Lost, stolen, thrown away!! You decide how this game got away from us.

This was a game that Drumsurn dominated from start to finish, leading by three points and in added time Ballymaguigan scored a goal and a point to leave Billy Doran Park knowing they had just completed a smash and grab raid.

Ciaran and Ryan Mullan were in outstanding form. Banty converted two forty-five yard kicks. Ryan never stopped running all night. Christopher Harbinson had the measure of Gary Coleman after ten minutes and kept him quiet most of the game. Danny O’Connor silenced his critics by scoring (1-2) and looked comfortable on the ball. This result came at a price. Michael Coll retired after 20 minutes with a suspected hamstring problem. What a big loss he was in and around the middle of the park.

Had it not been for Stephen Harbinson and Dane Mullan making two consecutive point blank saves Ballymaguigan could have scored a 3rd goal on the night. The visitors were guilty of some poor finishing. In total they missed twelve scoreable chances.

The two first half goals in this game were exquisite. Ryan Mullan picked Danny O’Connor out with a wonderful forty yard over the top pass, while Michael Spears for Ballymaguigan found the net after a lovely sequence of fist passes that travelled the complete length of the pitch.

With five minutes remaining on the clock Pierce McNickle had a good chance to put day light between the teams, but the ball just wouldn’t go into the net. Looking back now a point would have given St. Matthew’s a share of the points. (Points make prizes)

This was a game with loads of ‘What ifs’?

There were lots of positives in this game. Yes, we shouldn’t have lost this game and if you ask any Ballymaguigan man they will say they got out of jail. Our mobility and fitness is outstanding (apart from Marty Plump, who sat out just because he had a cracked rib). The team’s camaraderie, belief and spirit are un-questionable. The return of Michael Archibald and Cahir Mullan was a bonus and will help with the rest of the season.

This is a tight league and who ever is crowned champions will deserve it, especially if they defeat an outstanding St. Matthew’s team.

The match

Straight from the throw in St. Matthew’s set out their stall. With two minutes on the clock Ciaran Mullan opened the scoring from play. Almost immediately Damian Canning conceded a close range free and was ticked. The resulting free kick was taken short and duly converted to draw the team’s level. This has been a feature of our play this year, not being alert straight after we score.

With seven minutes played Ballymaguigan conceded their own close range free. This was converted by Danny O’Connor, kicking from his hands. Shortly after this Ciaran Mullan was ticked.

Then the moment of magic; Christopher Harbinson carried the ball out of defence and with a long range pass picked out Ryan Mullan, who set off on a darting run down the wing. With defenders drawing close he played a forty yard pass over the top of the six of them picking out Danny O’Connor who side footed the ball into the back of the net.

Two more Drumsurn points followed. Barry Moore played a lovely ball to Dean O’Neill, who swivelled and converted from thirty yards out. Dean then became the provider, playing Danny O’Connor in for his final score of the match.

With fifteen minute gone on the clock and Drumsurn leading (1-4) to (0-1) it was Ballymaguigan who would now start turning the screw. They converted a thirty yard free, two minutes later Michael Spears found the net and a minute after that Gary Coleman scored from play to leave only one point between the teams. Over the next few minutes Christopher Harbinson and Michael Coll were booked and Michael Archibald came on for Dean O’Neill.

On twenty six minutes Ciaran Mullan converted the first of his two forty five’s and Michael Coll was withdrawn with a hamstring problem. The half was brought to an end when Ryan Mullan converted his first of two points from play.

Half Time: Drumsurn 1-06 Ballymaguigan 1-03

The second half started just like the first. Straight from the throw in the ball was won and played down field to Pierce McNickle. Swivelling on his left foot he turned and popped the ball over the bar from the twenty-one yard line. Ballymaguigan scored the next two points a twenty-one yard point from play and a thirty yard one from a free kick. The free was conceded by Dane Mullan when he dove in to quickly.

A Drumsurn three point advantage was soon re-established when a Ballymaguigan defender picked the ball up off the ground in his own goal mouth. The large crowd shouted for a penalty but it wasn’t given. Up stepped Banty once again to pop the fourteen yard free over the bar. He then put four points between the teams (Jonathan Irwin found Danny O’Connor with a lovely pass, who in turn found Ciaran. Evading five tackles Banty popped up to stroke the ball over the bar).

For the next five minutes Ballymaguigan applied immense pressure on the Drumsurn defence. They converted one free kick but missed numerous scoreable chances. Stephen and Dane made point blank saves to keep Drumsurn’s lead intact. With a goal between the teams and fifteen minutes remaining on the clock the final quarter had some breath taking action.

Ryan Mullan picked the ball up on the half way line and made a bee line for the Ballymaguigan goal. He unleashed a goal bound shot only to see it glide over the bar courtesy of a finger tip save from the goalkeeper. The resulting forty-five was converted by Banty to establish a four point gap once again. Shane Moore was replaced by Eamon Ferris.

Over the next seven minutes Ballymaguigan scored another two points, one from play and one from a free kick. The gap between the teams now down to two points, things were getting tense. With twenty-one minutes gone in the half Colm Feeny received a yellow card. The work rate of the Drumsurn team to keep the visitors at bay was awesome, tackling back, blocking and the man for man marking all quality. Drumsurn wanted the victory.

With five minutes remaining on the clock Colm Feeny won a ball in midfield and played it out wide to Ryan Mullan. His side line shot from thirty yards out went straight between the posts to put three points between the teams. Mark McLaughlin came on for Jonathan Irwin.

In the final five minutes Drumsurn soaked up the immense pressure. Banty was all over the pitch. Damian Canning caught balls in and around the full back line to help relieve some of the pressure. Pierce McNickle had a good opportunity to make it four points but opted for goal only to see his shot saved. Ballymaguigan won a free out from the goal mouth scramble that followed. Mark McLaughlin and Ryan Mullan also had opportunities to kick for points but both were caught in possession of the ball.

With time up victory was in sight, but Ballymaguigan had other ideas. In the thirty-first minute they won the ball in midfield and played it into the full forward line. Not loosing possession they worked the ball across the face of the goals until a scoring opportunity presented itself and they fired the ball into the back of the net. Stale mate, a draw was a good result for Ballymaguigan. What happened next was the icing on the cake for them. Straight from the kick out they won the ball in midfield and converted a forty yard kick from play to complete ‘the smash and grab’.

Not a fair result, based on Drumsurn’s work rate and commitment. We need to be more alert on the ball.

Unlucky lads and you know it.

Keep up the good work ………

Team and scorers
Steven Harbinson; Dane Mullan, Christopher Harbinson, Barry Moore; Shane Moore, Colm Feeney, Paul Butcher; Michael Coll, Damian Canning; Jonathan Irwin, Ciaran Mullan (0-5), Ryan Mullan (0-2); Danny O'Connor (1-2), Dean O'Neill (0-1), Pierce McNickle (0-1)

Subs
Michael Archibald for Dean O'Neill (22 mins), Cahir Mullan for Michael Coll (28 mins), Eamon Ferris for Shame Moore (46 mins), Mark McLaughlin for Jonathan Irwin (55 mins)