Dromore dominate Carrickmore at Gardrum Park

ACL DIVISION ONE

Dromore 3-17  Carrickmore 1-10

DROMORE maintained their recent upward graph in terms of performances and results as they clinically dispatched an understrength Carrickmore at Gardrum Park on Wednesday evening.

These two great rivals have had their fair share of shuddering collisions over the years but this wasn’t one of them with the outcome never really in doubt.

With top drawer marksmen Lorcan McGarrity and Daniel Fullerton absent from their line-up, and captain Cormac Munroe also adding to their injury list of late, Carmen didn’t really have the cards at their disposal to give St Dympna’s a proper challenge, try as they might.

Padraig Dillon continued his rich vein of scoring form for the hosts as he chipped in with two goals and seven points, while captain Niall Sludden, and defenders Cathal Colton and Brian Gallagher also produced admirable showings for the victors.

The likes of Rory Donnelly, Oran McKee and the evergreen Martin Penrose toiled gamely for Carrickmore but an away victory never really looked a realistic scenario at any stage.

Cathal Colton (fisted point) and Dillon got the home side on the board early on, and when the latter then drilled over a two point free, the pattern of the contest was set.

Penrose and Aidan Woods each got on the board at the other end with pointed frees, but in the main the Carmen attack struggled to make much headway against a non-nonsense and diligent Dromore rearguard.

In contrast the hosts appeared purposeful and potent anytime they ventured into opposition territory and skipper Sludden was twice on target with classy finishes, off both right and left peg, while Dillon pinged over a ’45’.

Woods reduced the deficit with a well-crafted Carrickmore score, but in the 23rd minute they conceded the first goal, midfielder Ciaran McCoy with the crisp finish to the net after the impressive Gallagher and Odhran Rafferty combined to create the opportunity.

Though Caolan Daly nipped into space to split the posts for Carmen, they struggled to stem the bleeding at the other end, with both Oran Sludden and Cathal Colton punching over the black spot from close range.

Then as the match ticked into injury time, Dillon dispatched a penalty goal after Gallagher was fouled by Coyle inside the small square, ensuring Dromore a sizeable 2-11 to 0-4 interval advantage.

Sub Ciaran Cuddy narrowed the deficit on the restart but with Conor Colton and Dillon again (free) on target, the second half limped along with an inevitability about the result.

Penrose demonstrated his predatory instincts when firing low past Dromore keeper Mark McGale in the 40th minute, after Daly teed him up, but Niall Sludden and Dillon replied with St Dympna’s scores almost immediately.

The gap stood at thirteen points (2-15 to 1-5) passing the three quarter mark, though Carmen attacker Conan McElduff did slot over the score of the half with a superb two pointer with the outside of the foot.

Penrose and Woods slipped over frees as the visitors gnawed away at the gap, but instead it was Dromore who slipped through the gears again in the closing stages. Subs John and Colm MacRory both hoisted over points and Dillon bagged his second goal of the night with a typically confident strike.

Scorers

Dromore: Padraig Dillon (2-7, 1tpf, 2f, 1’45’), Ciaran McCoy (1-1), Niall Sludden (0-3), Cathal Colton (0-2), Conor Colton, Oran Sludden, John MacRory, Colm MacRory (0-1 each)

Carrickmore: Martin Penrose (1-3,2f), Aidan Woods (0-3,2f), Conan McElduff (0-2,tp), Caolan Daly, Ciaran Cuddy (0-1 each)

Teams

Dromore: Mark McGale, Conor O’Hara, Nathan McCarron, Cathal Colton, Aidan Colton, Peter Teague, Brian Gallagher, Ciaran McCoy, Odhran Rafferty, Ronan McNabb snr, Sean McNabb, Tomas McCarron, Niall Sludden, Oran Sludden, Padraig Dillon. Subs used: Conor Colton for T McCarron (7mins), Caolan Slevin for O Sludden (45), Adrian McGurren for C Colton (45), John MacRory, Colm MacRory

Carrickmore: Declan Grimes, Seamus Sweeney, Oran McKee, Michael Coyle, Niall Allison, Sean Donnelly, Rory Loughran, Lorcan McBride, Rory Donnelly, Pierce Byrne, Caolan Daly, Colly McCrory, Aidan Woods, Conan McElduff, Martin Penrose. Subs used: Ciaran Cuddy for S Donnelly (h-time), Stephen Grogan for M Coyle (47mins)

Referee: Stephen Campbell (Stewartstown)