Two minutes into injury time in this exciting Division Two game at Billy Doran Park it looked as if Drumsurn had done enough to get both points against a lively Desertmartin team.

The with his second lung bursting run in five minutes corner back Gregory McGovern burst forward from inside his own half to land a well deserved equaliser in a game that neither team deserved to lose.

Prior to that McGovern had come from far back to provide Enda McGuckin with the ball that had cut the Drumsurn lead to two points.

It was a dramatic ending to a fine game of football between two good teams and remarkably despite scoring sixteen points Desertmartin never led against the home team who tended to have long scoreless spells and little clusters of scores.

In the 55th minute Enda McGuckin levelled the game at 2-09 to 0-15 but when Ciaran Mullan picked out Paul Butcher with a cross field free it looked as if the centre forward’s fine finish had been enough but Gregory McGovern still bursting with energy had other ideas.

Both teams will look back on incidents where they could have won the game. The visitor’s shot seven first half wides and two at the start of the second. They were caught badly at the back nine minutes from the break when their defence failed to clear the ball and Ronan McNickle managed to get his toe to the ball and it hit the net for a 2-04 to 0-03 lead.

Then in the second half Ciaran Mullan who seemed to have the freedom of the park missed a simple free that would have given his team a four point lead at the three quarter stage. From a similar distance in the first half Enda McGuckin was also guilty of a bad miss. All in all both camps were probably happy enough with a share of the spoils which keeps their unbeaten records intact. The game itself was played at a furious pace with some fine scores and some great individual performances. Drumsurn made better use of their possession; they played the ball long and took their scores better.

On the other half the St Martin’s who tended to attack in droves tended to rush things and on occasions players would solo headlong into a packed defence. However after last year’s poor season there are signs that the Longfield men will be among the big hitters this term.

Drumsurn too look to be back to their old selves again after a poor 2010 season, they will be very happy with this point considering that they were without two of their best young players Ciaran Ferris and Daryl Mullan with injury.

Dane Mullan and Christopher Harbinson performed well in the home defence and the experienced Colm Feeney did well when he came on from the bench. In the middle of the field Ryan Mullan showed class in everything he did. Up front Cahir Friel the 17 year old half forward was outstanding with his blistering pace and intelligent play. Ciaran Mullan drifted out to create a lot of scores and Desertmartin must ask why he was given such a free hand. At a crucial stage in the second half the home team lost two of their most experienced players Martin Mullan and Michael Coll with injury.

Paul Butcher led the attack well and Pierce McNickle was dangerous in possession.

Desertmartin have always found Drumsurn stern opposition and so it was again, Gregory McGovern was the hero of the evening in the defence with Mark Madden and Conor Monaghan steady and secure.

Ryan Kidd won a lot of good ball in midfield while in a very good attack the outstanding Donal Murray, Enda McGuckin and Paul McGovern were in top form.

Drumsurn hit four points in the opening nine minutes from Paul Butcher, Ciaran Mullan, Ryan Mullan with a real peach and Pierce McNickle.

Desertmartin recovered with quick points from Barry McEldowney and Enda McGuckin. Mid way through the half McGuckin converted a free but it was Drumsurn breaking quickly from defence who looked more dangerous, in the 20th minute Cahir Friel instigated a move from the half way line and the ball travelled through three sets of hands and the parting pass came from Pierce McNickle to Friel who was still on the move and he hammered the ball past Brian McElhennon.

The ball was kicked out and soon kicked back in again, the Desertmartin defence was found wanting when it came to clearing Micheal Coll’s dropping ball, in the mad scramble in the goalmouth it was Ronan McNickle who got the final touch and Desertmartin were trailing by 2-04 to 0-03

Showing great character Colm Rocks charges soon were back in business with Donal Murray and Paul McGovern quickly on target. Three minutes from the break Donal Murray made it three points in as many minutes and on the half hour after McGuckin had missed that easy free the trusty Donal Murray made the interval score 2-4 to 0-7.

After two early wides Paul McGovern from a narrow angle and Donal Murray from a free cut the gap to the minimum. It was Murray who levelled at 2-4 to 0-10 in the 35th minute.

Then after scoreless minutes Drumsurn had another burst with Ciaran Mullan converting a free and his brother martin sending over from far out. Paul Butcher made it three in a row for St Matthews and Desertmartin has to start all over again.

Barry McEldowney cut the gap to two but Ciaran Mullan back in his own half back line spotted Friel in the clear and he calmly restored the three point lead.

At the three quarter stage Mullan was again the supplier for a fine finish by half back Christopher Harbinson.

With ten minutes left Desertmartin looked to be facing an uphill battle but they kept pushing forward with some subs making an impression, one of these Adie McGuckin was fouled and Donal Murray was on target. Enda McGuckin left two between the teams and Murray one with five minutes left.

In the frantic final minutes McGuckin made it all square, Butcher put Drumsurn ahead and Gregory McGovern became the toast of Desertmartin with that brilliant equaliser.

Team: Francis Chivers, Dane Mullan, Cahir Mullan, Michael Archibald, Christopher Harbinson (0-1), Shane Moore, Craig Chewning, Michael Coll, Ryan Mullan (0-1), Cahir Friel (1-1), Paul Butcher (0-2)(0-1 free), Martin Mullan (0-1), Pierce McNickle (0-1), Ronan McNickle (1-0), Ciaraan Mullan.

Subs:Stephen Harbibson fof francis Chivers; Mark McLaughlin for Martin Mullan; Colm Feeney for Shane Moore; Shane Moore for Michael Coll; Matthew Ferris for Ronan McNickle