Strabane Sigersons ...........0-12

Owen Roe O'Neill's ................0-4

Páirc Mhic Sioghair was the venue for the all North Tyrone clash of neighbours Strabane and Owen Roes in Division 3 last Sunday afternoon and it was Sigersons who claimed the honours with a deserved eight point win to maintain their promotion hopes, whilst Owen Roes suffered their seventh straight defeat and are still searching for their first win of the current campaign.

The game was played in excellent sunny conditions with a swirling breeze and both sets of players contributed to a fine sporting game of football that was excellently refereed by Sean Quinn of Brackaville.

Apart from the vital two points at stake there was also the local pride and despite their respective places on the league table, it counted for nothing as games between these two sides are always keenly conteste. This encounter was no different, although Strabane always looked in control and Owen Roes will know that they defended gallantly but up front their forwards failed to make any real impact.

loss

The early loss at midfield for Strabane of the influential Richard O'Neill through injury looked like proving costly but Kyle Devine stepped into the breach and performed excellently alongside young Gerard McCrossan who had another fine game.

Strabane fired over the opening point in the encounter via a point from play through John-Paul Gallagher but within minutes an Aidan McCrossan free kick levelled matters for the visitors. Owen Roes went in front on seven minutes following a point from play by Brendan Boggs but it was to be their one and only time to take the lead in the game.

Within the next fifteen minutes, Strabane tagged on four points, Chris Devine sent over from play as did Warner Mullen and John McLaughlin sent over a brace to give the home side a three point lead.

On twenty-four minutes, Owen Roes reduced the lead to two when Aidan McCrossan fired over from a free kick but in the run up to the interval, Strabane sent over further points from play via Chris Devine and Warner Mullen.

Half-time score: Strabane 0-7, Owen Roes 0-3.

It looked as though a four point lead at half-time may not have been good enough for Strabane as Owen Roes were playing with the breeze in their favour in the second half but to their credit, Strabane worked tirelessly especially in midfield and defence and held the visitors to a solitary score, one which arrived in the final minute of the encounter.

Strabane opened the second half scoring with a fine free kick by Warner Mullen who shortly after this, had to leave the pitch with an injured ankle but it doesn't appear that the damage will keep him out for too long.

Gerard McCrossan then hit a good point from play and then a somewhat controversial score on forty-seven minutes was accredited to Brendan McLaughlin and that may have been the only wrong decision that the referee made over the course of the hour!

Danny McBride then landed a point from a long-range free kick and this was probably his last piece of action for a few months in a Strabane jersey as he is off to Boston to play with Aiden McAnespie's for the summer. Chris Devine landed his third and the final score of the encounter for Strabane on fifty-six minutes and just when it looked as though Owen Roes would fail to score in the second half, Brendan Boggs raised a white flag but it was merely a consolation score as the final whistle sounded soon after and Strabane had finished comfortable winners.

The game was very kindly sponsored by: The Strabane Chronicle, Upper Main Street, Strabane.