Connollys of Moy Tyrone SFC round one
Loughmacrory 2-15 Galbally 2-7
AFL target and rising Tyrone star Eoin McElholm was in sparkling form as Loughmacrory got the better of Galbally at O’Neills Healy Park to set up a Tyrone SFC quarter-final clash with Dungannon.
McElholm hit 1-5, including a delightful lobbed goal to help the St Teresa’s to an impressive eight-point success, achieved with a blend of style and passion.
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Loughmacrory made the best possible start, with a Pearse Grimes goal after just two minutes, adding points through Dara Curran and Arnoldas Macidulskas to go five clear.
But Galbally got themselves right back into it when Mark Donnelly smashed home a sixth-minute goal.
Conor Donaghy landed a couple of scores from placed balls, but a run of scores late in the half, including two from McElholm, saw Loughmacrory take a 1-8 to 1-3 lead into the interval.
Galbally grabbed a second goal four minutes into the second half, punched home by Enda McGarrity, and Joe Corrigan and Mark Donnelly then narrowed the gap to a single point.
But Loughmacrory wasted no time in restoring their five-point cushion, McElholm intercepting a poor kick-out to lob the ‘keeper for his side’s second goal.
Going into the final 10 minutes, they led by seven, and it was comfortable from there to the finish line, with Ruairi McCullagh bringing his tally to five.
Scorers
Loughmacrory E McElholm 1-5 (0-1f); R McCullagh 0-5 (0-3f); P Grimes 1-0; D Curran 0-2; P Meenagh (f), E Donaghy & O O’Kane (f) 0-1 each
Galbally M Donnelly 1-2; E McGarrity 1-0; C Donaghy (1f, 1 ‘45) & D Kerr (2f) 0-2 each; J Corrigan 0-1