Ulster Junior Football Club Championship Preliminary Round

Dundrum (Down) 2-08   Steelstown (Derry) 2-10

   Two late goals from Paul McComiskey and Paddy Doran wasn't enough for Dundrum as they narrowly exited Ulster at the Preliminary Round stage. The Down representatives managed to get themselves back in to the game with ten minutes to go but Steelstown's tally from the 1st half helped them hang on for a tense victory.

   The Derry City side opened in a blaze of glory. 2-03 without reply in the first thirteen minutes of action shocked the Duns. The chief tormentor in this period was the dangerous Eamon Donnelly. The explosive corner forward grabbed the two goals and added another couple of points as Dundrum found it hard to adjust to playing against the wind.

   Midway through Kieran Walsh settled his side but Steelstown hit back. Cormac Venney then perservered and his efforts saw him strike two frees over. However, Steelstown used the long ball very effectively and a couple of more scores give them a handsome nine point lead at the interval.

   Dundrum restored pride in the 2nd half. Four consecutive scores were had as the Duns rallied to get back into the game. Paul McComiskey, Jonathan McMullan, Kieran Walsh and Chris Hogg all raised the white flag as the Derry side struggled against the wind. Then a few tactical changes on their part reaped immediate dividends. Three on the trot arrived as the Paul O'Hea inspired side restored their eight point lead.

   With twelve minutes of action remaining the Dundrum management threw on Neil McLaughlin, Martin Melville and Cathal Kielty. This spiced things up a bit and out of the blue Paul McComiskey raced through to rifle to the net to turn the game on it's head. Wing back John McKibben added a sweet score before the oldest custodian on the pitch Paddy Doran rose to fist to the net to bring the Duns back within a point of their opponents.

   The last few plays were very tense and both teams had to dig deep. Dundrum held a lot of possession in these stages but they wasted three glorious efforts which would have put them in to the lead. That elusive score didn't arrive and Steelstown managed to keep their cool and point on the hour. They held out for the two remaining minutes of injury time to clinch a place in the last eight against Tyrone kingpins Killyman.

Dundrum: D.Campbell, P.Shields, C.McKibbin, N.McComiskey, J.McKibben (0-01), J.Hurley, J.McMullan (0-01), K.Walsh (0-02, 1 Free), A.Doyle, C.McShane, P.Doran (1-00), P.McComiskey (1-01), C.Venney (0-02, 2 Frees), M.Coughlan, C.Hogg (0-01). Subs: NJ.McLaughlin, M.Melville, C.Kielty.