Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship
Group 1 Round 4 9/9/23
Drumhowan 1-15 Eire Óg 0-11
This was a clash of first and second place in Group 1 of the Junior Football Championship on Saturday that saw Drumhowan cement their place at the top of the table, while putting an end to Eire Óg’s unbeaten run.
Eire Óg got off to the best possible start when goalkeeper, James Morrow, nailed a 45 just in the 2nd minute. In the 7th minute Eire Óg doubled their lead with Michael Tierney getting the game’s first score from play. A minute later, he was joined on the scoresheet by Dermot Gleeson, as Eire Óg opened a 3 point lead.
In the 9th minute, Liam Mc Guirk got Drumhowan up and running with a good score of his own off his right foot. 3 minutes later, Aiden Quinn brought the gap back to one point with a free kick right in front of the posts. Eire Óg responded instantly through Tierney, who kicked 2 frees in quick succession.
After the water break, the game became scrappy. Neither side could hold the ball in the middle of the field and eventually Drumhowan made a breakthrough, with Liam Mc Guirk capitalising on a quick counterattack and finding the back of the net. Eire Óg responded with a point from Enda Doran to put the Smithborough club back in front. However, Drumhowan finished the half stronger, with 3 successive points from Ciaran Duffy, Kevin Mooney and Caolan Reilly, to lead by 2 points at half time.
At the beginning of the second half, the sides exchanged points, Tierney scored first for Eire Óg 4 minutes in, but Aodhán Brennan responded swiftly for Drumhowan with a right footed effort. Mooney got his 2nd and 3rd for Drumhowan shortly after. Tierney kicked 2 frees in a row for Eire Óg 10 minutes into the half.
After the 2nd half water break , Cian Mc Elroy scored a point to put Eire Óg just a point behind. Sus Cormac Duffy and Killian Mc Adam both scored for Drumhowan when they came on with 10 minutes to play. Drumhowan pulled away in the closing stages, starting with a free from Quinn and points from Daragh Mc Elearney and Liam Mc Guirk. Dermot Gleeson pulled 1 point back for Eire Óg in injury time but they were too far behind. Drumhowan finished strong with point from Caolan Reilly and Michael Atkinson to cap off a brilliant 2nd half performance.
Drumhowan: Enda Duffy, Darren Duffy, Niall Duffy, Conor Curran, Caolan Reilly 0-2, Owen Quinn, Kevin Mooney0-3, Patrick Quinn, Ciaran Duffy0-1 , Aodhan Brennan 0-2, John Paul O’ Neill, Aiden Quinn 0-2 (2f), James Mc Adam, Liam Mc Guirk 1-2, Daragh Mc Elearney 0-1 Subs: Killian Mc Adam 0-1, Cormac Duffy 0-1, Kieran Mooney, Tiarnan Reilly, Ronan Duffy
