In the first round of the Tyrone Senior Football Championship Eglish were up against the current county champions Dromore in Carrickmore. Conditions were not ideal as a shower of rain had left the surface greasy and the light was beginning to fade fast after the 7.30pm throw.
Dromore started the better of both sides and notched up a 1-04 to 0-01 lead during the first half but Eglish tagged on another couple of points to leave the half time score Eglish 0-03, Dromore 1-05.
Dromore midfielder Sean McDonnell opened the scoring before Niall Sludden cut in from the left wing to loft over a lovely score to double their advantage after five minutes.
Colm McCullagh and Conor O’Neill added points from frees before they struck for a well worked 18th minute goal. A surging run from county defender Ronan McNabb saw him fist the ball to Cathal McCarron who in turn set up Niall Sludden for a cool finish low to the net.
It looked like game over at that stage but Eglish finally got their challenge up and running. Peter McCann opened the account after twenty three minutes from a long range free that went over via the bar before Gregory Jordan got a fine score.
Conor O’Neill responded with a Dromore point but Eglish had the final say of the half through Jordan to leave it 1-5 to 0-3 at the short whistle.
Respective full forwards, Colton and Conor O’Neill, swapped points on the restart before the champions grabbed a fortunate goal in the 43rd minute when Paddy Montague’s long range free deceived keeper Colton and went all the way to the net.
It looked like game over at that stage but Eglish knuckled down to enjoy their best spell of the game. A mistake from Dromore defender Ryan O’Neill saw Colton first time the ball to the net past keeper Peter Ward and while Dromore responded with a superb Sean McNabb point it was the St. Patricks who now had their tails up.
They put the Dromore defence under pressure winning a couple of frees which Gregory Jordan converted before Montague lifted the siege for the St. Dympna’s with a long range point.
Eglish introduced Matthew Jordan and he contributed a brace of points with Colton converting a 45 to set up a tense finish.
Eglish, though, missed a couple of chances as they took their wades tally to eleven and a relieved Dromore side held on to advance.
Eglish – Stephen Colton, Jonathan Jordan, Ryan Jones, Shane McCann, Joey Jordan, Paraic Martin, Ryan McKenna, Conall Martin, Conor McCann, Conall McNulty, Brendan Donnelly, Martin McCann, Peter McCann, Ciaran Colton, Gregory Jordan. Subs – Ciaran Donnelly for Jones, Matthew Jordan for Martin McCann, Sean McKillion for Peter McCann
Scorers – Ciaran Colton 1-2, Gregory Jordan 0-4, Matthew Jordan 0-2, Peter McCann 0-1
Dromore – Peter Ward, Fabian O’Neill, Cathal McCarron, Conor O’Hara, Ryan McMenamin, Sean O’Neill, Ryan O’Neill, Hugh McNulty, Sean McDonnell, Niall Sludden, Paddy Montague, Ronan McNabb, Colm McCullagh, Conor O’Neill, Sean McNabb. Subs – Emmett O’Neill for Conor O’Neill, Kevin Donnelly for Ryan O’Neill, Ruairi Sludden for Ronan McNabb, Ronan McNabb for Montague
Scorers – Paddy Montague 1-1, Niall Sludden 1-1, Conor O’Neill 0-3, Sean McNabb 0-2, Sean McDonnell 0-1, Colm McCullagh 0-1
Referee – Fergal Ward, Errigal Ciaran
Attendance – 1200 approximately
