Drumaness stage fightback

Drumaness stage fightback

6 September 2017

AN heroic performance way and beyond the call of duty at St Patrick’s Park Newcastle, on Saturday night earned Drumaness a rightful place in the JFC semi-finals.

John Morgan’s battlers were trailing 0-12 to 1-4 midway through the second half and down to 14 men, but a sensational last quarter saw then outscore Shamrocks 2-2 to 0-2 and claim a spirited victory.

Shamrocks never gave Drumaness a look in during the early exchanges and points from Damien McKeown and Jody McGovern (0-2) had them 0-3 to 0-0 clear by the 10th minute.

Drumaness finally settled and Neil Stranney got them up and running with a point from play. 

McGovern and Paul Gilchrist exchanged points before scores from McGovern, James Dickson, Nathan Murphy and Kevin Hegarty helped Shamrocks surge into a 0-8 to 0-2 lead.

Just when things looked ominous for Drumaness, Ryan Walsh pounced to palm a Stranney pass to the net, leaving a kick of the ball between the sides.

Ryan Connolly made it a two-point game before Murphy and Gilchrist swapped scores leaving Shamrocks with a narrow lead. Just before the break the dangerous McGovern pointed Shamrocks into a 0-10 to 1-4 interval lead.

Hegarty and Dickson stretched Shamrocks’ lead to five points with 15 minutes remaining, but somehow Drumaness summoned up one last hurrah, despite going down to 14 men after Brian McGivern was sent off.

Brian McIlmurray and the rampaging Gilchrist combined to work an opening for Kyle Rogan and he made no mistake with a low finish to the net.

McGovern and James McGivern exchanged points as did Donal Kennedy and Hegarty before Drumaness hit the jackpot again when Kennedy gave his side a 3-6 to 0-14 lead after brilliant play from Rogan and McIlmurray.

There was still five minutes of the game remaining and Drumaness were really up against it when McIlmurray was red-carded as well.

It was a nervous ending to the game for the Drumaness faithful, but they need not have worried as resolute defending from Gary McCormick, Jason Noade and Gary Murdock saw them over the line.

Drumaness: G O’Hare, J Noade, P Cassidy, M Rainey, T McConville, G Murdock, B McGivern, P Gilchrist (0-2), R Connolly (0-1), R Murdock, N Stranney (0-1), R Walsh (1-0), K Rogan (1-0), D Kennedy (1-1), S Carvill. Subs: N McAleenan for Cassidy, B McIlmurray for Walsh, J McGivern (0-1) for McConville, G McCormick for Carvill, P Morgan for R Murdock, C Donnelly for Gilchrist.  

Shamrocks: J Heaney, C Donnelly, L Byrne, J Bogues, O McCaffrey, P Lennon, D McKeown (0-1), M Harte, J Mallon, N Lennon, J Dickson (0-2), S Hanna, K Hegarty (0-3), N Murphy (0-2), J McGovern (0-6). Subs: F McEvoy for Hanna, E McGuinness for McCaffery, F O’Gribben for McKeown. 

Drumaness 3-6

Shamrocks 0-14

TROCAIRE JFC