SEVEN teams from the Fermanagh and Western FA took part in this year's Bruce Cup held at Castlederg High School.
The Association's under-18 competition is always an excellent day for the competing teams and this year was no exception.
The teams played a round robin style competition with the top two playing off in the final.
It was the Castlederg High and Omagh High that showed the early form with wins against Sacred Heart, and Erne Integrated. Devenish College also started the competition well. Strabane Grammar, taking part in their first Bruce Cup, and last year's winners Drumragh Integrated College also provided stiff opposition in each game.
Indeed, it was local rivals Strabane Grammar that took the first point off the Castlederg boys.
The Castlederg boys went into the game with three wins from three and in good form but Strabane stubbornly held on for a 0-0 draw.
This result opened the door for the chasing pack of Omagh High and Devenish College.
With the group stages coming to an end the places in the final still were far from decided. Castlederg had edged themselves ahead however Omagh High and Devenish could not be separated, with both teams level on points and the head to head between the teams ending in a draw.
The second spot in the final had to be decided on goal difference. It was the boys from Devenish who had the superior goals scored which edged them into the showpiece against Castlederg.
Devenish could take a great deal of confidence into the final with their 1-0 win over Castlederg in the group stages. Castlederg started the final brightly keeping possession well and switching the play to all areas of the pitch.
At times Devenish found this hard to contend will, however the game was still finally balanced with no clear-cut opportunity for either side.
Castlederg though were cranking it up and a through ball sent Ashley Lowry scampering clear and the Derg skipper nipped in to finish neatly past the Devenish keeper.
With the final coming to a close it was the Castlederg keeper Alan Buchanan that kept his side ahead, diving at the feet of an oncoming Devenish player to produce an excellent save.
Castlederg's captain and player of the tournament Ashley Lowry lifted the trophy for the school's second win during the Cup's 10-year history.
All players are to be congratulated for an excellent competition played in the right spirit at all times.
