The sun shone good fortune on St. Matthew’s today as they registered their 3rd straight victory of this year’s league campaign away to St Mary’s Faughanvale. The conditions were ideal for a high tempo game and both teams played their part in the opening half. The challenge from Faughanvale was suppressed in the 2nd half with Drumsurn showing better stamina and skill on the ball, keeping Faughanvale at bay. The home team only scored one point in this period and were guilty of some poor kicking.

There were some big performances all over the pitch by our senior players, which has helped boost the confidence of the younger team members. As things stand this summers campaign looks promising.

Individually on the day Michael Coll stood out a mile. He took the challenge to Faughanvale and as a result took some heavy challenges. Ciaran and Ryan Mullan are natural talents and St. Matthew’s Drumsurn as a club so lucky to have both of them operating around the half forward line. Paul Butcher’s task on the day was to clean up all the loose balls, which he did easily. Barry Moore, playing corner back seemed to be every where today and even got on the score sheet ‘Keep it up Barry’. Ciaran Ferris played very well for a young seventeen year old boy and didn’t look out of place. This was also true of Craig Chewing when he came on in the later part of the match.

It helps if your goalkeeper can play a bit of football and at times today Stephen was asked to do that, carrying the ball out of defence on three separate occasions to help ease the pressure on the team.

The fullback line of Barry Moore, Christopher Harbinson and Dane Mullan was solid as usual (some of Jack’s 12 week holiday still needs to be worked off). The half back line of Martin Mullan, Paul Butcher and Shane Moore was effective. Martin was taken off after twenty minutes when he took a heavy challenge, knocking the wind out of him. (If Marty has broken ribs could everyone in the village please make him laugh this week, just to see him cry).

The pairing of Damian Canning and Michael Coll in midfield as usual was wonderful (a match made in heaven). Michael scored (1-1) today and in my eyes was man of the match. Damian found his jumping rhythm in the 2nd half, out catching the Faughanvale pair constantly (the ball seemed to stick to the hands a bit better too).

The half forward line of Ciaran Ferris, Ryan and Ciaran Mullan between them accounted for (2-4) of the final score. Ciaran Mullan didn’t register a score in the first forty minutes, which was good in a strange way, (in past seasons we depended so heavily on his scoring power to establish and maintain a lead in a game). Not so this year. Ciaran Ferris came out of the blocks flying and won a free in the first minute of the game, which Danny O’Conner converted. Ryan covered every blade of grass on the new Faughanvale pitch. His catching, running and awareness of team member’s positions on the park was spectacular.

The full forward line of Eamon, Pierce and Danny for the majority of the time played their part scoring five points between them (all were replaced late on in the game). Oh Danny, a twenty one yard free kick should always be converted, never play it short; not unless you are two points down with ten seconds on the clock. Composure on the ball will benefit you always.

The match

With only one minute on the clock Danny O’Conner converted the first of his two points. From the kick out Faughanvale went straight up the field and missed out on a golden opportunity to put two points between the sides. Only for a fantastic point blank save from Stephen Harbinson the Vale would have taken the wind out of the visitor’s sails.

Barry Moore scored a second Drumsurn point, this time from play with only three minutes registered on the clock. Ciaran Ferris went on a solo run down the left wing only to be fouled. Ciaran Mullan saw his free kick rebound off the up right and it was Ryan Mullan who was quickest to react, hammering the ball to the net to put Drumsurn 1-2 to no score up after only five minutes. Faughanvale scored their first point of the game two minutes later. On ten minutes Ciaran Ferris, making his first start for the seniors rode two tackles to tap over an excellent individual point. A minute later after some good work from Michael Coll, Pierce McNickle was on hand to score the point, Drumsurn at this stage ruling this game.

In the very next attack Drumsurn's over-confidence got the better of them and faced with a certain second goal they managed to actually over work the ball and pass!! yes pass the ball wide when the simple thing was toe poke the ball into the net. Three minutes later Drumsurn paid for their over confidence as a high ball into the Drumsurn defence broke in favour of the home side and enabled them to hit the net and get right back into this game.

Martin Mullan was replaced by Ronan McNickle at this point after taking a very nasty tackle and fall. Rona was pushed into full forward, Pierce brought back to half forward and Ryan moved back to half back.

Faughanvale could have had another only for Michael Coll taking the ball off the foot of a Value forward just as he was about to hammer it into the back of the net. By the 22nd minute Drumsurn’s lead (at one stage six points was down to one), 1-4 to 1-3 as the home team added two further points. Michael Coll steadied the ship on 26 minutes after a good team move and running from him put two points between the teams.

With two minutes remaining of the first half Pierce McNickle pointed from play after some lovely cross field football between Damian Canning and Ciaran Ferris.

Faughanvale scored two further points to bring the first half to a close

Half Time: Faughanvale 1-05 Drumsurn 1-06

The tone of the half was set in the opening seconds, straight from the throw in Michael Coll bust straight through the Vale defence and found himself on goal, only to drop the ball. The quick thinking Coll toe poked the ball past the keeper to start the Drumsurn onslaught.

Pierce McNickle scored his final point of the game with five minutes of the 2nd half gone.

Enter Banty ………………. (at long last)

With ten minutes played in the 2nd half Ciaran Mullan entered the game and scored two points, one from play the other a free kick won by Ryan Mullan. These points were followed by one from the boot of Danny O’Connor. Drumsurn’s lead was now eight points 2-10 to 1-05. Eamon Ferris was replaced by Colm Feeny and Ronan McNickle replaced by Dean O’Neill.

Eight minutes later Banty found the net after a well worked move between Ryan Mullan and Pierce McNickle. This game as a contest was now over. Additional substitutions were made Jonathan Irwin for Danny O’Connor, Craig Chewing for Ciaran Ferris and Michael Taggart for Pierce McNickle.

With two minutes remaining on the clock Faughanvale scored their only point of the 2nd half. Drumsurn had kept the Vale scoreless for 30 minutes. Drumsurn and Ciaran Mullan had the final say of the game. Dean O’Neill won the ball just on the half way line and fed it through to Craig Chewing. He evaded two tackles before finding Ciaran Mullan who sent it over the bar to end the scoring and finish once more as Drumsurn’s top scorer with 1-3.

Fingers crossed they can repeat this performance in the M&L Contracts Intermediate Football Championship agains the Vale in two weeks time.

Team and scorers
Steven Harbinson; Dane Mullan, Christopher Harbinson, Barry Moore (0-1); Shane Moore, Paul Butcher, Martin Mullan; Michael Coll (1-1) Damian Canning; Ciaran Ferris (0-1), Ciaran Mullan (1-3), Ryan Mullan (1-0); Danny O'Connor (0-2), Pierce McNickle (0-3), Eamon Ferris

Subs
Ronan McNickle for Martin Mullan, Colm Feeney for Eamon Ferris, Jonathan Irwin for Danny O’Connor, Dean O'Neill for Ronan McNickle, Craig Chewing for Ciaran Ferris, Michael Taggart for Pierce McNickle