Connolly’s of Moy Tyrone SFC round one
Carrickmore 0-11 Dromore 0-10
CARRICKMORE rediscovered their fabled spirit of survival against the odds as they came from behind to score a dramatic win over Dromore at O’Neills Healy Park on Friday night.
Lorcan McGarrity launched a magnificent winner deep into added time to complete a dramatic fightback and send the St Dympna’s crashing out in devastating fashion.
That 63rd-minute strike gave Carmen the lead for the first time in an enthralling encounter that appeared destined to go Dromore’s way.
But the men from Páirc Colmcille refused to accept defeat and rose to the challenge superbly in the dramatic closing moments.
Dromore eased into an early lead through Declan McNutly and Peter Teague, and the loss of Carrickmore full-back and captain Sean Loughran to injury forced a defensive re-shuffle which took some time to bed in.
But they hit back with scores from Aidan Fullerton and sub Brian Conway and were just a point adrift at the end of a cagey opening quarter which saw both sides take a risk-averse approach to this must-win clash.
The best goal-chance of the half fell to Carmen, with Lorcan McGarrity sending a shot crashing against the crossbar after being sent clear by Danny Fullerton.
Teenager Brian Gallagher, a Hogan Cup winner with Omagh CBS, eased the St Dympna’s into a two-point lead, but Danny Fullerton finally found some space to bring the sides level, having knocked over a free.
But it was Dromore who hit the last three scores of the first half, Niall Sludden (2) and brother Oran on target to give them a 0-8 to 0-5 interval lead.
Carrickmore had a second goal-chance early in the second half, Lorcan McBride breaking through only to be denied by ‘keeper Mark McGale, but it was Dromore who struck first in a low-scoring third quarter, Peter Teague on target from a free.
A minor skirmish appeared to energise Carrickmore as they cut the gap to two through Lorcan McGarrity, and when Fullerton tapped over another free, just a point separated the sides going into the closing 10 minutes.
Carmen spent 10 minutes camped in the Dromore half but were denied by some defiant defending, and it was Dromore who broke for substitute Emmet O’Neill to hit the target very much against the run of play.
But Carrickmore displayed their famous spirit of defiance to ht the last three scores, including McGarrity’s magnificent 63rd-minute strike from 45 metres.
Scorers
Carrickmore D Fullerton 0-4 (0-3f); L McGarity 0-3 (0-1f); A Fullerton 0-2; B Conway 0-1
Dromore D McNulty (1f), N Sludden & P Teague (2f) 0-2 each; C McCoy, B Gallagher, O Sludden & E O’Neill 0-1 each
