UNIVERSAL GRAPHICS JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Drumhowan 0-11, Toome 0-11.
A point from a free by Colm Lambe in the final minute of normal time was the score that sent this junior championship match to a replay and a score too that means Blackhill have to wait at least another week to see which of these two teams they will be playing in the next round. Overall a draw was probably a fair enough result to this lively contest that was played in good conditions in Blackhill on Friday evening last as both sides had their periods of dominance but Drumhowan will probably look back on a number of missed chances during the match that could have altered the result. Drumhowan led just once during the match when they opened a two points lead at the end of the opening quarter but for the remainder of the first half Toome, following the switching of Gavin Flanagan to midfield, took an increasing grip on proceedings to hit six points without reply to go in four in front of the break. In the second half though Drumhowan applied themselves with renewed purpose and by the 23rd minute they had drawn level, the fourth time in the match that the sides were deadlocked. Toome regained the lead with a point from a free with five minutes of normal time remaining before Drumhowan equalised in a frenetic finish and the sides must meet again to see who uses the front door and who uses the back.
Toome got into their stride in the opening minutes with points by Gary Wilson in the second minute, following good work by Stephen Lambe, who was a driving force throughout, and Gavin Flanagan from a free in the third minute for a foul on Gary Wilson. By the fifth minute though Drumhowan were level with a brace from Kieran Mooney, Kevin Mooney and Anthony Mulligan the respective providers. Liam McCooey struck for a point in the eighth minute when he fisted over following good work by Stephen McCooey, Cormac Quinn and Alan Lambe to restore Toome to the lead with Drumhowan then somewhat wasteful but also denied by the woodwork before they equalised in the 12th minute with a point by Kevin Mooney, Barry McGuirk instigating the move. Drumhowan then took the lead for the first time in the game in the 14th minute when Colm Lambe pointed free for a foul on Kevin Mooney and they went two up two minutes later when Niall Mooney finished well after good work by Anthony Mulligan and John Paul O’Neill. It was the lead though that was short lived as a minute later Liam McCooey reduced the margin to the minimum and a minute later still Gary Wilson equalised after Stephen Lambe had put Liam McCooey through but his initial shot came back off the bar are and Wilson reacted quickest. A point from a free by Gavin Flanagan in the 18th minute for a late tackle on Shane Moore restored Toome to the lead and while Drumhowan missed a couple of chances and were also denied by Toome keeper Stephen Murphy when he took off a point-blank save at the feet of Colm Lambe, it was Toome who dictated proceedings for the remainder of the first half. Points by Liam McCooey from a free in the 25th minute following a foul on Daniel Friskey, Gavin Flanagan in the 29th minute when he got fist to a centre by Liam McCooey and Shane Moore two minutes into stoppage time following good work by Francis Quinn and Liam McCooey, to send Toome in four points to the good at the break, Toome 0-9, Drumhowan 0-5.
Both sides missed chances in the opening minutes of the second-half before Drumhowan began to make inroads into Toome’s half-time lead with points by Kevin Mooney from a free in the fifth minute for a foul on Kieran Mooney, the effort made all the easier by being moved for dissent, and then goalkeeper Enda Duffy, also from a free, this time for a foul on Anthony Mulligan, to reduce the margin to two points. Toome substitute Sean McMahon restored his side to a three points lead in the eighth minute but it was Drumhowan who were now dictating things increasingly and three points without reply between the 10th and 23rd minutes brought Drumhowan level. Colm Lambe pointed a free in the 10th minute for a foul on Anthony Mulligan, Toome’s Cormac Quinn picking up a yellow card for the offence. Five minutes later David Millar went on a good run before placing Kieran Mooney who brought the margin down to the minimum but eight further minutes had elapsed of end to end football before a Toome attack was turned over and Drumhowan came on the counter with Kieran Mooney bringing the sides level with seven minutes of normal time remaining. Toome regained the lead two minutes later when Liam McCooey pointed a free for a foul on Ryan Murphy, Drumhowan’s David Millar yellow carded for the offence. Gary Wilson had a chance to put Toome two in front two minutes later but was off target before Colm Lambe earned and converted a free in the final minute of normal time to send the issue to a replay but only after Kevin Mooney had been off target in stoppage time. The replay takes place this Sunday June 8th in Cremartin at 2.30pm with the winners taking on Blackhill on Saturday June 14th in Cremartin at 7.00pm.
Teams and Scorers: Drumhowan: Enda Duffy 0-1 (f), Darren Duffy, Dermot Mooney, Patrick Markey, Liam McGuirk, Barry McGuirk, Niall Mooney 0-1, John Paul O’Neill, Anthony Mulligan, Kevin Mooney 0-2 (1f), David Millar, Kieran Mooney 0-4, Patrick Mulligan, Kieran McElroy, Colm Lambe 0-3 (3f). Subs: Conor Duffy for P Mulligan, Martin Murphy for D Duffy.
Toome: Stephen Murphy, Jason Murphy, Stephen McCooey, Daniel Friskey, Francis Quinn, Stephen Lambe, Damien Wilson, Cormac Quinn, Alan Lambe, Shane Moore 0-1, Gavin Flanagan 0-3 (2f0, Ryan Murphy, Gary Wilson 0-2, Niall Finnegan, Liam McCooey 0-4 (2f). Subs: Matthew O’Reilly for D Wilson, Sean McMahon 0-1 for N Finnegan. Referee: Kieran Mulligan (Aghabog).
