WHENEVER these two teams met at the same venue back in May, Drumaness racked up 15 points.
They scored that same tally again, but this time added three clinically taken goals to the scoreboard.
Callum Dougan and Jamie Morgan did the damage in a nine minute first half blitz.
Dougan’s second goal, in the 17th minute, was due to a wonderful piece of fielding by Paul Gilchrist.
Paul’s timing was perfect, plucking the ball above an array of Belfast players before playing an inch perfect delivery into Dougan, who cooly dispatched past netminder Dan McQuaid.
As the Blues found out last time, the base of the East Belfast defence is not easily penetrated.
Chris McAuley at full back is a tough operator, and Aaron McLaughlin and Mark McTeggart are teak tough also.
Dave McGreevy, Michael McCann and Nathan Thompson normally love to venture forward from half back, but the Drumaness men pushed up, eliminating the short options from McQuaid’s restarts.
The middle third of the pitch was heavily congested, but the home side defended it with authority and intent, showing hunger and aggression to hunt for turnovers.
James Ferris used his physicality to win numerous breaking ball, whilst strong running from Ciaran Brennan, Gary Murdock and Ryan Connolly off the shoulder to break through the Belfast barriers, helped augment a forward line that was rotating cleverly and buzzing with movement and pace.
Owen Wright displayed his football intelligence by carving out well taken scores for Dougan, Owen Madine and the impressive Daniel Bell.
Bursting through a posse of black and gold jerseys, Bell landed a superbly taken score from distance on the stroke of half-time, after a neat give and go with the mobile Morgan.
At the other end Conor Carew versus Conor Coyle was a fine tussle. Phillip Cassidy and Paul McGurnaghan were equally resolute in the corners.
Phillip’s physicality is his main attribute, constantly looking for contact, the man would go through a brick wall for his club.
The roving JJ McLaughlin made a lung bursting run to create a fine team goal for Stephen McTeggart to keep East Belfast in relative contention, but the home side responded immediately.
Gary Murdock received a Ryan Walsh kickout, exchanged passes with Brennan and McAleenan before launching a beautiful diagonal ball into Dougan, who instinctively split the posts with a well crafted point.
The Drumaness defensive system was highly effective throughout, with wing forwards Daniel Bell and Owen Madine ping back to shadow Belfast’s danger men, often doubling up and cutting off the passing lanes.
This tactic helped stem the creative Colm Coyle and Aiden Doyle.
In the last fixture, Ronan Meehan was creating plenty of opportunities for Coyle and Doyle, but the intense work rate of the Blues meant space was at a premium for the men from the city.
Jason Noade, Jack McMullan, James McGivern and the veteran Mark McClean all impressed after coming on in the second half.
When referee Dane Devlin blew the full time whistle, there were joyous scenes as the Drumaness men celebrated a record 15 wins from 15 matches.
Team captain Gary Murdock proudly lifted aloft the league title and the celebrations continued into the small hours of the morning in the clubhouse.
And rightly so, what a momentous season so far.
However, team manager Paddy Morgan will allow no complacency to creep into the squad.
Highly ambitious, along with Colly Flynn, Liam Sloan and Brendan Blaney, he will want a serious tilt at what will be a competitive championship.
They certainly have the ability, and crucially, the team spirit to mount that challenge.
The invaluable aspect of Morgan’s management is his deep belief. He exudes a natural confidence, wanting to win every fixture.
Drumaness have waited a long time for silverware, for many of the younger squad members, it was the first success they’ve tasted.
In a year when the parish sadly lost some iconic gaels, this feels like the start of a new chapter in the club’s proud history.
Match official: Dane Devlin (Clonduff Shamrocks)
St Colman’s Drumaness 3-15
East Belfast 1-6
ACFL DIVISION 4