Battling Lough boys lose out to Dromore

Dromore 1-16  Loughmacrory 0-17

THIS WAS a contest which called for cool heads and in seasoned campaigners like Niall Sludden and Ronan McNabb snr Dromore had the men with those required qualities as they withstood a ferocious challenge from a youthful Loughmacrory side at Gardrum Park on Sunday afternoon.

There was an abrasive edge to this Division One clash throughout, a brief melee inside ten minutes lighting the touch paper, but it helped contribute to an engrossing clash overall. Try telling these two sets of players halfway through the second period that it was ‘only’ the league.

In the end a fisted goal from St Dympna’s midfielder Sean McNabb with ten minutes remaining proved to be the decisive score, though even then the visitors refused to quit, and a couple of booming two point attempts in the dying stages missed the target, as they desperately sought to salvage something.

With a strong wind at their backs, Dromore eased into a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage early on, Oran Sludden knocking over a brace of two point frees, with Pauraic Meenagh replying for Loughmacrory.

He also tagged on a free but by the twenty minute mark the home side led 0-7 to 0-2, two sharply taken points by Ronan McNabb jnr being followed up by another Sludden free.

However St Teresa’s gradually settled to their task, Antoin and Ronan Fox growing in stature down the spine, and they found an end product too with a sequence of quality scores.

Tyrone Under-20 star Ruairi McCullagh split the posts twice (one free) while Enda Donaghy and Ronan Fox also produced assured finishes over the black spot.

They were then denied a goal courtesy of a wonderful block by Ronan McNabb snr to thwart Gareth Donaghy, though St Teresa’s keeper Conor Kelly also reacted sharply to prevent Cathal Colton finding the net, Odhran Rafferty pointing on the rebound. (Half-time Dromore 0-8 Loughmacrory 0-6)

St Dympna’s opened further daylight when the action resumed, Ryan McCusker, McNabb snr and sub Caolan Slevin the men on target.

Five in arrears Loughmacrory found their second wind again as Ronan Fox belted over a fine score, and Meenagh blasted over a two point free, as well as a top notch effort from open play.

That latter score left the bare minimum between the sides but with McCusker teeing up Sean McNabb for the all important goal, Dromore were in the box seat once more, and that feeling was reinforced when Niall Sludden finished with typical aplomb after a purposeful burst.

While Ryan McCusker swivelled and converted a further St Dympna’s point, the visitors kept plugging away, with McCullagh on the mark with a two point free, and defender Shane Dobbs arching over a terrific effort from outside the 40m arc.

That left it 1-13 to 0-14, but coolly taken scores from subs Declan McNulty and Andrew McGrath, as well as a free from keeper Mark McGale helped to see Dromore across the winning line, despite a fine two pointer late on from Colm Logue for the away side.

Scorers

Dromore: Oran Sludden (0-5,2tpf,1f), Sean McNabb (1-0), Ronan McNabb jnr (0-2), Ryan McCusker (0-2), Ronan McNabb snr, Odhran Rafferty, Niall Sludden, Caolan Slevin, Declan McNulty, Andrew McGrath (0-1 each), Mark McGale (0-1,f)

Loughmacrory: Pauraic Meenagh (0-5,1tpf,1f), Ruairi McCullagh (0-4,1tpf,1f), Colm Logue (0-3,1tp), Shane Dobbs (0-2,tp), Ronan Fox (0-2), Enda Donaghy (0-1)

 Teams

Dromore: Mark McGale, Aidan Colton, Cathal Colton, Conor O’Hara, Ryan McCusker, Ronan McNabb snr, Niall Sludden, Ciaran McCoy, Sean McNabb, Odhran Rafferty, John MacRory, Conor Colton, Colm MacRory, Oran Sludden, Ronan McNabb jnr. Subs used: Caolan Slevin for J MacRory (h-time), Declan McNulty for C MacRory (36 mins), Andrew McGrath for O Sludden (56)

Loughmacrory: Conor Kelly, Michael Gallagher, Nathan Kelly, Arnoldas Macidulskas, Oliver Anderson, Antoin Fox, Shane Dobbs, Shea Conway, Ronan Fox, Enda Donaghy, Colm Logue, Gareth Donaghy, Pauraic Meenagh, Ruairi McCullagh, Oisin McCallan. Subs used: Eoin Donaghy for O Anderson (h-time), Michael McNamee for M Gallagher (h-time), Ryan Grimley for O McCallan (49mins)

Referee: Stephen Campbell (Stewartstown)