Sport

O'Reilly saves day

St Michael's: 2-8, Omagh CBS:??????????????

Tue Apr 03 2001 - 01:00

St Michael's: 2-8, Omagh CBS: ??????????????

A shrewd second-half switch by manager Dominic Corrigan helped St Michael's, Enniskillen to earn a draw against Omagh CBS in yesterday's MacRory Cup final at Casement Park.

The sides must return to Belfast for the replay on Saturday week and St Michael's can thank man-of-the-match Ciaran O'Reilly for their second chance.

Playing against a strong wind, Omagh were vastly superior and stormed into a 1-4 to 0-2 lead after 21 minutes, the goal coming from full forward Jude Hans. That goal seemed to waken St Michael's up and after Shaun Doherty pointed, O'Reilly side-footed the ball to the Omagh net four minutes from the break. The same player added another point to leave them trailing 1-5 to 1-4.

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It was after Omagh stretched their advantage to 1-9 to 1-4 that Corrigan brought full back Paul Gunn to midfield, sent full forward Damian Shannon to full back and introduced his nephew, Michael Cunningham, to the attack.

The changes worked a treat and Ryan Keenan netted from the penalty spot to leave only two points between the teams. O'Reilly levelled at 2-7 to 1-10 with seven minutes left and after Anthony McGonagle sent Omagh ahead it was O'Reilly again who squared at 2-8 to 1-11 five minutes from time.

ST MICHAEL'S, ENNISKILLEN: M Murphy; S McCaffrey, P Gunn, C Smith; K Murphy, P Sherry, S Burns; J Sherry, N McVeigh; B Reilly, S Doherty (0-2), C O'Reilly (1-6, five frees); N Gormley, D Shannon, R Keenan (1-0, penalty). Sub: M Cunningham for Smith.

OMAGH CBS: N Hughes; D Carlin, E O'Gara, S Coyle; M Conway, C McAleer, A McGonagle (0- 1); M Garry, J McMahon (0-1); A Donaghy (0-3), M McCullagh, A McCarron (0-3, two frees); L Meenan (0-1, free), J Hans (1-2), M Donnelly. Sub: D Tierney for McCullagh.

Referee: P McEneaney (Monaghan).

The MacLarnon Cup returned to St Patrick's College, Downpatrick yesterday for the first time since 1990 after the Downpatrick team easily brushed aside the challenge of St Columb's, Derry by 1-12 to 0-8 at Casement Park.

ST PATRICK'S: G O'Hare; D Neeson, S Leonard, D Mulholland; J Connery, R Lawlor, R Maguire; D Gordon, P Turley; C O'Toole (0-3), C Brannigan (0-2), N Neeson; J Gibney (0-6, five frees), T McAtamney (1-0), C MacRuairi. Sub: P Keown (0-1) for MacRuairi.

ST COLUMB'S: S Kearney; M Chambers, M Boyle, C Duffy; M Doherty, B McGurk, A Cleary; E Gibson, G Donaghy; J Jackson, M O'Kane, M Lynch (0-3); A Devine, J Devine (0-4), C O'Kane (0-1). Subs: J McQuillan for Gibson; C O'Kane for Doherty; C Lynch for M O'Kane.

Referee: B Gorman (Armagh).