Newcastle was the venue for this
second round play-off game with
both teams expectant of a good
result. Glasdrumman struck first
and were two points ahead within
the first five minutes after good
scores from Connaire Harrison
and Pat Mallon. Ardglass struck
back with a point following their
first attack of intent on eight
minutes. Even at this early stage
Glasdrumman were clearly playing
the best football and should have
been further ahead by the time
Cormac Murphy added two points
from free kicks midway through
the half. Ardglass scored their
second point of the game with
twelve minutes to half time, only
to see Raymond Magorrian finish
off a slick move by placing the
ball into the Ardglass goals less
than a minute later. With their
tails now up Glasdrumman pushed
on and Declan Grant added a point
which was followed up with another
goal, this time from Martin O'Neill
after another good move involving
Raymond Magorrian. Nine points
ahead with only injury time to
play before half time, Glasdrumman
seemed to lose a little focus
and Ardglass made the most of
this with three unanswered points
before the whistle went to leave
the scores Glasdrumman 2-5 Ardglass
0-5 at the midway point.
The second half started similar
to the first and again it was
Glasdrumman who led the way with
points apiece from Raymond Clarke
and Raymond Magorrian within six
minutes of the restart. Ardglass
did make themselves a number of
opportunities but were unable
to put away their chances. Connaire
Harrison stretched Glasdrumman's
lead again to nine points with
a point in the fifty third minute.
Ardglass continued to miss a number
of chances before their first
point of the second half with
only ten minutes remaining. Glasdrumman's
reply again was instant as Connaire
Harrison scored again to end the
game as a contest. Ardglass scored
a consolation point with two minutes
to go, leaving Cormac Murphy to
close out the game with a pointed
free kick in injury time to leave
the final score Glasdrumman 2-10
Ardglass 0-7.
Ronan McDowell was his usual commanding
self in goals and was well protected
by the full back line of Ryan
Doran, Kevin Burns and Francis
O'Neill, all three making a number
of timely challenges and blocks
to deny Ardglass throughout the
game. Glasdrumman's half back
line of Martin O'Neill, Art McCartan
and Mark Trimble kept Ardglass
at bay and won a lot of breaking
ball in the middle of the park.
The midfield pairing of Pat Mallon
and Declan Grant gave everything
and continued to drive the team
forward for all of sixty minutes,
linking up play well with the
half forwards Cormac Murphy, Raymond
Clarke and Colum Carr. All three
had outstanding games with lung
busting performances. The full
forwards Raymond Magorrian, James
McDowell and Connaire Harrison
also were outstanding on the day,
making runs throughout the game,
setting up scores for others as
well as each other. A weel deserved
win.
Congratulations to the Glasdrumman
squad and management team in achieving
promotion to Division 2 which
was the single most important
achievement for this year from
the outset.
Glasdrumman : Ronan McDowell,
Ryan Doran, Pat Mallon, Francis
O'Neill, Martin O'Neill, Art McCartan,
Mark Trimble, Kevin Burns, Declan
Grant, Cormac Murphy, Raymond
Clarke, Colum Carr, Raymond Magorrian,
James McDowell, Connaire Harrison.
Subs not used : Sean Cunningham,
Christopher McDowell, Daniel McCartan,
Conor Clerkin, Sean McVeigh, Shaun
Brennan, Darren Joyce, Gary Trimble.
