Liam Cunningham

STRONG SECOND HALF WINS GAME FOR BANBRIDGE AGAINST GLAGDRUMMAN

 

Glasdrumman 2-8 Clann Na Banna 1-16

 

Glasdrumman went into Fridays game against Clann Na Banna looking to turn around a rather disappointing run of results.

With only three minutes into the game Glasdrumman's bad luck with injuries this season continued as Mark Trimble was replaced by Christopher Cassidy. Despite this, Glasdrumman began well and were a point up a minute later, Cormac Murphy scoring from a free kick after a foul on Christopher McDowell. Connaire Harrison followed this up with a point from a free kick two minutes later. Clann Na Banna pulled a point back within two minutes but Connaire Harrison followed up again with a point and a goal, scored after a good save from a Christopher McDowell shot. Clann Na Banna came back strongly and scored two further points to bring the deficit back to three. Frank O'Neill made a good last ditch block to keep Clann Na Banna goalless at this stage and Connaire Harrison replied again for Glasdrumman with a point in the twentieth minute after good play from Raymond Magorrian. Banbridge came back with another point from a free kick before Sean McVeigh replaced Kevin Burns. Three minutes later and Connaire Harrison had the ball in the Banbridge net again after Raymond Magorrian played him in to increase Glasdrumman's lead to six points. But Clann Na Banna came back again and scored another three points before half time to leave the half time score Glasdrumman 2-4 Clann Na Banna 0-7.

A determined Glasdrumman came out in the second half and put together a couple of very good moves resulting in two further points from play, one each from Raymond Clarke and Cormac Murphy to put five points between the teams after thirty five minutes. Despite the lead, Clann Na Banna gradually came back into the game, eating into the lead point by point. After fifty one minutes the teams were level again, and with Glasdrumman now on the back foot Clann Na Banna pushed forward for the win, scoring a goal and three further points before Connaire Harrison got a point back for Glasdrumman with two minutes remaining. Cormac Murphy pulled another point back a minute later but Clann Na Banna put over another point two minutes into added time to leave the final score Glasdrumman 2-8 Clann Na Banna 1-16.

For the best part of this game it looked as if Glasdrumman were finally going to have the rub of the green and get that vital win as the game was there for the taking. Not surprisingly though with the poor run of late, Glasdrumman in the latter part appeared to lack belief in themselves, unable to close out the game allowing Clann Na Banna to come back strongly.

Glasdrumman : Gary McGreevy, Daniel McCartan, Frank O'Neill, Colm Carr, Martin O'Neill, Brian Burns, Mark Trimble, Cormac Murphy (0-3), Pat Mallon, James McDowell, Raymond Clarke (0-1), Kevin Burns, Raymond Magorrian, Connaire Harrison (2-4), Christopher McDowell.

Subs used : Christopher Cassidy for Mark Trimble, Sean McVeigh for Kevin Burns, John McAteer for James McDowell, Shane O'Neill for Christopher McDowell.