Liam Cunningham 

 

 

Darragh Cross 1-15  Glasdrumman 0-12

 

Glasdrumman went into Friday night's game against Darragh Cross still looking for their first away points of the season and expecting a tough time without a number of key players.

Darragh Cross started the stronger and with home advantage settled into the game with a point in the third minute. Glasdrumman however eased themselves into the game with a well taken point from the left hand side from Connaire Harrison in the sixth minute and, after a foul on Sean McDowell two minutes later, a pointed free from Cormac Murphy to go ahead. Darragh Cross levelled the game in the eleventh minute with a point from a free and then scored a fisted goal three minutes later to go three points up. Glasdrumman replied immediately with a point from Connaire Harrison after a strong run forward from Raymond Magorrian to close the gap to two points. Connaire Harrison followed this up with another point two minutes later to encourage the travelling support. Darragh Cross then scored five points over the next ten minutes before Glasdrumman scored again in the thirtieth minute, this time Darren Joyce pointed after a pass from Sean McDowell. Darragh Cross scored another point  in injury time to leave the half time score Darragh Cross 1-8 Glasdrumman 0-5.

Christopher McDowell replaced the injured Neil McGreevy at half time. Glasdrumman came out for the second half determined to improve on their first half performance and within four minutes of the restart Connaire Harrison pointed a fifty to reduce the gap to five. Darragh Cross replied with a well taken point from a tight angle on the right hand side but Glasdrumman kept up the pressure and two minutes later Sean McDowell was put through on goal but his shot was well blocked and the follow up from Shaun Brennan was saved on the line. Cormac Murphy pointed a fifty a minute later which was quickly followed by a point from Connaire Harrison from a cleverly taken free kick from Raymond Magorrian to leave Glasdrumman only four points adrift. However, Darragh Cross stopped any thought of a Glasdrumman comeback with three points without reply over the following five minutes to increase their lead to seven points with only fifteen minutes remaining. Glasdrumman reduced the deficit ag ain to five points with another point from James McDowell followed by a point from a free from Connaire Harrison on fifty minutes, but Darragh Cross replied with another two points within two minutes. Connaire Harrison then pointed yet another free kick after a foul on himself before Darragh Cross replied with another point to leave the gap again at seven points. The only slight chance left for Glasdrumman was to go for goal and with five minutes remaining Connaire Harrison was unlucky to see his goal chance go narrowly wide with the goalkeeper beaten, although he picked himself up to score another point from a free kick a minute later. Glasdrumman then replaced Darren Joyce with John McAteer, Shaun Brennan with Gary McGreevy and Sean McVeigh with Christopher Cassidy as a last throw of the dice. In the final minute Connaire Harrison saw his free kick attempt rebound off the upright into the arms of James McDowell whose rasping shot shaved the outside of the post to leave the  final score Darragh Cross 1-15 Glasdrumman 0-12.

 

Glasdrumman : Ronan McDowell, Daniel Mcartan, Neil McGeevy, Sean McVeigh, Raymond Magorrian, Colm Carr, Martin O'Neill, Declan Grant, Cormac Murphy(0-2), Sean McDowell, Raymond Clarke, James McDowell(0-1), Darren Joyce(0-1), Connaire Harrison(0-8), Shaun Brennan.

 

Subs used : Christopher McDowell for Neil McGreevy, John McAteer for Darren Joyce, Gary McGreevy for Shaun Brennan and Christopher Cassidy for Sean McVeigh.

 

Subs not used : Sean Cunningham