Omagh Hospitals 0 Magheraveely 2

Magheraveely retained their place in Division One with a final day victory over Omagh Hospitals. Warren Stewart and David Elliott scored the goals that gave them the vital three points in a final day, winner takes all shoot out with Hospitals.

Magheraveely looked favourites for the drop a month ago, but a win over Irvinestown Wanderers followed by an unexpected victory over title chasing Dergview Reserves gave them hope of survival, and they completed their escape act on the final day of the season when they edged out their relegation rivals.

Manager Eamon McGlone was delighted with his sides’ performance in the latter stages of the season, and felt division one survival was a justified reward for their good recent form.

“We are all delighted,” he admitted. “We never felt all season that we should have been in that position, but three wins from our last four showed great desire from the players and they deserve all the credit.”

In a game with so much at stake it was the home team who made the brighter start, but despite carving out several chances in a tense first half they could not find the breakthrough goal.

The closest Hospitals came was through a free kick, but Connor Smith in the Magheraveely goal stretched to make a crucial save and ensure his team went into the interval on level terms.

A draw would have resulted in the two teams meeting again to compete in a play off, but in the second half Magheraveely started like a team determined to finish the job on the day.

The manager introduced Sean O’Connor from the substitute’s bench, and he posed an immediate threat to the Hospitals defence. O’Connor was denied on several occasions by the goalkeeper, but with the pressure building Magheraveely finally found the net when Warren Stewart headed home David Elliott’s corner.

Hospitals responded well to the setback and came close to an equaliser when their striker broke through the offside trap and raced in on goal, but Smith denied him to preserve their lead.

With Hospitals continuing to push forward in the closing minutes Magheraveely put the match beyond doubt when O’Connor broke forward and slid a pass across to David Elliott, who tapped in to seal the victory and secure their place in the top flight for another season.