The seniors suffered a heavy defeat at home to Foreglen on Sunday 25th July. Both teams will meet again in the Championship on Thursday night and a much improved performance will be required if they want to keep their season alive.

Having contained Foreglen in the first half going in at the break only three points down a different Drumsurn team emerged to start the second half. Foreglen scored 2-12 for no reply over the next 26 minutes as Sean McGuigan blew the final whistle four minutes early because this game was over as a contest ten minutes after the restart of play.

Anthony McLaughlin, Stephen Harbinson and Pierce McNickle scored a brace of points each, but the dismissal of Mark McLaughlin early in the second half, the inability to control midfield and failure to win our own kick outs cost the seniors dearly in the second half.

In defence, Craig Chewning and Owen Ferris showed some of the senior members of the panel how to play football, but even they had to concede defeat with the constant bombardment from the Foreglen attack.

Foreglen opened the scoring in the second minute with a point from play; they intercepted a short free kick taken by Pierce McNickle. Six minutes later Drumsurn drew level courtesy of Anthony McLaughlin and a minute later the same player kicked Drumsurn into a one point lead.

With fifteen minutes of the game played Pierce McNickle fought gamely, on winning possession he played Stephen Harbinson in who in turn kicked an acute point from the left of the pitch, increasing Drumsurn’s lead to 0-3 to 0-1.

The advantage was short lived …...

From their own kick out Foreglen went straight down the pitch and converted a point from play, reducing the gap to one point. Then directly from the Drumsurn kick out they won possession in the middle of the park and constructed another attacking move. Despite Francis Chiver’s best efforts to save the shot Foreglen found the back of the net for the first time in this game, turning a two point deficit into a two point lead.

Stephen Harbinson kicked his second point from play to once again reduce the gap to one point.

With ten minutes of the first half remaining Mark McLaughlin was booked for a rash tackle. This was immediately followed by a defensive mistake by Cahir Mullan to allow Foreglen in to kick their third point of the half.

A Pierce McNickle point once again reduced the gap to one point between the teams but a second Foreglen goal three minutes from the break signalled the start of Foreglen’s dominance. Francis Chivers was also booked for an attempted foot block.

Right on the half time whistle Pierce McNickle kicked his second and final point of the game, reducing the gap to three points. Little did we know that this would also be Drumsurn’s last score of the game!!!!!

Half time : Drumsurn 0-06 Foreglen 2-03

Where do you start with the second half ……….

Mark McLaughlin was sent off for a second bookable offence seven minutes after the restart.

Foreglen won possession all over the park, playing simple fast flowing football they put Drumsurn to the sword within the first fifteen minutes. They didn’t relent on the attacking football until the final whistle, making it known who was in control.

Foreglen had kicked 2-12 for no reply in the second half, reiterating their superiority and boosting their confidence prior to the Championship meeting between the teams in just 4 days time.

As Drumsurn players looked to the heavens for inspiration Sean McGuigan decided as a competition it was over and blew the final whistle three minutes early.

This was one to be forgotten for all the wrong reasons