1 in favour of Tyrone.
Tempo’s Lorcan McStravick pointed for Fermanagh after a foul on Paul Og O’Reilly but the half belonged to Tyrone as Emmett McNabb found the net to make it 2-4 to 1-2.
Peter Og McCartan pointed for a third time from defence and it was all Tyrone at this stage as Emmett McNMabb pointed from a free to make it 2-6 to 1-2.
James Devlin and Emmett McNabb pushed Tyrone 9 clear, although Lorcan McStravick once again pointed for the Erne men with a free to cut the gap to 8 points.
Right on the stroke of half time McNabb pointed for his 4th point of the half to give Tyrone a commanding 2-9 to 1-3 interval lead.
Fermanagh manager Keith Reilly was to make 4 substitutions at half time in which Shane McGullion, Conor Cameron, Darragh McGurn and Ryan Keane all coming on to try and make a difference.
It was Tyrone who pointed first in the second half with midfielder Conall McCormick finishing off a fine move and immediately after this an Emmett McNabb free left it 2-11 to 1-3.
Fermanagh were having chances themselves but time after time the wrong selection was bring chosen and the classy Emmett McNabb was to point once again after racing past 3 Fermanagh defenders with just over 16 minutes left.
Tiarnan Drayne pointed for Tyrone before Conor McGee pointed to leave it 2-13 to 1-4.
Brannon Molloy added a further point for Tyrone while second half substitute Ryan Keane pointed a fine score from 35 yards out as the game slowly petered out.
Tomas Carney and Emmett McNabb pushed Tyrone further ahead before Carney and that man McNabb again pointed.
The final score came from the Ernesiders as Conall Quinn finished a fine move with a point but sadly this game was well over long before the full time whistle was blown.
Fermanagh now finish their campaign with a home clash with Derry, while for Tyrone they can now look forward to a league semi final.
Fermanagh manager Keith Reilly will be bitterly disappointed with a third defeat in a row and the sight of Tiarnan Bogue being carried off at the end to the changing room is a huge worry with Antrim coming to town in 6 weeks time.
Goalkeeper Odhran McBrien pulled off 3 fine saves throughout the 60 minutes while full back James McCaffrey put in another good shift.
Up front Conall Quinn showed glimpses that he is a fine footballer while Lorcan McStravick and Paul Og O’Reilly showed for plenty of the ball.
All that being said the injury to Tiarnan Bogue and the return of Michael Og McGarrigle will be high on Keith Reilly’s mind.
SCORERS
Tyrone – Emmett McNabb 1-8, Brannon Molloy 1-1, Peter Og McCartan 0-3, Tomas Carney 0-2, Oisin Donnelly 0-1, James Devlin 0-1, Conall McCormick 0-1, Tiarnan Drayne 0-1.
Fermanagh – Conall Quinn 1-1, Lorcan McStravick 0-2,Tiarnan Bogue 0-1, Conor McGee 0-1, Ryan Keane 0-1.
Referee – Enda McFeely (Donegal)
