Drumaness were the visitors to the Quarter Road on Sunday to face an in form Glasdrumman team, unbeaten to date this season.
Drumaness were up for the game from the throw in and were two points ahead after seven minutes, a point apiece from Willie Megoran and Michael Savage. Cormac Murphy replied with Glasdrumman's first point of the game a couple of minutes later, but Drumaness continued to take their scores well and a point each from Philip Rogan and Paddy Rice increased their lead to three midway through the opening half. Glasdrumman were unable to take their opportunities and it took until the sixteenth minute for Colm Gribben to score their second point of the game. Only minutes later a clever flick from Connaire Harrison put Raymond Megorrian through on the Drumaness goal, however the goalkeeper came out quickly and forced Raymond to take a point. Drumaness were not about to relinquish their lead easily and they replied immediately with their fifth point from Paddy Rice to stay ahead. Connaire Harrison was having a good game and he put over two points, one from a tight angle on the left hand side and the second from a free kick, in the space of three minutes to level the scores with five minutes remaining to half time. Raymond Clarke forced over Glasdrumman's sixth point before the scores were levelled again by Drumaness' Willie Megoran from a free kick. Drumaness looked to be heading for half time with the lead when Neil McAleenan put over another point from a free kick in injry time but a superb ball into Raymond Magorrian from Connaire Harrison put Raymond through on goal again, this time making no mistake in dispatching the ball into the Drumaness net to leave the half time score Glasdrumman 1-6 Drumaness 0-7.
Drumaness scored the first point of the second half from another free kick by Willie Megoran within a minute of the restart. James McDowell scored his first point of the game two minutes later followed by another from Cormac Murphy to increase Glasdrumman's lead to three after forty minutes. Not to be outdone, Willie Megoran put over a point for Drumaness to keep the pressure on and the reduce the deficit to two points. Glasdrumman began to get on top again and three points, one each from Raymond Magorrian, Cormac Murphy and Connaire Harrison, over the next five minutes increased the lead to five and appeared to put the game beyond Drumaness with twelve minutes remaining. Drumaness raised their game again and continued to score three points themselves in five minutes without reply to reduce the deficit again to two points and put the game again in the balance. With two minutes remaining Cormac Murphy put over a free kick to increase Glasdrumman's lead again. However, Drumaness replied yet again with another point from Philip Rogan to reduce Glasdrumman's lead again to two. With Drumaness going for a winning goal, it was left for Glasdrumman's Raymond Clarke to put over the final score of the game in injury time to leave the final score Glasdrumman 1-13 Drumaness 0-13.
Another hard fought victory for Glasdrumman who head into this week's away tie with Drumgath knowing they will have to do better in front of the posts to get anything out of that game.
Glasdrumman : Ronan McDowell, Art McCartan, Brian Burns, Frank O'Neill, Mark Trimble, Kevin Burns, Colm Carr, Colm Gribben(0-1), Pat Mallon, James McDowell(0-1), Raymond Clarke(0-2), Raymond Magorrian(1-2), Cormac Murphy(0-4), Declan Grant, Connaire Harrison(0-3).
Subs not used : Sean Cunningham, Mark Grant, Conor Clerkin, Christopher Cassidy, Christopher McDowell, Gary Trimble, Eamon Donnegan, Daniel McCartan, Darren Joyce.
Drumaness : Gary O'Hare, Terry Ferris, Neil McAlinden, Gerard Rice, Kieran Geany, Darryl McAleenan, Kyle Rogan, George Taylor, Philip Rogan, Neil McAleenan, Paddy Bell, Paddy Rice, Willie Megoran, Michael Rainey, Michael Savage.