WESTENRA HOTEL JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Drumhowan 2-10, Killeevan 1-12.
It was regarded by many as the most attractive pairing in the championship so far and when Killeevan and Drumhowan met in their re-arranged second round game in Scotstown on Friday evening last the game lived up to its pre-match billing as one that was capable of producing an exciting contest with an under strength Killeevan coming within a whisker of causing an upset. Killeevan were forced to field without regulars Shane Corr and Declan Clerkin while experienced defender Vincent Martin was out of bounds having been sent off in their opening game but they made light of their disparity in numbers and carried the game to Drumhowan for long periods in what was a cracking contest played in ideal conditions in St Mary’s Park. Drumhowan made one late change with the introduction of Aidan Duffy for Kieran Mooney and they also had the hugely experienced Dermot McDermott and Stephen McGinnity in their ranks and both made a telling contribution to the overall outcome with McGinnity’s astute positioning and nose for a score yielding 1-2. Those late changes forced Killeevan to reshuffle their pack somewhat and it took them a little time to settle but when they did they more than matched Drumhowan in all aspects of play and it was only a late rally in stoppage time that saw the Geraldines poach the match winning scores. Dermot McDermott at centre back for Drumhowan was a key figure and his surging runs into attack often saw the Killeevan defence stretched and but for excellent play by Gavin McKenna, Paul Reilly and Ciaran Quigley in particular along with Niall McCooey Drumhowan might well have had things more of their own way. The game too saw the return of Colin Quigley following a period out with an arm fracture and he too contributed handsomely to the overall play with his ability to link between defence and attack. The hugely experienced Ian Larmer led by example up front and finished with a goal and four points while Darren Greenan at full forward played the role of target man to good effect and with a little more luck might well have finished with a greater tally than the one point he registered as well as contributing to a number of Killeevan’s other scorers. Larmer got best support form Gerard Hughes, Dermot Lynch and the classy Darren Quigley. Enda McElroy in midfield for Drumhowan gave his side an early foothold with his ability to field cleanly or break the ball down to a better placed colleague. Christopher McGinnity worked hard but it was the predatory instincts of Stephen McGinnity and James McElroy that constituted the main scoring threat for the Geraldines. Drumhowan’s main attacking strategy was to deliver high ball in on James McElroy and it paid rich dividends although the Killeevan defence came increasingly to grips with the threat even though they did concede a few frees that saw them punished fairly severely. Gerard Duffy too proved very effective on the left wing of the attack and picked off three excellent points from play while Colm Lambe contributed three from frees before being withdrawn late on. This was a game that could have gone either way and one that was in the balance right to the finish. It was a contest too that produced some excellent football particularly in the first half which was played at a helter-skelter pace at the end of which the sides finished level, Drumhowan 2-5, Killeevan 1-8, Killeevan registering three late points to draw level after a goal by Stephen McGinnity in the 27th minute had given his side a three points lead. The third quarter was a much more sombre affair with just one score for each side and both sides then picking up the pace again in the final quarter to leave the game balanced on a knife edge as the stopwatch ticked down. Killeevan took a two points lead eighteen minutes into the second-half with Drumhowan drawing level by the 21st minute before Killeevan took the lead again and were in front going into stoppage time only to be hit with two injury time points by substitute Kieran Mooney and Gerard Duffy to see them home with the minimum to spare.
The sides were level twice in the opening six minutes before Ian Larmer put Killeevan in front for the first time when he got a fist to a centre by Gavin McKenna to deflect the ball to the Drumhowan net in the 12th minute. A point from a free by Noel Smith in the 13th minute put Killeevan three points in front but within a minute Drumhowan had the margin down to the minimum when James McElroy fielded brilliantly from a centre by Christopher McGinnity and turned to lash to the Killeevan net, his shot cannoning in off the bottom of the post. Killeevan forged two points ahead through Ian Larmer but Drumhowan struck back to level the match with two points in quick succession from Gerard Duffy, the second when Killeevan were caught in possession as they over elaborated somewhat coming out of defence. James McElroy restored Drumhowan to the lead in the 24th minute at the end of a counter attack started by Niall Mooney but two minutes later Killeevan were back on level terms when Gerard Hughes and Gavin McKenna created the opening for Richard Burns. Three minutes from the end of normal time Drumhowan struck a decisive blow when Dermot McDermott cleared his lines to Gerard Duffy who in turn found James McElroy and despite losing his footing he smuggled the ball out to Stephen McGinnity who squeezed in his shot from close range to put Drumhowan three points in front. By the half-time whistle though Killeevan were back on level terms with points from Colin Quigley in the 29th minute, Noel Smith from a free in the 30th minute and Ian Larmer with an excellent score two minutes into stoppage time, Gavin McKenna central to setting up both scores to leave the half-time score Drumhowan 2-5, Killeevan 1-8.
Within 15 seconds of the restart Killeevan were back in front when Colin Quigley floated in a free which Darren Greenan fielded to lash over the bar. Both sides saw chances off target before Steve McGinnity brought Drumhowan level in the sixth minute when he reacted quickest after an effort by Colm Lambe had come off the Killeevan upright. A further 11 minutes had elapsed before the next score with Killeevan regaining the lead with a point by substitute Ciaran Toye. Kevin McGinn put them two in front in the 19th minute when a centre from a line ball by Colin Quigley broke in the Drumhowan area. Within two minutes though Drumhowan were level with two points by Colm Lambe, both from frees to set the game up for a grandstand finish entering the final 10 minutes. Lambe had a chance to put Drumhowan in front a minute later but was off target from a free while Ian Larmer saw an effort by him denied by the upright at the other end. With three minutes of normal time remaining Noel Smyth converted a free after Richard Burns had been fouled to give Killeevan a late one point lead with Drumhowan now throwing everything into attack and moving James McElroy to midfield. Time after time they rained high ball in on the Killeevan goal with Rory Larmer punching clear on a couple of occasions before Kieran Mooney struck the equaliser a minute into stoppage time and Gerard Duffy struck for the eventual winner at the end of a strong run by Dermot McDermott to leave just one point between the sides at the end of a totally absorbing contest.
Teams and Scorers: Drumhowan: Enda Duffy, Darren Duffy, Liam McGuirk, Gavin Sheridan, Niall Mooney, Dermot McDermott, Damien Duffy, Enda McElroy, Christopher McGinnity, Rodney Mooney, Stephen McGinnity 1-2, Gerard Duffy 0-3, Aidan Duffy, James McElroy 1-1, Colm Lambe 0-3 (f). Subs: Kieran Mooney for R Mooney, David Miller for A Duffy, Kevin Mooney 0-1 for C Lambe.
Killeevan: Rory Larmer, Ciaran Quigley, Gavin McKenna, Paul Reilly, Niall McCooey, Sean Clerkin, Darren Quigley, Colin Quigley 0-1, Kevin McGinn 0-1, Richard Burns, Ian Larmer 1-4 (1f), Gerard Hughes, Dermot Lynch, Darren Greenan 0-1, Noel Smyth 0-3 (f). Subs: Ciaran Toye for D Lynch, Casement Lynch for Ciaran Quigley. Referee: Gerry McCarron (Emyvale).
