Drumaness eye double

Drumaness eye double

24 September 2014

DRUMANESS stayed on course for the double when they accounted for Bright at Drumnaquoile on Saturday afternoon.

With the Division 3 title and promotion safely in the bag, Drumaness now want to add the JFC crown to their tally for the season and few would bet against them achieving their goal.

To make a game of it, Bright desperately needed a good start and they almost got it.

The game was only two minutes old when Conor Kelly fired a raking pass into the unmarked Conor Doyle. He had the goal at his mercy and only Gary O’Hare to beat, but he blazed the ball wildly over the bar from a great position.

Drumaness were not so wasteful and went straight down the field for Paul Gilchrist to goal in the third minute to make it 1-0 to 0-1.

Gary Murdock and Doyle swapped points before Neil McAleenan eased Drumaness into a 1-2 to 0-2 lead after nine minutes. Donal Kennedy and Neil Stranney, a former Bright player, added points as did Murdock and Ryan Connolly as Drumaness stretched their lead to seven points by the 13th minute.

Conor McAllister then earned his corn for the day with a brilliant save to deny Shane Melville a certain goal, but Drumaness kept their foot on Bright’s neck and points from Philip Rogan, Kennedy, Connolly, McAleenan, Ryan Murdock gave them a 1-11 to 0-2 lead at the break.

There wasn’t the same intensity to Drumaness’ play in the second half — there didn’t need to be and a game Bright side rattled over the first two scores through Ryan Mageean and Tony McIlhone.

But, sensing Bright’s growing confidence, Drumaness upped the ante and points from Stranney and the dominant Gilchrist gave them a 1-13 to 0-4 lead by the 53rd minute.

Freddie O’Connor, one of Bright’s better performers on the day, sent over an inspirational score, but was then black-carded and replaced by James Hanna.

Tony McIlhone was also black carded for Bright and replaced by former Down player Donal McCartan. Donal plucked a few balls out of the heavens, but was fighting a losing battle in the middle of the field against Gilchrist and the impressive Brian McIlmurray.

Drumaness continued on their merry way and points from Kennedy and Gilchrist gave them a 1-15 to 0-5 lead by the 43rd minute. Nicky O’Connor and Daryll McAleenan exchanged scores in the dying embers, but Drumaness were home and hosed by this stage.

Drumaness: G. O’Hare, B. McGivern, R. Walsh, P. Cassidy, R. Connolly (0-2), M. Rainey, G. Murdock (0-2), P. Gilchrist (1-2), P. Rogan (0-1), B. McIlmurray, N. Stranney (0-2), N. McAleenan (0-2), R. Murdock (0-1), D. Kennedy (0-3), S. Melville. Subs: D. McAleenan (0-1) for Melville, C. Murdock for McGivern, Mark Rainey for Rogan.

Bright: C. McAllister, S. McEvoy, B. Mageean, F. McKinney, M. Burns, C. Quinn, F. O’Connor (0-1), S. Tumelty (0-1), R. Mageean (0-1), C. Ranaghan, T. McIlhone (0-1), B. J. McMenamin, C. Kelly, C. Doyle (0-2), N. O’Connor (0-1). Subs: D. McCartan for McIlhone (black card), J. Hanna for O’Connor (black card), C. Burke for Kelly, C. Tumelty for McMenamin, J. Farrand for McKinney, J. McLeigh for Ranaghan.

Drumaness 1-16

Bright 0-7

DOWN JFC SEMI-FINAL