Friday, 27 October 2017 at 07:11 AM Galvin Early
Owen Roes bowed out of the Tyrone grade 3 minor Championship at the first hurdle tonight as they went down by a single score to Drumragh. The hosts led by a goal at the break but a purple patch in the second period by the Sarsfields saw them home.
Conor O'Neill started brightly for Owen Roes and scored the opening three points of the evening for Owen Roes in and around a pair of Drumragh scores. Exactly on the quarter hour mark, the home side got the game's opening score as Aaron Lynch found captain Conor Friel who found the net.
Drumragh hit back with a play, but Aaron Catterson swivelled and pointed to keep the advantage. Ryan McShane tipped over a dangerous drive by the visitors, and as the half closed out the sides traded points. Lynch the White flag man for Owen Roes.
Half Time: Owen Roes 1-5 Drumragh 0-5
It looked like it was going to be a good second half for the Leckpatrick side as Aaron Lynch pointed seconds into the second period. However Drumragh struck back with the next two points of the evening.
Things were about to get better for the Sarsfields straight from one of them points, as McShane's kick out was intercepted and cleverly launched back over the keeper's head for a goal. Drumragh tagged on another point as they turned the screw.
Darren Devine did well to tee up Catterson for his second score, but Drumragh kept their noses in front with another point. Sub Stephen McCauley put one point in it, as the game entered its closing stages. Once more Drumragh pointed back. With time up Conor Friel's free dropped short and almost ended in a goal. However the ball bounced up and clipped the bar on the way over. Owen Roes had late chances to find that equalising point, but a tendancy to over carry and not grasp the chance meant that the game ebbed away, and it was Drumragh that make their way to the last eight.
Owen Roes 1-9 Drumragh 1-10
Referee: Stephen McNamee (Newtownstewart)
Owen Roes: Conor Friel (1-1), Conor O'Neill (0-3), Aaron Lynch (0-2), Aaron Catterson (0-2), Stephen McCauley (0-1)
