This time last year, Drumsurn still weren't sure that they'd be playing intermediate football in 2011. Twelve months down the line, they continued to defy the odds as they send Ballymaguigan tumbling out of the championship.
The defensive right wing of Dane Mullan and Paul Butcher were instrumental in carving up a sluggish Ballymaguigan team in the second game at Banagher on Saturday afternoon. The fleet-footed duos were at the heart of everything the surprise winners did and they also hit five points between them from open play.
Banagher has not been a happy hunting ground for the St. Treas. They lost to Foreglen at this venue last year and in this game they were completely off the pace from start to finish and the strong second half performances that has been their hallmark this year was missing. The constant drain of emigration coupled with retirements and injury have bit deep into the resources of this small rural club who, like others in the same situation, will be swimming against the tide for years to come.
It was a remarkable performance by a Drumsurn team that has never been able to have a full training session in the last four months. Over half their team are working in England and Scotland but this was the good weekend when all the players were home. Six days earlier with a gather up of a team, they got hit by a 5-22 Craigbane landslide, but in this game they were clever, skilful and full of team work. They were near at full strength for once, the missing person being centre half Colm Feeney, sporting a well autographed plaster cast on his right arm.
The day started badly for the Lough shore lads, midfielder Andrew McCartney who had been a slight doubt for the game injured an ankle in the pre match warm up and John Murphy took his place.
Drumsurn too suffered a set back when centre half Shane Moore pulled a hamstring after fourteen minutes but his deputy Martin Mullan played a big part in the victory when he came off the bench.
Ballymaguigan played like a team with lead in their boots, some of their main men failed to sparkle and they could never come to terms with the younger and more skilful winners.
If Mullan and Butcher caused headaches on the right flank of the defence the right wing of the attack Ciaran Ferris and Cahir Friel were equally effective with their speed and skill on the ball.
Ballymaguigan never could get a foothold on the game and the only area they scored more in was in yellow cards, which they won by four to nil, but it was not that type of game and most of the yellow cards that happened were a case of the big man tackling the wee ones, and Ballymaguigan had most of the big ones.
The five points margin in the end in no way flattered the St. Matthew's. They were only behind in the opening two minutes of the game and with the wind in their sails had a good 0-9 to 0-4 lead at half-time.
Ballymaguigan failed to make use of the wind even though they had their fair share of the ball. All too often they punted the ball into the goal area and hoped for the best, but slightly built corner backs Dane Mullan and Craig Chewning hovered up the ball and made good use of it.
Paul Butcher hit four excellent points from the tight half back position and 17 year old Daryl Mullan did well at left half until injured. The experienced midfield duo of Michael Coli and Damien Canning did well enough while in a speedy attack Ferris, Friel and McNickle caused endless trouble for the losers defence.
Ballymaguigan never came anywhere near what was expected of them, recent league defeats by Foreglen and Faughanvale hinted that they might not be at their best and this game maybe came at a bad time for them.
They looked tired, lacked inventiveness, pace and their usual championship grit that has been associated with them over the years.
Ciaran McIvor was stationed at full forward too long and when he moved out things looked a bit brighter. Andrew McCartney braced the pain barrier to come off the bench and get one of the best scores of the game.
Tony Walls had a decent game at full back, as had Tomas Brady on the wing of the half back line. Martin Walls won some good possession at midfield.
Sean Brady, so often a match winner, never really got into his stride in attack and all too often they hand to rely on the placed ball for scores to keep them in the running. In terms of scores from play, Drumsurn got twelve and Ballymaguigan four. The entire Ballymaguigan attack managed just one score from play and that was the opener from Pauric Scullion.
Big half forward Scullion had the first score in a lovely opening period but his point was reeled in when Pierce McNickle from an impossible looking situation scored over the equaliser. With the strong wind in their faces, the St. Treas kept rolling forward and they hit the front in four minutes when Paddy Cassidy converted after Drumsurn full back Mullan had fouled Ciaran McIvor.
Drumsurn quickly drew level when Ciaran and Ryan Mullan combined to send in Christopher Harbinson for the equaliser and even at this early stage Ballymaguigan were struggling on the wings with the pace of the Drumsurn flankers. Ciaran Mullan hit over from distance and Ciaran Ferris converted a 12th minute free just prior to sending over a nice one from play for a 0-05 to 0-02 lead.
When the tall Martin Walls sent over a brilliant long range score after 21 minutes the Ballymaguigan camp must have been happy enough with the situation but the closing stages of the half were painful for Ballymaguigan as Drumsurn and in particular Paul Butcher went on the loose.
The right half back sent over a beauty in the 24th minute, and then linked up with Damien Canning to send McNickle in for a classic finish. Ballymaguigan's marking was shocking as Ciaran Mullan hit a sideline free across the pitch to the unmarked Butcher and he did the rest with time and space at his disposal.
A minute from half time he popped up again with a huge effort from over fifty metres and already 'man of the match' was stamped on his forehead.
With a yawning six point gap now between them, Tomas Brady took the bull by the horns and showed the front men how it should be down with a rampaging solo run and a brilliant finish in to the wind and, at 0-09 to 0-05 down, it did not look all that bad for the 'Quigan.
As the players went off at half time there was a bit of 'hold me or I'll fight', nothing serious but as the teams emerged for the second half, Ballymaguigan free taker Paddy Cassidy got a yellow for promoting the event.
Drumsurn got the first score of the second half when their nimble right wing of Ferris and Friel combined for the latter to point from the right wing. In an effort to make something happen, Ballymaguigan sent in the experienced Gerard McIvor but for a period of pressure they only managed a Paddy Cassidy free and Martin Walls picked up a yellow card for a late tackle on Craig Chewning confidence to the extent where corner back Dane Mullan was at the heart of a 47th minute move which ended with a McNickle point and the restoration of the six point lead. That lead soon became seven as Butcher, in another foray forward, ran on to a Ciaran Ferris pass to make the score 0-12 to 0-05.
Paddy Cassidy kept his team on the fringes of the game when his retake after the first had dropped short after a Drumsurn player had been too close found the target. Sensing victory, Drumsurn shut up shop at the back and they had a let off when corner forward Chris Harbinson cleared a shot of his line for a 45' which posts to leave five between the teams.
As a beautiful rainbow appeared just west of the pitch, Ballymaguigan sprang Andrew McCartney and brought Ciaran Mclvor, who looked a bit cramped at full forward, outfield but there was to be no gold at the end of it for the losers.
With seven minutes left McCartney showed what his team had been missing with a superb point but Drumsurn had still plenty left in the locker. Ciaran Ferris responded with a pointed free into the stiff wind but Sean Brady was on target with a free at the other end.
As the game went into added time the Ballymaguigan legs had nothing left and Dominic Woods' highly skilled players finished with a wonderfully crafted final score in the 62nd minute.
It was again the right wing that did the damage, Dane Mullan still looking as if he could run all day started the move and finished it with Ciaran Ferris and Cahir Friel doing the spade work in between.
That point and the way it was crafted sent out a warning signal that his Drumsurn team will want to be avoided in the semi final by any pretenders to the title.
Drumsurn : Stephen Harbinson, Dane Mullan (0-01), Cahir Mullan, Craig Chewning, Paul Butcher (0-05), Shane Moore, Daryl Mullan, Michael Coll, Damien Canning, Ciaran Ferris (0-04, 0-02f), Ciaran Mullan; Ryan Mullan, Cahir Friel, Pierce McNickle (0-03), Christopher Harbinson (0-01)
Subs : Martin Mullan for S Moore (14), Matthew Ferris for Daryl Mullan (59)
Ballymaguigan : Frank McKeever, Stephen Henry, Tony Walls, Patsy Bateson, Tomas Brady (0-02,0-01 45'), Brendan Henry, Jimmy Cassidy, Martin Walls (0-01), John Murphy, Packie Spiers, Sean Brady (0- Olf), Pauric Scullion (0-01), Paddy Cassidy (0-03t), Ciaran Mclvor, Sean Cassidy
Subs : Gary Mulholland for Jimmy Cassidy (35), Gerard Mclvor for John Murphy (35), Andrew McCartney (0-01) for Packie Spiers (44), John Murphy for Paddy Cassidy (55)
Referee : Brendan Quinn (Ballinascreen)