EIRE OG'S.............................3-23

By Geoffrey Gillis

CARRICKMORE'S dominance of the Tyrone Senior Hurling scene looks set to continue for the foreseeable future, if this comprehensive League final victory over Strabane, at Newtownstewart on Sunday evening is anything to go by.

Shamrocks entered the game in optimistic mood of acquitting themselves well, but their preparations were hampered following the pre match loss of Gary McGettigan through injury.

The full forward sustained a rib injury in an Ulster League game twenty four hours earlier, but while his presence was missed, it's debatable whether it would have made any difference to the result such was Carrickmore's supremacy.

Carmen oozed class throughout the field with John McElroy, Tony Hughes, and Leigh Moore excelling in defence, while James Treacy was prominent around midfield.

The Eire Og's attack tormented a spirited Shamrock's defence all evening with Ciaran Slane, Sean Og Grogan, Conor Grogan and Seamus McLoughney causing havoc, as Carmen produced an impressive display of scoring power to which a youthful Strabane side had no answer.

Shamrocks did have a number of creditable displays from Chris McDaid, Jason Patton, Mark Kane, Conor Gallagher and young Mark Devine, but the eventual twenty two point winning margin was in no way flattering of the winners, who are continuing to set the bench mark for hurling in Tyrone.

Shamrock's needed to make wind advantage count if they were to have any chance of making a game of it, but the opposite happened as Carrickmore hit the ground running to set the pattern for the evening. Slane converted a second minute free before doubling their advantage from play, and as Shamrock's struggled to get going points from the Grogan's, Sean and Conor under lined the enormity of the task facing them.

Carrickmore were producing some excellent hurling, and when McMahon teed up McLoughney for the opening goal of the contest on nine minutes for a 1-4 to 0-0 lead, the alarm bells were ringing. As Carmen forced the issue James Treacy hit three points to complement a second Grogan point for an eleven point lead by the 16th minute.

Shamrock's opened their account in sensational fashion with a goal, when Kane pulled first time from distance for a 1-8 to 1-0 deficit. Boosted by that score Shamrock's started to show glimpses of their potential with James Reilly punishing a loose clearance. Grogan responded for Carmen and as they applied pressure, Shamrock's keeper Martin Ward produced a stunning save to deny Conor Grogan a goal.

The respite didn't last long because Grogan found the net on 22 minutes, and while Gallagher and Kane managed points for Shamrock's, Carrickmore continued to score regularly with McMahon and Slane helping them into a match winning 2-12 to 1-5 interval lead.

McMahon extended the lead within 20 seconds of the restart, but Shamrock's replied with points from Niall Gallagher and Kane for a 2-13 to 1-7 score line after 36 minutes. That was to be their lot and while keeper Ward produced another excellent save to deny Conor Grogan, Carrickmore took over.

The introduction of Tyrone stars Paul Hughes and Justin Kelly highlighted the quality and strength of the Eire Og's bench. Grogan, Slane and substitute Hughes added points before good pressure from McMahon created the opening for a second McLoughney goal on 42 minutes for a 3-15 to 1-7 lead.

A rash of substitutions failed to dampen Carmen's attacking edge as Slane, Grogan, Fox and Hughes landed quality scores from all angles before Treacy's free completed the rout two minutes from time.