The seniors travelled to Craigbane last Sunday to continue their league campaign after a break for the weekend championship fixture. Without seasoned players like Micky Coll, Colm Feeny and Damian Canning in the starting line up they were beaten by sixteen points. Craigbane securing the two league points by half time, going in at the break 3-07 to 0-01 up.

The half time score could have been much more had Craigbane not missed the penalty they were awarded. Drumsurn put in a better second half display and when they took the game to Craigbane they looked good. Mark O'Connor and Paul Butcher both had golden chances to add another two goals to the scoreboard, but kicked their shots directly at the home goalkeeper.

Two second half goals from Pierce McNickle and Ciaran Mullan put some credibility to the score line.

A succession of silly errors, poor marking and Drumsurn's inability to dominate midfield accounted for most of Craigbane's scores.

Drumsurn's frailties in defence were exposed once again. Balls over the top always found Craigbane forwards. Advancing defenders cut through the defence unchallenged. Our inability to clear our line cost us dearly.

Cahir Mullan tried to impose his presence in the middle of the park and was the only man in red who could hold his head high after thirty minutes.

The forward line couldn't get to grips with the Craigbane defenders in the first half. In the second, when they showed for the ball more and won many fifty fifty challenges, putting pressure on the Craigbane defence they showed them to be vulnerable.

With five league games remaining Drumsurn who were fancied for promotion could find themselves in a relegation battle, especially with the bottom four teams all having to play each other.

The match ........

Craigbane opened the scoring with a point from play in the second minute. Drumsurn drew level five minutes later after Pierce McNickle was fouled and Ciaran Mullan converted the free. This would prove to be the only Drumsurn score of the half.

Two consecutive Craigbane points followed. A defensive mistake from Barry Moore, who punched the ball across the face of the goal mouth in the twelfth minute resulted in a Craigbane goal opening a five point lead.

Dominating midfield, Craigbane scored another two points straight from the Drumsurn kick out to increase their lead to seven points (1-05 to 0-01).

What happened next was just unbelievable! Ryan Mullan broke through the Craigbane defence and fired a cracking shot goal bound only to see it crash off the woodwork. Craigbane burst quickly out of defence and went straight down the pitch and scored their own goal to knock the stuffing out of Drumsurn.

Over the next seven minutes the game took a turn for the worse for Drumsurn. They conceded a penalty but were handed a lifeline when Craigbane missed it. In the final three minutes Craigbane scored 1-02 from play. The two points scored directly from the Drumsurn kick out and the goal a simple ball over the top.

Craigbane started the second half scoring another two points in the first three minutes. Lee Moore scored one and then set up the second. Mark O'Connor immediately missed a golden opportunity to claw back three points only for his shot to be saved by the keeper. Ciaran Mullan converted the rebounding ball as a consolation prize.

Eight minutes into the half Lee Moore popped up again to kick his fourth point of the match. Ciaran Mullan cancelled it out three minutes later converting a free kick won by Paul Butcher, who himself missed a goal scoring chance one minute later.

With forty-five minutes on the clock Drumsurn scored their first goal. Intricate passing between Ciaran Mullan and Pierce McNickle resulted in Ciaran firing a thumping shot to the net. Straight from the kick out Drumsurn won the ball in midfield and found Ciaran Mullan out wide on the left wing. Having broke through the Craigbane defence and bearing down on goal he was denied a goal scoring opportunity when he was fouled on the 21-yard line. Paul Butcher stepped up and converted the free kick for his only score of the game.

Penetrating football and intricate passing between Paul Butcher and Pierce McNickle resulted in Pierce scoring Drumsurn's second goal. Both teams exchanged points over the next two minutes, leaving ten points the difference between them going into the last eight minutes. In this period Craigbane sealed Drumsurn's fate, scoring two goals and a point in reply to a point from Danny O'Connor. The final score Craigbane 5-13 Drumsurn 2-06.

Lee Moore was the difference on the day

Team and scorers
Francis Chivers; Michael Archibald, Dane Mullan, Barry Moore, Christopher Harbinson, Conal Chivers, Paul Butcher (0-01); Cahir Mullan, Mark O'Connor; Martin Mullan, Pierce McNickle (1-00), Ryan Mullan, Danny O'Connor (0-01), Ciaran Mullan (1-04), Eamon Ferris

Subs
Mark McLaughlin for Barry Moore (31 mins)

With all four at the bottom to play each other things look tight for the seniors. The five remaing games are as follows.

Greenlough (Home), Greenlough (Away), Faughanvale (Home), Slaughtmanus (Away), Ballymaguigan (Away)

Pick it up lads, we don't want to get involved in a play off match