Augher.........................................................0-11

By Damien Donnelly

Strabane and Augher must do it all again in the junior championship following this nail-bitter at sun-splashed Loughmacrory yesterday.

The excellent St Teresa's venue looked resplendent on a scorching summer Sunday and both teams produced some decent passages of football despite the stifling heat.

Strabane may well look back and feel that they should have closed the game out when three points clear inside the final ten minutes. The Sigersons had also shot some costly wides when on top during the first period.

Augher, though, refused to wilt and showed tenacity to claw back the deficit late on and both sides can now prepare for a second bite of the championship cherry.

Opening point exchanges between these two in-form sides were provided via Augher's Patrick Treanor and the accurate Chris Devine in reply for the league leaders.

The Sigersons then took control of matters with Kyle Devine and Gerard McCrossan winning good possession at midfield but four successive wides undermined useful approach play.

Ryan Donnelly had earlier cannoned a shot off the woodwork as Augher endeavoured to break through resilient Strabane ranks.

Strabane did pull 0-4 to 0-1 clear by the middle of the half thanks to the lively Warren Mullan with two scores in a minute and Stephen Stewart then caught a great ball and thumped it superbly over the top.

Aidan Cassidy was deployed to midfield from his starting slot at full-forward on the Augher side and soon began to have an influence.

A brace of Donnelly frees kept Augher in touch and Donnelly later levelled the contest with his third free on 22 minutes.

Augher hit the front on the run-up to half-time as Liam Connolly coverted a left-sided free from all of 40 metres and Donnelly popped over one from the right side to put the St Macartan's two ahead.

A Mullan place-kick brought Strabane back within one at the short whistle, Augher going in 0-6 to 0-5 to the good but needing free-kicks for five of those scores.

Each side made a change for the resumption, Frank McElroy entering the fray for Augher and Gerard Murray coming into the Strabane side with Stephen Stewart dropping back into a defensive role he coped well with.

Chris Devine squared the tie on 34 minutes but Conor Hackett fisted over at the opposite end to nudge Augher noses in front once more.

Stephen McCaffrey got back to clear danger near the Augher goalmouth and Mullan converted a free before Augher lost their hard-working full-back Paul Treanor through injury as play approached the last quarter.

Strabane hit two on the trot from John-Paul Gallagher(free) and Martin McNulty, with Augher responding for Donnelly to drive over a free-kick.

The Sigersons were soon pressing again, Mullan landing a free plus sub Murray hoisting over a super score to make it 0-11 to 0-8 on 51 minutes.

Augher found extra reserves of stamina to stage a comeback, Finbarr McQuaid, Barry McKenna and company digging deep. Patrick Treanor and Conor Hackett cut the gap to one, Strabane defender Ciaran Friel doing well to tip Hackett's stinging shot over the top.

A sixth free from the boot of Ryan Donnelly drew Augher level on 57 minutes and neither side could find a winner late on. The replay date will be confirmed in due course.

MATCH STATS

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