Drumaness to good to go down - 19/07/2003
A.C.F.L Division 3, Drumaness 2-09 Dundrum 2-12

"They are too good to go down". That famous tag has now been well and truly attached to Drumaness. After suffering the drop last year they are now languishing in the Division 3 relegation playoffs and are very much in danger of slipping into the lowest grade in the county. They should bear in mind the fate of Glenn. Two relegations on the trot has happened before and will definitely happen again in the near future. The problem with Drumaness is their finishing. They hit 14 wides in this game. Wayward frees coupled with their 'hit and hope' approach in front of goal has led to them being unable to kill teams off. They had superb patches in this one to pull away from Dundrum but their forwards let them down time after time.

Ironically it was the 'Ness who opened proceedings with a free after 40 seconds. Dundrum roared up the field immediately after and it took a fantastic stop from Gary O'Hare to deny Arran Doyle a near certainty of a goal. The Duns were then rewarded with their first score of the night as Marty Carey turned in on himself and hooked the ball high over the bar. Walsh floated over a free on 6 minutes for the away contingent but Drumaness rallied and got successive scores to lead by a point with 10 minutes gone. Walsh then added his 2nd free after McKibben was dragged down on the 21'. 7 wides characterised Drumaness for the next 20 minutes. 2-05 was Dundrum's return.

The swashbuckling period of play began with a fine score from Kieran Byrne. He availed of a well placed layoff from Venney to put the Duns into the ascendency. 5 minutes later Walsh palmed home a goal after he outjumped Bell from Carey's sideline ball. In between the litany of Drumaness wides the well oiled Dundrum engine kept on motoring. A fine point from play courtesy of Doyle was followed up with a Venney free. Venney then turned provider moments later as he supplied the ball which was dispatched to the Drumaness net by Kielty. It's simple, Kielty just does not miss from 10 yards out. With the fast paced nature of the game it was only true to form that another score would arrive quickly. It did and the 'Ness found the Duns onion bag. 6 points now separated the sides but it was left to young McKibben to turn the tables before the break. He fired over 2 points in quick succession to leave a seemingly unreachable gap between the two entities. In all truth the 2nd half belonged to Drumaness.

Their 1-06 eclipsed Dundrum's tally of 4 points but it was their 5 wides which in the end proved very costly indeed. By the 40th minute they converted 2 frees and got a goal from a scramble in the Dundrum box. Yet they hit 3 wides, 3 very attainable chances. But it was 3 Dundrum scores within the space of 2 minutes which proved decisive. All these strikes came from play with the most impressive belonging to impact sub Mickey Murray. The midfield duo added the other two. Drumaness replied with a solitary point before the sprightly Doyle with the aid of the outside of his boot added Dundrum's last of the night.

A McAleenan score followed by points on 55 and 60 minutes reduced Dundrum's advantage to 3. Drumaness piled on the pressure towards the death but it was the intervention of Collie Morgan for the Duns that prevented any late shocks. Dundrum can now play out the season knowing that they are safe from getting embroiled in the relegation dogfight. The comfort zone has been reached. Drumaness look a near certainty to finish in the bottom three. They can play football but it is their torrid shooting which in the end may see them drop.

The men from the coast played well and thoroughly deserved their win. Collie Morgan was sensational at full-back whilst Shields and Hurley did their upmost to quell any threat on their goalmouth. Carey had all the attributes to earn himself man of the match. His midfield partner Walsh used his boundless energy reserves to revel in midfield. In the six pronged attack it would have been hard to distinguish a player who had a better game than any of his teamates. The grafting Coughlin was well assissted and the roving Kielty will see his goal as being of crucial significance.

Drumaness had some good performers namely O'Hare in nets and Noade at midfield. McAleenan and McAlinden tried in the attack but were guilty of failing to deliver. Marner was resourceful at half-back whilst despite his tender years Bell did himself the world of good on the 40'.