Drumragh keep their promotion hopes alive

Drumragh 0-25 Aghaloo 2-13  (AET)

DRUMRAGH find themselves only sixty minutes away from Intermediate football for the second time in a matter of weeks after coming out on top in a rip roaring promotion play-off with Aghaloo at Killyclogher on Saturday afternoon.

It was a contest that required extra-time to decide in a game that was laced with quality football from both sides throughout. Drumragh completely dominated the first half and, at one stage, led by ten points and seemed set to cruise to victory but unbelievably they were only four in front at the break and, with 11 minutes left to play, they trailed by three points after Niall McElroy had converted his second penalty.

It was a great show of character from Aghaloo as they had been forced to play with 14 men from the29th minute after midfielder Jody McGlone was sent off for a second booking. They looked like holding on for a famous victory until Niall McCarney showed nerves of steel to convert a free with the last kick of the game to force extra-time having missed one earlier.

In extra time the Sarsfields were the better side with man-of-the-match Eoin Montgomery taking his personal haul to 0-10. On reflection Drumragh’s greater strength in depth proved crucial with their bench contributing 0-7 between them but Aghaloo’s indiscipline cost them too as they played only 19 minutes of normal time with a full compliment of players as Tiarnan Donnelly had been black carded prior to McGlone’s dismissal.

Drumragh were outstanding for most of the first half as they outplayed an Aghaloo side who never got going. Benny Drumm forced a good save from keeper Neil McKenna early on at the expense of a point and by the end of the opening quarter it was 0-5 to 0-1 with Montgomery registering three points and McCarney also on target. Donnelly was Aghaloo’s sole marksman but they lost him in the 16th minute to a black card and Drumragh made their advantage count with efforts from Montgomery, Shane Devine and Ben Monk seeing them establish a healthy 0-11 to 0-1 lead by the 26th minute.

A lot of drama though was packed into the closing moments of the half with Donnelly, James O’Hara and McGlone all registering points and McElroy converting a penalty. Seconds after McGlone’s point he was sent off and it was 0-11 to 1-4 at the break.

Whatever was said in the changing rooms at half-time by Aghaloo certainly had the desired effect as by the 39th minute they were on level terms thanks to points from Stewart Douglas (2), Gary O’Gorman and McElroy.

At the end of the third quarter Alex McGlinchey briefly restored Drumragh’s lead but the momentum was now with Aghaloo. O’Gorman levelled before McElroy converted his second penalty of the afternoon to leave Aghaloo 2-9 to 0-12 in front by the 49th minute.

Drumragh upped the tempo and three in a row from McCarney, Oran Devlin and Montgomery had the sides level with seven to play. Aghaloo came again though with scores from Donnelly and McElroy to leave them within touching distance of victory. As the contest slipped into injury time a shot from Martin Taggart went over via the bar before McCarney had the final say with that pressure free to leave it 2-11 to 0-17 at the end of normal time.

Despite the fact that Aghaloo were back to their full compliment of players in extra time it was Drumragh who took the game by the scruff of the neck. Montgomery, Barry Fitzgerald and Devlin all scored with Aghaloo’s sole reply coming from a McElroy free to leave it 0-20 to 2-12 at the turnaround. The fresh legs for Drumragh really showed in the second period with Taggart notching three and Aaron Montgomery also on target as they set up a winner takes all clash with Killeeshil next weekend.

The Scorers
Drumragh
Eoin Montgomery 0-10 (6F), Martin Taggart 0-4 (2F), Niall McCarney 0-3 (1F), Oran Devlin 0-2, Benny Drumm 0-1, Shane Devine 0-1, Ben Monk 0-1, Alex McGlinchey 0-1, Barry Fitzgerald 0-1, Aaron Montgomery 0-1.
Aghaloo
Niall McElroy 2-3 (2-0 pens, 1F), Tiarnan Donnelly 0-4 (2F), Stewart Douglas 0-2, Gary O’Gorman 0-2, James O’Hara 0-1, Jody McGlone 0-1.

The Teams
Drumragh
James Colgan, Eoin McGread, Eamonn Kerrigan, Ben Monk, Benny Drumm, Patrick Colgan, Barry Fitzgerald, Shane Devine, Malachy McManus, Andy Colgan, Gareth Haughey, Eoin Montgomery, Alex McGlinchey, Ronan Maguire, Niall McCarney. Subs: Cain Murphy for McManus, Aaron Montgomery for Drumm, Oran Devlin for Andy Colgan, Martin Taggart for Maguire, Andy Colgan for Monk, James Broderick for McCarney.
Aghaloo
Neil McKenna, Michael Maguire, Eoin Ward, Darragh Muldoon, Enda McGarrity, Ruairi McGlone, Mark McCormack, Jody McGlone, Stewart Douglas, James O’Hara, Gary O’Gorman, Oliver Sherry, Niall McElroy, Tiarnan Donnelly, Miceal Muldoon. Subs: Gerard Daly for Sherry, Oliver Sherry for Douglas, Patryk Kinder for Red Card, James McElroy for Miceal Muldoon, Eoghan Gildernew for O’Gorman, Peter McCormack for Mark McCormack.
Referee: Cathal Forbes, Ardboe