Strabane Sigersons.......1-16
Owen Roe O'Neill's.....2-10
Páirc Mhic Sioghair was the setting for the North Tyrone derby clash of Strabane and Owen Roes in the Joe McGarrity League Cup semi-final last Sunday afternoon with Sigersons winning by three points at the end of the hour with Sigersons Warner Mullen finishing with a personal tally of 1-12.
Strabane will now play Aghaloo in the final on a date yet to be decided after they accounted for Augher in the other semi-final.
The opening score of the game fell to Sigersons Warner Mullen with a point from a free kick before Kiernan Kelly responded likewise for Owen Roes. Strabane then edged in front with Mullen again on target from a free kick and Martin McNulty pointing from play.
With around ten minutes played, Owen Roes hit the first goal of the game via Declan McCrossan as he finished off a fine piece of individual work for a well-deserved score.
Strabane levelled matters with a good point from play via John-Paul Gallagher. Owen Roes responded almost immediately with Aidan McCrossan from play and Kiernan Kelly from a free kick edging them two in front.
Both sides then traded scores with Martin McNulty on target for Strabane and Aidan McCrossan from a free kick for Owen Roes.
With five minutes to go until the interval, Owen Roes went three in front when from a long sideline ball via Declan McCrossan found his brother Aidan on the edge of the square and he duly fisted the ball to the Strabane net.
However, Strabane weren't giving up easily and Warner Mullen hit a brace of scores from free kicks and when John McLaughlin was fouled inside the square, it was Mullen again who stepped forward to hit the penalty kick past Dylan Early in the visitors nets. Mullen also added another score from a free kick to leave Strabane three in front at the break.
Half-time score: Strabane 1-10, Owen Roes 2-4.
It was Owen Roes who got the first score of the second half with a free kick converted by Declan McCrossan although this was quickly cancelled out by a similar strike through Sigersons Warner Mullen.
Owen Roes then hit a sustained spell during which time they hit three unanswered points via Kiernan Kelly and Aidan McCrossan from play and Declan McCrossan from a free kick. This left the sides level and all to play for in what was an entertaining game of football.
Martin McNulty edged Strabane back into the lead again with a point from play but just as throughout the encounter, the sides were level once again when Declan McCrossan pointed from play and then he gave Owen Roes the lead with a point from a free kick with less than five minutes remaining.
Strabane fought to the bitter end and a wave of attacks led to a succession of late free kicks with Warner Mullen showing his calm and accuracy to slot over a further four points to effectively seal the game although he would be the first to admit that he hit at least half a dozen other wide balls that looked easy enough scores especially for him.
Mullen was quick to admit afterwards that whilst he hit the majority of scores, it was the hard work of the forward unit especially, Martin McNulty, John McLaughlin and Gerard Murray that assisted him via their hard work and battling display over the course of the hour.
This was a good sporting game of football with both sides short of several regulars. It was the third clash between the sides this season with Strabane winning all three encounters to date however they could meet again in the quarterfinal of the WJ Dolan Tyrone Junior Championship should Strabane dispose of Augher in their forthcoming replay.
