FINTONA SWIFTS..................................3
STRATHROY HARPS..............................2
By Terry Patterson
SWIFTS signed off a progressive year on their new temporary Youth Sport Omagh ground in bitterly cold conditions with a battling win after trailing to two Gareth McCrory strikes.
The former Omagh Town star netted his brace in four first-half minutes but Cathal Moore's quick-fire double response came in even faster time to have Fintona level at the break. And Moore played a leading role in Mark Welsh's late winner, providing a right-sided cross when sent clear by Collie Fisher for the midfielder to force the ball home at the back stick.
"I'm very happy with the result which I think we merited on the back of our second-half performance," enthused Fintona boss, Kevin Marlow. "After a scrappy first-half we got the ball down, played a bit, put some good moves together and could have scored more.
"It's a nice way to finish what has been a good year for us overall. We won Division II earlier in 2009 and we're holding our own now in the First Division."
The first 25 minutes of this mid-table clash were full of endeavour but otherwise failed to entertain the purists. It was not until McCrory pounced following a Mark Duffy corner only to have his effort ruled out for offside that the game came to life.
Almost at once play broke to the other end, Sean McMenamin teeing up Mark Kelly for a 20-yard effort which Rory Kelly saved comfortably. And, just before the half-hour when the influential Mark Kelly exploded through the middle to usher Fisher in, McCrory's saving tackle spared his keeper having to make a save.
Then, on 33 minutes, McCrory opened the scoring. Aidan Colton took a throw-in on the right, accepted a return pass from Caolan McCrossan and drilled the ball across the edge of the area where the midfielder's excellent first touch set up a crashing drive that ricocheted into Ryan Monteith's net off his left-hand post.
Gerard McCaskie swooped to fashion the second when Ciaran O'Donnell slipped as about to receive his skipper, Hugh McCarney's pass out of defence. The little striker immediately picked out McCrory at the back post for a simple tap-in.
Moore then provided Act II, reducing the arrears with a 25-yard free kick three minutes from the break. He delightfully curled the ball around the defensive wall but was probably the most surprised man on the pitch when Rory Kelly allowed it to squirm under his body.
On the stroke of half-time the hitman equalised from the spot, firing high to the keeper's right hand when Sion Mills whistler, Cyril Walker adjudged Colton to have floored Aidy Reid.
"It was never a penalty," rapped Harps chief, Dominic McMullin. "Their player ran into our defender who cleared the ball. It was a disgrace. If that was a penalty then we had a better shout when McCrossan was blocked off in the second half.
"And there were several poor tackles out there which other referees would not have tolerated. We were guilty of our share. I'm disappointed with the referee, the condition of the pitch and that once again we got into a winning position but failed to finish a team off. Thank goodness 2009 is over!"
The new half began with claims for a Fintona spot kick against visiting captain, Pete McCaskie for handling Moore's free kick, but Mr Walker was having none of it. Strathroy put the scare behind them and, before the hour, Mark Sloan's 25-yard free kick screamed past Monteith's left-hand upright, while McCrory's vision released Duffy to whip in a centre which arrived just too quickly at McCrossan's feet.
As the final quarter began Tony Quinn's snap shot flew past, but Swifts replied with Fisher, having latched on to Ciaran Colton's poor clearance and sending Moore away on the right to cross, continuing his run but rattling the crossbar with his parting shot.
Seventeen minutes from time came that disputed penalty incident as yet another splendid pass from McCrory had McCrossan speeding into the box where he was baulked by substitute, Aaron McCloughan. The referee was unimpressed.
It was Strathroy's last throw of the dice. With five minutes remaining Fisher and Moore combined for Welsh to grab the game's all-important fifth goal.
