OMAGH HOSPITALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SION SWIFTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
By Terry Patterson
A SWIFTS late show aided by a controversial Shane Patterson strike ended Hospitals' spirited Junior Cup challenge at a fog-shrouded Cranny Bridge where Brendan Morrison's side got their tactics right and frustrated the North West First Division league leaders for long periods.
"I'm very proud of my players and how they played," said Morrison. "They worked the game-plan although I felt we could have prevented the winning goal after conceding a controversial equaliser. My full-back missed the tackle which is very unlike him.
"But I'm not too disappointed. I can't fault a Third Division Fermanagh and Western side doing things right and playing good football against a high-flying North-West outfit. The shape of the team was right, the preparation was right and Sion will know they were in a game. I'm delighted with the effort."
However, when the visitors escaped the rapid closing-down pressure exerted on the man with the ball by a five-man Hospitals midfield they played an entertaining and enterprising brand of football that underscored their right to top that North-West League table. And their strike partnership, Conor Carlin and James Gallagher proved a real handful.
Patterson struck 19 minutes from time when found by Chris Gallagher to level Mick McCullagh's 20th-minute opener, but was, unquestionably, offside, later acknowledged by manager, Dermot O'Brien.
"We got a lucky break with the goal. It looked offside but we'll take it," smiled O'Brien. "Going behind was disheartening as we had had all the play until then. It was their first attack, but we stuck to our guns and switching to 3-5-2 to nullify their five-man midfield paid dividends in the end."
Sion threatened as early as the third minute when Chris Gallagher's blistering free kick forced an excellent stop from Ronan McCanny. Hospitals responded with lone striker, McCullagh getting on the end of Mickey Coyle's superb back-stick delivery only to volley wide.
But the Omagh side might have gone behind on 13 minutes as Patterson and the impressive James Gallagher delightfully exchanged passes marauding down the right with Carlin pinching the ball to wrong-foot McCanny with a scuffed shot that came back off an upright.
Thus it was against the run of play that McCullagh broke the deadlock with a classy opportunist goal. Skipper, Barry Howe and Dan Boyle combined to get the hit-man in control wide on the left. He headed the ball past his marker and, in the same movement, cheekily lobbed a stranded Pascal McConnell from the touchline.
Swifts bossed the second quarter with James Gallagher's clever touch just failing to get Stephen Canning in, while the former's low shot, when played through by Barry Hegarty, squirmed through McCanny's arms for a fruitless corner. And, in the final moments of the half, Canning's shot following a Carlin short corner, clipped the top of the bar with the keeper furiously back-pedalling.
Hospitals might have extended their advantage as the second period kicked off, McCullagh's splendid lay-off ushering Sean McMahon clear. Referee, Raymond Black adjudged him offside, coincidentally sparing the midfielder's blushes as he had fired narrowly wide when looking into the whites of McConnell's eyes.
Back at the other end it needed a fine saving tackle by Tony McCrory as Carlin was about to pull the trigger when McMahon's attempted clearance was charged down. And then McCanny could only parry a marauding Barry Porter effort but redeemed himself in stunning fashion as Carlin swooped on the loose ball three yards out.
As the pressure on the home goal mounted, former Tyrone Milk Cup starlet, Blane Burns waltzed through leaving a posse of players trailing in his wake. McCanny was equal to his parting shot, beating it away from the danger zone.
In a rare break Barry McMahon and Howe united to send Coyle skipping down the right, his progress halted by a cynical foul. The right-sided midfielder took the free kick and, while Swifts defended their area in numbers expecting the usual high ball, he exquisitely picked out an unmarked Boyle on the apron of the box. Alas, Boyle's crashing 20-yard drive flew straight down McConnell's throat.
As normal service resumed in the other half Canning took Chris Gallagher's pass on his chest, swivelled to create space but then shot above the bar when it seemed he must equalise. Then came that controversial Patterson leveller and a subsequent lull in goalmouth action.
With five minutes of normal time remaining James Gallagher, who had an outstanding match, grabbed the winner courtesy of the ball described by pundits as unplayable provided by substitute, Paul Carlin.
Carlin shrugged off Howe's challenge as he raided along the left flank from his own half, evaded Sean McMahon's lunging tackle and whipped a cross into no-man's land behind the defence which the arriving Gallagher gleefully steered past an exposed McCanny.
