St. Matthew’s might be out of the 2011 championship but at the final whistle Craigbane knew they got out of jail. What a match …. It was played at a high tempo and in good spirit by both teams. On the day a draw would have been a fair result.

The bigger and stronger Craigbane team just didn’t know what hit them in the first half when Drumsurn ‘Unleashed hell’. The seniors seemed to have this game all in hand, leading by seven points at the interval on a score line of (3-04) to (0-06). However, a Craigbane scoring burst of 1-8 in the first fifteen minutes of the second half cost dearly, especially when the seniors only replied with a single point courtesy of Cathair Friel.

Cathair Friel was on fire, Craigbane just couldn’t handle him. His lightning pace was breath taking. He scored 2-01 and could have had another two goals.

During the second half the teams drew level twice and when Drumsurn seemed to have the upper hand costly mistakes allowed Craigbane to counter attack and once again take advantage. The last ten minutes was tit for tat football both teams cancelled out each others’ scores. In the dying seconds Cathair Friel went on yet another blistering run bearing down on the keeper only to be taken out by a rugby tackle, (Soccers equivalent to a professional foul) which has to be addressed in our game.

In defence Cahir and Daryl Mullan were big and strong and looked like quality senior footballers even at this early age. Only when Cahir Mullan moved to the middle of the park did the Drumsurn boat steady but with only minutes remaining to play it was a big ask of the young footballer.

Between the posts Stephen Harbinson pulled off two point blank saves denying Craigbane two sure goals. Banty scored 1-04 and was totally fired up for the occasion. Pierce McNickle proved a handful for the first half; four out of the starting six forwards got on the score sheet, which was impressive.

The performance by the seniors was a ‘spirited never say die one’ even if the result was hard to digest. The game was enthralling; you just couldn’t take your eyes off the field of play.

Those initial fifteen minutes in the second half and the inability to win ball in and around the middle of the park cost the seniors dearly. It allowed Craigbane to come back into the game and gave them a major pick me up when they were well and truly deflated.

The match …

Things didn't start too well for the seniors with only one minute played they found themselves one point down and had fullback Cahir Mullan yellow carded. This would prove to be his only mistake of the game.

Ciaran Mullan drew the team’s level a minute later courtesy of a free kick before Adie McLaughlin and Pierce McNickle exchanged points from play.

With five minutes played and the team’s level at two points each Drumsurn had a magical four minutes of play, scoring three goals. Cathair Friel played a precise ball into Pierce McNickle who in turn found the back of the net. Cathair then went on a darting run and finished by hitting the back of the net. Then from the kick out Ciaran Mullan seized on a Craigbane defensive mistake, won the ball and played Ryan Mullan in for the third goal. The score line was now 3-02 to 0-02 with less than ten minutes played.

Over the next five minutes Drumsurn lived dangerously; Stephen Harbinson made a point blank save to keep out the Craigbane forward. A mistake from Paul Butcher in defence resulted in a Craigbane free kick, which was duly converted.

Paul Butcher was then involved in an incident at the other end of the pitch a minute later which should have resulted in a penalty, but was only rewarded with a 50yard kick. This was converted by Ciaran Mullan.

Craigbane converted another free kick and Stephen Harbinson made another superb save before a lull of five minutes in play where neither team scored. In the final five minutes of the half Craigbane scored two points, one from play the other a free kick conceded by Micky Coll. Cathair Friel set Paul Butcher up for the final point of the half. The half time score was (3-04) to (0-06).

Playing with the slight wind in the second half Craigbane looked unstoppable for the first fifteen minutes. They won every high ball and the scraps in and around the middle of the park. Within two minutes of the restart they had the gap reduced from seven points to five; a minute later they converted a penalty kick to reduce the gap even further to two points. A converted Craigbane free kick left the minimum between the teams before a Paul Butcher mistake was punished with a point from play. With six minutes played Craigbane had drawn level on a score line of (3-04 to (1-10).

Craigbane took the lead in the ninth minute of the half only for Cathair Friel to fire over an equaliser a minute later. This was a sensible decision but at the time he had a goal scoring opportunity. Craigbane kicked three unanswered points and looked likely to run away with the game.

Micky Coll was substituted with fifteen minutes played. Paul Butcher reduced the gap to two points with his second and final score of the match, but this was cancelled out with yet another converted Craigbane free kick.

With ten minutes remaining on the clock it was Craigbane’s turn to sweat a bit. Paul Butcher played a ball over the top for Cathair Friel to run onto and with a chip pick up he was away and once again bearing down on goal. ‘BANG’ the teams were level once again on a score line of (4-06) to (1-16).

Craigbane’s reply was remarkable; they kicked a point from play to re-establish the lead and then intercepted a short pass from Ciaran Mullan and scored their second goal of the match. A minute later they kicked another point to establish a five point lead with five minutes to play.

Ronan McNickle and Matt Ferris replaced Ciaran Ferris and Martin Mullan for the final minutes of the game. Craigbane started to look wobbly and Ciaran Mullan took full advantage of it. Through a mass of bodies he found the back of the net to register Drumsurn’s fifth goal of the match, reducing the gap between the teams to two points. With a minute to play Craigbane converted another point from play.

Only a goal now would save the seniors and it almost came in added time. Cathair Friel found himself once again running at the Craigbane defence and almost had another one on one with the keeper but a rugby style tackle from a Craigbane defender took him out (with a championship final place at stake I think any Drumsurn defender would have reacted in the same manner). Ciaran Mullan converted the close range free kick.

Craigbane re-established a three point lead, but Ciaran Mullan pulled it back to two points only for the referee to signal the end of what was a pulsating match. Delight was evident on the Craigbane players and supporters faces, disbelief on Drumsurn’s.

Points make prizes and goals win games, but not on this occasion.

To the management team Dozy, Gary and Geoffrey well done and hard luck. To the senior footballers, ‘WHAT A GAME’. No silver-wear but a game that will never be forgotten.

Craigbane now meet Swatragh in the Championship Final.

Drumsurn : Stephen Harbinson, Dane Mullan, Cahir Mullan, Greg Chewning; Daryl Mullan, Paul Butcher (0-2), Christopher Harbinson; Michael Coll, Damien Canning; Ryan Mullan (1-0), Ciaran Mullan (1-4), Ciaran Ferris; Martin Mullan, Pierce McNickle (1-1), Cathair Friel (2-1)

Subs : Michael Archibald for Michael Coll (46 mins) , Matt Ferris for Martin Mullan (54 mins), Ronan McNickle for Ciaran Ferris (57 mins)