This Intermediate Championship
Quarter Final pitted together
these relegation rivals from Division
Two for last year, with Warrenpoint
very much the favourites to come
out on top.
The favourites tag certainly looked
to be justified with Warrenpoint
coming out of the blocks the quicker
and Gary Boyle had them a point
ahead in the first minute. However,
despite being on top from the
start and with some very incisive
play, Warrenpoint were unable
to convert their chances into
scores again until the eleventh
minute when again Gary Boyle scored,
this time from a free kick. Glasdrumman
appeared to be stage struck and
it took a point from a Connaire
Harrison free kick midway through
the half to settle them into the
game. Warrenpoint found their
shooting boots all of a sudden
and replied with three points
in five minutes to increase their
lead to four with ten minutes
to half time. Glasdrumman rallied
and replied with three unanswered
points, one each from James McDowell,
Mark Trimble and Cormac Murphy
to bring them within a single
point nearing half time. Glasdrumman
however, succumbed to good pressure
from Warrenpoint and conceded
two free kicks close to goal which
were both converted by Gary Boyle
to leave the half time score Glasdrumman
0-4 Warrenpoint 0-7.
Glasdrumman came out for the second
half determined to turn the game
around and were rewarded with
a Cormac Murphy point within four
minutes of the throw in, reducing
the deficit to two points. he
game exploded into life when within
a minute Glasdrumman's Connaire
Harrison delivered the ball to
the Warrenpoint net to reverse
the game in Glasdrumman's favour.
Clearly shook Warrenpoint immediately
introduced substitutes Ruairi
Cowan and Donal Kearney. Warrenpoint
drew level almost immediately
with a point from Johnny Cowan.
With both teams now level the
noise level in the stand increased
a by a number of decibels with
both sets of supporters encouraging
their teams. James McDowell put
Glasdrumman back in front, sliding
over a well taken point on thirty
eight minutes, but again Warrenpoint
answered with a fisted point to
level the scores with twenty minutes
remaining. It was now end to end
with both teams giving everything.
Glasdrumman were awarded a free
kick after a foul on Cormac Murphy
and he stepped up himself to slot
the ball over to edge Glasdrumman
ahead again. Johnny Cowan replied
yet again for Warrenpoint to level
the game for the third time midway
through the half. Again a Cormac
Murphy free kick edged Glasdrumman
ahead with less than ten minutes
remaining after good play down
the right wing. Warrenpoint were
not beaten yet and a point from
Ryan Boyle, after a good run from
half back, levelled the game yet
again with less than two minutes
remaining. The game was still
up for grabs as an additional
four minutes was signalled from
the sideline and it looked to
be over when Gary Boyle scored
a point two minutes into added
time. The final twist of an exciting
game came two minutes later, when
Glasdrumman surged down the right
wing and Connaire Harrison put
Sean McDowell through on goal.
Although his shot was blocked,
Sean McDowell kept his cool and
punched the ball into the Warrenpoint
goals for the last score of the
game, to leave the final score
Glasdrumman 2-8 Warrenpoint 0-12.
Both teams must be congratulated
for a very exciting game of football
on a greasy pitch, on this form
Glasdrumman will fear no-one and
will give anyone a run for a place
in the final.
Glasdrumman : Sean Cunningham,
Ryan Doran, Pat Mallon, Francis
O'Neill, Martin O'Neill, Art McCartan,
Mark Trimble(0-1), Colm Gribben,
Declan Grant, James McDowell(0-2),
Cormac Murphy(0-4), Colum Carr,
Raymond Magorrian, Sean McDowell(1-0),
Connaire Harrison(1-1).
Subs used : Raymond Clarke for
Martin O'Neill.
Subs not used : Christopher McDowell,
Kevin Burns, Shaun Brennan, Darren
Joyce, Paul Grant, Daniel McCartan,
Conor Clerkin, Christopher Cassidy.
Warrenpoint : Keith Watters, Johnny
Murchan, Brendan Kearney, Ryan
McAleenan, Ryan Boyle, Gerard
Leddy, Anthony Grimes, John Boyle,
Johnny Cowan, Larry Burns, Paudraig
Smyth, Connor McGarry, Ross McGarry,
Gary Boyle, Ciaran McGivern.
Subs used : Donal Kearney for
Johnny Murchan, Ruairi Cowan for
Larry Burns, Gary McMahon for
Ciaran McGivern
Subs not used : Ryan Mallon, Aidan
Gallagher, Paul Trainor, Kevin
Cowan, Sean McMullan, Miceal Cunningham
