Liam Cunningham 

Glasdrumman hopes were high heading into this encounter after Friday's thrilling performance against Annaclone and within the first minute Raymond Clarke was put through for a chance on goal but Saval scrambled the ball away and cleared upfield for a goal chance of their own. Despite a good save from Ronan McDowell, the ball was shot home for a Saval goal. Encouraged by this early strike Saval continued to push forward and scored another point within the third minute. Glasdrumman gathered themselves and gradually moved forward. In the sixth minute after some good work, Sean McDowell was fouled in the last third. Raymond Magorrian stroked the free kick over to register Glasdrumman's first point on the night. Two minutes later Raymon Magorrian won the ball back and played Connaire Harrison in for a point. Following another foul a minute later on Raymond Clarke, Raymond Magorrian brought Glasdrumman to within one point with another well taken free. Glasdrumman were now beginning to look more comfortable but a loose ball in defense was punished by Daniel Hughes to stretch Saval's lead by a further point. Saval then pushed forward again and after a wide from Daniel Hughes in the fifteenth minute, Saval fielded the ball straight from the goal kick and put the ball back over the bar for another point. Shots wide were traded by both teams before Saval increased their lead with another point in the nineteenth minute. Cormac Murphy was unlucky with a wide from a free in the twentieth minute but was able to redeem himself with a well taken free a minute later, scoring a point after good pressure from Glasdrumman in the right corner. For the next five minutes it was all Saval, but they were unable to increase their lead with four wides in this period. In the twenty seventh minute after good work by James McDowell, Sean McDowell was fouled and Raymond Magorrian again popped the free kick over for another point to bring Glasdrumman back again within two points. A minute later James McDowell worked an opening for himself but, despite accuracy his shot lacked power and the ball fell into the goalkeeper's hands and was cleared upfield. The ball was fed to Daniel Hughes in midfield and he set off on a run culminating in another point to Saval. In the final minute of the half Saval again worked the ball from the back to the forward line and took another point to leave the score at half-time Saval 1-6 Glasdrumman 0-5.

Saval started the second half as they had finished the first and within four minutes of the re-start the Saval left half forward thrashed the ball past Ronan McDowell from close range, giving the Glasdrumman goalkeeper no chance. Despite the good start, the next ten minutes consisted of a series of wides from Saval who by this stage should have been out of sight. Ronan McDowell made a good save in the forty fifth minute pushing a well struck shot onto the bar and out. This appeared to give Glasdrumman a lift and Raymond Magorrian then moved the ball out well to Sean McDowell who was fouled. Cormac Murphy stepped up to put the free over for another Glasdrumman point. Glasdrumman continued to press and a minute later a high ball was put into the Saval area, but the Saval goalkeeper fielded the ball well under pressure and fed the ball out to the right hand side from where it was pointed to extend Saval's lead. A minute later Connaire Harrison manufactured a point for Glasdrumman after a good take and turn. Glasdrumman then made a couple of changes, bringing on Shaun Brennan and Darren Joyce to replace Raymond Clarke and Brian Burns in the fiftieth minute. Despite the changes, Saval stepped up a gear and between the fifty first and fifty sixth minute scored four points without reply to put the game effectively out of Glasdrumman's reach. Glasdrumman, to their credit, continued to compete hard and were awarded three minutes from the end with a well worked point from a good move involving Shaun Brennan and Cormac Murphy,who passed onto Connaire Harrison to score his third point of the evening. Glasdrumman made one final change with Shaun McVeigh replacing Mark Trimble before Saval put over another point in the final minute to leave the scores Saval 2-12 Glasdrumman 0-8.

 

Friday evenings exertions appeared to have taken it's toll on this Glasdrumman performance in the last third of the game but the team refused to give up, with all of the players continuing to try and play football. 

Glasdrumman:
Ronan McDowell, Christopher McDowell, Francis O'Neill, Daniel McCartan, Colm Carr, Brian Burns, Mark Trimble, Declan Grant, Pat Mallon, James McDowell, Raymond Magorrian(0-3), Sean McDowell, Cormac Murphy(0-2), Raymond Clarke, Connaire Harrison(0-3).

Subs used:
Shaun Brennan for Raymond Clarke, Darren Joyce for Brian Burns, Shaun McVeigh for Mark Trimble.

Subs not used:
John McAteer, Neil McGreevy, Conor Clerkin, Gary McGreevy