Danske Bank Rannafast Cup semi-finals
Omagh CBS 8-17 St Patrick’s, Cavan 2-6
BEFORE a ball was kicked in this season’s Rannafast, Omagh CBS were favourites to go all the way and anybody who was in Teemore on Tuesday afternoon will see why.
They ruthlessly put St Patrick’s, Cavan to the sword with an outstanding display of attacking football.
Peter Garrity was the star turn with a haul of 4-7, the Trillick teenager also having a penalty saved by Cavan keeper Patrick Walsh.
It was Cavan who actually opened the scoring via Jay Graham but that was as good as it got for them. Garity opened the winners’ account with a penalty and after defender Ryan Baxter had also found the net, Garrity then had a second spot-kick saved.
Full-forward and team captain Diarmuid Martin then got a third Omagh CBS goal before Graham responded with a brace of frees for St Pat’s.
In the closing stages of the first half, Garrity and Cathal Farley tagged on points for the Tyrone school, with Cavan replying through Fiachra Mooney to leave it 3-7 to 0-4 at the break.
A brilliant effort from distance from Garrity opened the second-half scoring and after Garrity and Excel Imade had exchanged points, Kieran McDonagh and Paudie Goodman pushed the winners further clear.
Garrity bagged another brace of goals either side of a major from Peter Colton as Omagh CBS continued to dictate matters.
Lukas Hanly and Graham grabbed goals for Cavan, but at that stage they were only consolation scores.
Caolan McKinney, Charlie Meenagh and McDonagh all added points, with Garrity and sub Tom Gavin both raising further green flags.
Omagh CBS P Garrity 4-7; D Martin 1-1; P Colton 1-1; C Farley 0-3; R Baxter & T Gallen 1-0; K McDonagh 0-2;
C McKinney, P Goodman & C Meenagh 0-1 each
St Patrick’s J Graham 1-3; F Mooney 0-3; E Imade 1-0
Abbey CBS, Newry 0-11 St Mark’s, Warrenpoint 0-5
THE winning margin of six was a fair reflection at the end of a rather passive game at Páirc Esler and the winners will definitely need to find another gear before the final writes Peter McGrath jnr.
The sides had drawn in the group stages, but this time the Abbey were able to keep the goal threat at bay, Brodie McGreevy doing well to deflect one second-half high ball onto the post to keep his clean sheet.
Abbey were fairly wasteful in the opening half, kicking five wides. After a scoreless 18 minutes, they opened the scoring through Odhran Reel and quickly established a 0-3 to 0-1 lead, but two fabulous long-distance points from the right boots of Jimmy Haughey and Dylan Kelly left it all square at half-time.
Scores arrived easier in the second half, Keelan McEntee responding to a ball that dropped off the post to fire over on the rebound and restore the Abbey lead straight after the resumption. It set the tone for a half the Abbey would control.
St Mark’s rallied but Sam Murdock was isolated up top and though he won a couple of frees which he converted over the hour, the Abbey had the stronger finish.
Key scores from McEntee and a lovely driven Oran Donnelly effort that opened a four-point gap more or less wrapped it up and as St Mark’s tried to be more adventurous going forward they were picked off with late points from Ethan Lavelle and Darragh Phillips.
Abbey O Reel 0-5 (0-3f); R O’Hare, O Byrne, K McEntee, O Donnelly,
E Lavelle & D Phillips 0-1 each
St Mark’s S Murdock 0-2f; J Haughey; D Kelly & P Fitzpatrick 0-1 each
