Drumragh U14 boys suffered an agonising defeat in the championship semi-final against Beragh at Clanabogan on Saturday morning.
It was a fantastic game of football between two evenly-matched sides, but a late goal secured the visitors a place in the final.
Drumragh had made a confident start to the game, and took the lead when Shea Mullin fired over the bar following good play from Conor Fyffe, James Gallagher and Oisin Walsh. Niall Gormley then doubled Drumragh’s lead when he won Matt Gallagher’s pass inside, turned his marker, and swung over a nice score. Niall followed that up with a mark after he did well to catch Conor’s ball into the full-forward line.
Beragh came back and kicked three points in-a-row to level the game. Matt Gallagher then responded for Drumragh with a point after Tom Barrett, Cahir Keyes and Lorcan Starrs set him up. That move began with a brilliant piece of play from Matthew Barrett to win the ball back.
Matt Gallagher converted a free after good pressure from the forward line forced the Beragh defence into a mistake. A foul on Lorcan Starrs then allowed Matt to put Drumragh further ahead from a placed ball, which he did.
Beragh answered back with two points, but on the stroke of half-time Matt Gallagher goaled to give Drumragh a four-point lead at the break.
Drumragh captain Matthew Barrett pictured with the referee and Beragh captain ahead of throw-in
Beragh came out at the start of the second half on the front foot, and 1-3 unanswered put them in front. Drumragh needed important interventions from Oisin Walsh, Luke Hagan and Tiernan O’Donnell in the full-back line to prevent them from going further ahead. Drumragh goalkeeper Matthew O’Doherty also made an excellent save to deny Beragh.
Niall Gormley, Niall Burt and Joseph Taggart combined to allow Matt Gallagher to kick a good point. Beragh then responded with a point, but a free from Matt, and a brilliant score from Conor Fyffe brought the teams level once again.
The game continued to be a high-quality, entertaining contest, with Drumragh’s subs helping make it so. The teams swapped scores as the game came to an exciting conclusion. Tiernan O’Donnell showed good determination to keep possession while under pressure. The ball made its way then to Shea Mullin who fired over the bar. Matt Gallagher was also on target with a free after Eamon Barrett was fouled.
All that left the game all square as the game entered injury time. But Beragh hit that late goal, along with a point, to make sure of their progress to the final.
A brilliant effort from Drumragh, who have had an excellent season.
SCORERS: Matt Gallagher 1-6, Niall Gormley 0-2, Shea Mullin 0-2, Conor Fyffe 0-1
TEAM: Matthew O’Doherty, Luke Hagan, Oisin Walsh, Tiernan O’Donnell, Tom Barrett, Matthew Barrett, James Gallagher, Conor Fyffe, Shea Mullin, Niall Burt, Joseph Taggart, Cahir Keyes, Matt Gallagher, Niall Gormley, Lorcan Starrs
SUBS: Padraig Gormley, Ollie Hagan, Christopher Forde, Eamon Barrett, Ethan Montague, Conor Fyffe, Lorcan McDevitt, Sean Sloan, Paul McSorley, Connor Grimes, James Green, Conor Murray, Che Corry, James Donnelly, Mark Walsh, Ruairi Doherty, Eoghan Boyle
Drumragh’s Joseph Taggart brings the ball forward against Beragh on Saturday morning
