Strabane Sigersons............3-15

Errigal Ciarán Thirds..........2-5

The senior footballers of Strabane Sigersons gained top spot in the Tyrone All County League Division 3 last Sunday evening, when they travelled to Dunmoyle and convincingly saw off the rugged challenge of Errigal Ciarán Thirds.

This was the sixth straight win for Sigersons and was all the more welcome given the fact that key players such as Sean Barkley, Richard O'Neill, Ciarán Friel, Danny McBride and Fergal McGavigan were absent but all credit to the entire squad who once again showed great heart and commitment to win what was always going to be a difficult encounter against a side that possesses some very good footballers.

The win for Strabane was buoyed by the fact that earlier in the day Newtownstewart had a narrow one point win over joint league leaders Drumquin who suffered defeat for the second week running and so allowed Strabane to go two points clear at the top with just six games remaining to be played.

The result was never in question as Strabane asserted their dominance racing into a commanding 0-10 to 0-0 lead aided by a very stiff breeze. Warner Mullen hit four of the points, three from free kicks and one from play, John McLaughlin sent over two from play whilst Gerard Murray, Chris Devine, Martin McNulty and John-Paul Gallagher from a long range free kick all added points.

Against the run of play, Errigal Ciarán then broke away after thwarting a Strabane attack and scored a goal and then added a point from a free kick to drag them right back into the game.

However just before the interval, Strabane sent over a further two points from play with Warner Mullen and John McLaughlin both scoring from play the latter from a fisted effort.

Half-time score: Strabane 0-12, Errigal Ciarán Thirds 1-1.

The home side hit the first score of the second half with a point from play but with only minutes of the half elapsed Strabane were awarded the first of two penalties after Chris Devine was bundled down and Warner Mullen planted the spot kick to the roof of the Errigal Ciarán net with aplomb.

Minutes later Strabane hit a second goal when a great passage of play involving Gerard McCrossan, Gerard Murray, Martin McNulty, Warner Mullen and Ryan O'Kane resulted in Chris Devine having the simplest of tasks of tapping the loose ball into the Errigal Ciarán net. Strabane were now piling the pressure on and Warner Mullen went off on another fine run only to be upended by the Errigal corner back, the referee played advantage but Errigal broke down the attack and went up the pitch and hit a second goal.

However, the referee came straight back following the goal and dismissed the Errigal corner back for a second yellow card offence.

Strabane were then awarded their second penalty of the game when an Errigal defender made a foot block on Martin McNulty and up stepped Warner Mullen once again to rifle the spot kick to the net for his second and the third goal for Strabane.

Errigal never gave up and used the breeze to their advantage hitting three points in succession but it was Strabane who finished strongly with Stephen Stewart, Brendan McLaughlin and Gerard McCrossan all sending over points to seal a thoroughly deserving win.

Strabane fully deserved this win and showed a lot of good character especially with key personnel missing and shrugging off some stiff challenges against a lively home side who deserve great credit for fielding four sides at adult level.

The win was very welcome for Strabane but the focus now has to be on the next game and that will be Fintona on Saturday week at Páirc Mhic Sioghair with Strabane the free team in the league this weekend as the boys enjoy a welcome break but will no doubt be stepping it up at training as the championship clash with Augher looms ever closer.