Dundrum 1-08
Darragh Cross 0-16
Runaway Division
3 leaders Darragh Cross had to dig
deep before securing victory in a
tense game at the seaside on Friday
night.
Unbeaten Darragh
arrived with an air of supreme
confidence about them but by
halftime they knew they had a game
on their hands as they only led by
the minimum.
It was in the 2nd
half that they showed what they were
all about. They rarely missed
infront of goal and with six
forwards all capable of scoring at
ease they triumphed in the end by
five points.
Liam Sloan, who
has only recently returned to the
Darragh setup, grabbed the first
score of the night. Dundrum's Cormac
Venney then equalised before the
free taking prowess of Gareth
McGovern shone through as he
converted three on the trot. Darragh
now led by a goal with fourteen
minutes on the clock.
The away side
then extended their advantage when
the main focus of their attack
Marcus Miskelly pointed from an
acute angle. Miskelly had been
frustrated in the first quarter of
the game as Neil McComiskey held a
tight rein on him. Miskelly then
slammed over his second of the game
after Dundrum captain Kieran Walsh
had pointed.
With eight
minutes remaining the game turned a
corner. Conor McShane broke through
the Darragh ranks and closed in on
goal. His rasping drive went low and
towards the bottom corner but keeper
Michael McMahon got down and palmed
the ball across his goalmouth.
Darragh fullback Fintan Murray raced
towards the loose ball but it was
Dundrum predator Chris Hogg who got
to the leather first. He connected
soccer style and the ball smashed in
to the Darragh net. The away sides
lead now cut to one.
After his goal
heroics the tricky Hogg pointed to
level the affair. However, the
hugely impressive Padraig Mageean
closed the half with an excellent
individual score to give Darragh a
one point cushion at the break.
Dundrum came out
for the 2nd half in the firm belief
that they could overtake Darragh.
However, it wasnt to be. Dessie
McNeill's men came out in a blaze of
glory and three early scores from
Padraig Mageean, Liam Sloan and Gary
Kennedy really rattled the Duns.
Conor McShane
then settled the hosts nerves twelve
minutes in with a well taken effort.
However, it was Darragh's ability to
regroup after a setback that proved
the difference between the sides.
Immediately after McShane's score
Marcus Miskelly pointed a free to
keep his side in the lead by four.
At this stage
both teams were playing some
excellent football. However, as the
game progressed Darragh started to
win more breaking ball and this
meant that Dundrum started to suffer
in the possession stakes. Yet
captain Kieran Walsh was at hand to
point a free with the game entering
the last quarter.
In most of their
games this year Darragh have pulled
away comfortably in the closing
stages. This was the case again in
this one. Their greater levels of
intensity and fitness prevailed as
Gary Kennedy (0-02), Marcus Miskelly
(0-01) and Dermot Timoney (0-01) all
scored to propel Darragh into a
commanding seven point lead.
The last five
minutes saw the League leaders adopt
a defensive mentality. Yet this
failed to prevent the entertaining
Paul McComiskey from bagging a hat
trick of points. Unfortunately
though this was too little too late
and Darragh's star attacker Gary
Kennedy closed the game off with his
fourth point of the night to give
Darragh their tenth win out of ten
this season.
This was the
closest any team have got to Darragh
this year. Dundrum always seem
pumped up when they take on the
Saintfield men and despite some fine
individual performances, the Duns
just werent clinical enough in front
of goal.
The full back
line of Marc Cunningham, John Hurley
and Neil McComiskey were solid and
they coped admirably with the task
of marking the three most dangerous
forward players in the Division.
Kieran Walsh plugged away at
midfield but Darragh had done their
homework and time after time the big
Dundrum man was spoiled by some
clever Darragh tactics. Up front the
Duns tinkered with a rotation system
but despite the trojan efforts of
all six forwards there was not
enough ball played in to them to
make it an economical day.
Darragh are a
team playing some really good stuff
at the moment. They are high on
confidence and they are graced with
an extremely strong squad. At the
rear it was Fintan Murray and Ryan
McGreevy who kept the backline in
tact while Padraig Mageean give a
man of the match performance at
midfield. Gary Kennedy was the most
prominent attacker while Dermot
Timoney showed plenty of craft at
centre half forward.
If Darragh keep
playing the way they are at the
moment then they could end up
unbeaten at the end of it all.
Dundrum need to show the same
tenacity that they did in this game
in the coming weeks if they are to
avoid a placing in the bottom four.
Dundrum: C.King,
N.McComiskey, J.Hurley, M.Cunningham,
J.McMullan, M.Melville, J.McKibben,
K.Walsh (0-02), A.Doyle, C.McShane
(0-01), P.McComiskey (0-03), P.Doran,
C.Venney (0-01), C.Kielty, C.Hogg
(1-01). Subs: M.Rooney, M.Coughlan,
D.Kavanagh.
* The 2006
Dundrum GFC Golf Classic was
launched last week. Full and
comprehensive details of the event
can be found at the club's website
www.dundrum-clg.com. The Classic
will take place on Friday the 4th of
August at Downpatrick Golf Club.
More news on the event will be
included in the club notes in the
coming weeks.
* The Seniors
fell to a five point defeat to
Darragh Cross on Friday night. The
final score: Dundrum 1-08 Darragh
Cross 0-16.
Training for all
Seniors, Reserves and Minors will
take place tonight (Wednesday) at
7.30pm. All Players should be on the
pitch for 7.20pm.
Next up is an
extremely tough away fixture against
old rivals Aghaderg on Friday night
at 7.30pm in Ballyvarley.All
panellists should meet for 5.45pm.
* The Reserves
were in action in the League on
Monday past at home to Drumaness A
full report will be available next
week.
This Sunday the
team hosts Newry Mitchels in the 1st
round of the Down Reserve Football
Championship. Throw-in is at 7.30pm.
The following Reserve players are
ineligible for this game due to
their involvement in the Junior
Championship last year: Philip
Shields, John Hurley, John McKibben,
Neil McLaughlin, Paddy Doran, Chris
Hogg, Colm Morgan, Martin Coughlan
and Martin Melville.
* The Minors take
on Downpatrick next Wednesday night
in the 1st round of the Down Minor
Football Championship. This game
should represent a great challenge
for the Minors and one that they
should relish. Players should in
Dundrum for 6.15pm.
* The U-16's were
back in action last night against
Dromara. A full report will be
available next week. Next Tuesday
they face Darragh Cross at home.
Training resumes on Sunday at 5pm in
Dundrum.
* The U-14's drew
with St Pauls last Thursday in a
very tight game in Holywood. The
final score was St Pauls 3-12
Ballykinlar 6-03.
* The U-10's and
U-12's continue to enjoy the Go
Games format. Although results are
immaterial with this format it has
been very encouraging to see the
young lads winning the majority of
their encounters.
Due to the large
numbers attending training on Friday
evenings help with the youngsters is
needed. Those interested should
contact Eamon Hogg. Those who are
willing to help should have their
Foundation Level coaching completed
aswell as their Child Protection
done.
* All the members
of the Senior team wish Philip
Shields a speedy recovery from his
recent injury setback. Philip broke
his nose in two places after an
accidental collision with Martin
'Paddy Einstein' Melville at
training last week. Although out of
footballing action for awhile Philip
has made a promise that he will be
attending all upcoming dance-offs.
