In one of the best finals seen in years in Tyrone, Dromore grabbed a sensational win when Colm McCullagh converted a penalty three minutes into injury to edge out Ardboe in dramatic circumstances at Healy Park Omagh yesterday afternoon.


It was Ardboe who opened the scoring in the second minute via a Frank McGuigan free but Dromore were the side who settled the better of the two and they began to make it count on the scoreboard with Sean O’Neill and midfielder Barry Collins both hitting great scores before county attacker Colm McCullagh knocked over a free.

Kyle Coney then fired over a free for Ardboe before team captain Ciaran Campbell ventured forward from the half back line to hit an inspirational point to level matters. After that though it was the St Dympnas who assumed control with Mickey Garry and Barry Collins on top in midfield and Fabian O’Neill, Colm Donnelly and Ryan McMenamin giving little away at the back.

A great turn and point from full forward Eoin McCusker edged the St Dympnas back in front before the leading scorer in the Tyrone championship Colm McCullagh converted a close in free.

Ardboe were struggling badly at this stage and Dromore midfielder Collins weighed in with the score of the half with a terrific effort from distance with his weaker left foot. All Ireland minor winner Ronan McNabb then put

Dromore four in front as they continued to dictate the pace of things.

As the first half slipped into injury time Ardboe centre half back Gavin Teague exchanged passes with Frank McGuigan before fisting an equaliser to end a twenty minute barren spell and keep his side in touch as they trailed 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval.

Ardboe came out for the second half with all guns blazing as the McGuigan brothers Brian and Tommy as well as Kyle Coney really got to grips with things. Coney and Tommy had points before Shea McGuigan hammered the ball to the roof of the Dromore net after six minutes.

Brian McGuigan, Shea McGuigan and Mickey Coleman all tagged on points with McCullagh keeping Dromore in touch with a number of scores. With time running out Ardboe substitute Nishy O’Neill looked like getting the clinching score but the drama wasn’t finished yet and when Donnelly was fouled in injury time McCullagh held his nerve to convert to win their second O’Neill Cup in dramatic circumstances.

Dromore: P Ward, F O’Neill, C McCarron, C Donnelly, K Donnelly, R McMenamin, Sean O’Neill [0-2], M Garry, B Collins [0-2], S McMahon, C McCullagh [1-6], P Montague, Shaun O’Neill [0-1], E McCusker [0-1], R McNabb [0-1]. Sub: Conor O’Neill [0-1] for Montague

Ardboe: R Coleman, P Coney [0-1], M McKeown, E Devlin, C Campbell [0-1], G Teague [0-1], S Forbes, M Coleman [0-1], T McGuigan [0-1], K Coney [0-2], B McGuigan [0-2], S McGuigan [1-1], G Wylie [0-1], J McConville, F McGuigan [0-1]. Subs: Nishy O’Neill [0-1] for Campbell, Kieran Devlin for Shea McGuigan, Simon Teague for Tommy McGuigan

Referee: S Quinn, Brackaville

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