Sizzling Sarsfields dump out Derrytresk

DRUMRAGH 3-17  DERRYTRESK 0-7

CHAMPIONSHIP weather on a hot Sunday at Fr Hackett Park and a brilliant performance to match from Drumragh, who put Derrytresk to the sword in scintillating fashion, ace marksman Tommy Murphy weighing in with a hat-trick of goals.

On a sweltering afternoon the Sarsfields set a sizzling pace from the off in this JFC first round encounter, with the Hill men facing a mountain to climb almost from the get-go. Murphy stole the headlines with his impressive scoring tally, but across all sectors of the pitch Drumragh delivered.

Tommy Murphy and captain Kian Murphy both slotted over early frees as Drumragh made their intentions clear from the off. Niall Gavin was on target at the other end after a sharp turn and conversion but the ‘Tresk toiled in the heat to make much headway against a diligent and disciplined Drumragh rearguard, with Eamonn Kerrigan and Patrick Colgan providing an imposing spine.

Despite the sticky conditions there was an admirable pace and purpose to the Drumragh play, and in the Murphy tandem up front they also had reliable sharpshooters who possess a clinical edge.

Both Kian and Tommy added to their scoring return, the former with a free and the latter after cutting inside onto a sliderule delivery from Malachy McManus.

Tommy then took advantage of a poor Tresk kick-out to fire high past keeper Sean Slater into the net and the pattern for the afternoon was firmly set in place.

Defender Liam Slater did drill over for Derrytresk but the fact they only troubled the scorers twice in the first period tells its own sorry tale from their perspective.

The Murphys, as well as Shane Cleary with a mark, added to the Sarsfields advantage and at the break they led 1-8 to 0-2.

Derrytresk made a triple change soon after the resumption but there was no change in the momentum of the contest. And it was effectively game over in the 38th minute when Andy Colgan’s cross was palmed to the net by the alert Murphy.

Despite a superb score from midfielder James Canavan, Derrytresk never remotely looked like they could mount any sort of comeback.

With Glenelly next up in the quarter-finals, the Drumragh palyers never eased up, with men clearly keen to nail down starting berths, and Murphy put the seal on it when he swept home his third goal soccer style, after Sean McGale’s high ball broke invitingly into his path. A couple of consolation scores in injury time for Derrytresk couldn’t disguise the gulf in class between the teams on the day.

The SCORERS

Drumragh
Tommy Murphy (3-6,1f, 1 ’45’), Kian Murphy (0-6,5f), Malachy McManus, Odhran Hughes, Eoin Montgomery, Alex McGlinchey, Shane Cleary (0-1 each)

Derrytresk
Niall Gavin (0-3,1f), Liam Slater, James Canavan, Eoin Rea, Caolan O’Donnell (0-1 each)