Holy Trinity, Cookstown......... 2-14
Sacred Heart, Omagh................ 2-5
By Damien Donnelly
HOLY Trinity rattled over a decisive run of last quarter points to quell a spirited Sacred Heart challenge in this keenly contested Tyrone U-16 final at Omagh on Monday night.
Omagh's Sacred Heart were level approaching the midway mark of the final half before Trinity served up their points burst to take command.
Rain fell and tempers rose at times in a committed game but referee John Devlin kept a lid on matters by issuing some cautions and the tie developed into a decent tussle. Cathal Devlin, Conor McAleer, the lively Aidan Armstrong, Leigh McCracken and company rose to the occasion for Holy Trinity when the chips were down.
Sacred Heart's Mark Brown, Sean Canavan, Ryan Maise, Stephen Murphy and team-mates tried hard but they were unable to stem that final quarter tide that carried the Cookstown side to victory.
The opening exchanges were rather nervy as both teams endeavoured to find their feet but Trinity fired over three points via Armstrong, Devlin and Armstrong(free) by the 12th minute.
Full-forward Maise broke the Sacred Heart duck a minute later by pointing but Armstrong raced in at the other end to point.
It was at this stage that things boiled over a bit but players soon refocused on the game at hand and a flowing move by Sacred Heart culminated in Stephen Murphy rattling the Trinity net.
Mark Bradley edged Sacred Heart ahead by a point and Declan Taggart denied Devlin with a great save at the other end.
Trinity probed again and this time it bore fruit through a well-worked Aidan Armstrong major, Maise very unlucky to see his shot hit the Trinity post in a swift counter-attack.
A Maise point made it 1-4 to 1-3 for Trinity at half-time and Sacred Heart continued the good work on the resumption as Mark Bradley fired over two points to put them one ahead.
Holy Trinity, though, responded powerfully and raced upfield for Conor McAleer to find the net. Barry Potter also tagged on a point as the play move sharply from one side to the other.
The pendulum then swung back Sacred Heart's way courtesy of Ryan Maise who took a goal chance tidily and it the teams were all-square at 2-5 each on 42 minutes.
Trinity subsequently got on top down the centre of the pitch and Sacred Heart were pinned back as the closing 15 minutes unfolded, Cookstown finding their points range to telling effect.
A nine-point salvo secured success, Cathal Devlin dropping deeper and pinging over some fine scores. Armstrong, Conan Campbell and Kieran McGeary scored too for a relieved and happy Holy Trinity .
