Drumragh U14 boys qualified for the Grade 2 league final with a 2-11 to 2-8 win over Kildress on Saturday
Kildress…………………2-8
Drumragh…………….2-11
Drumragh U14 boys qualified for the Grade 2 league final on Saturday with a fantastic extra-time win away to Kildress.
It is no less than they deserve, not just for how they played on Saturday, but how they have performed all year.
A goal deep into injury time from Conor Gormley brought the game to extra-time and points from Ryan Montgomery, Oisin Kerlin and Niall Maguire earned Drumragh a place in the final against Loughmacrory.
It was Kildress who got the game’s first score, a nice point from play. Drumragh started the game well though and created a number of early goal chances but found a Kildress goalkeeper in inspired form. He made a number of excellent saves throughout the contest.
Ryan Montgomery did bring the sides level with an brilliant long-range score and Niall Maguire then kicked Drumragh ahead from a placed ball after Aidan McCarney was fouled.
The Kildress goalkeeper made another great save from Conor Barrett, while Ryan Baxter and Ronan Bresnahan had to be alert to stop the home side from getting in on goal.
A couple of points from Kildress put them into the lead but Drumragh responded well to this and a good pass from Carraig McKenna found its way to Conor Barrett and he finished well past the goalkeeper.
Kildress got up the field for a point and they quickly added a goal. Brave defending from Rory Dolan stopped them getting another goal in the next attack.
A foul on Niall Maguire allowed Ryan Montgomery to convert a free but Kildress then got their second goal despite a good initial save from Drumragh goalkeeper Sean O’Doherty.
Drumragh finished the half well though. Lorcan McGrath and Conor Barrett set Aidan McCarney up for a good point and Ryan Montgomery kicked another free after good pressure from Conor, Frankie Monk and Fionn Collins forced a Kildress defender into overcarrying. All that meant Drumragh trailed by two at the break.
Conor Gormley’s goal brought Saturday’s league semi-final to extra-time
The teams went score-for-score in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. Ryan Montgomery kicked a couple of frees following fouls on Fionn Collins and Conor Barrett while Niall Maguire also scored a free that he had won himself.
The game was now end-to-end and was building towards an exciting finish. Niall McLaughlin, Niall Maguire and Kristian Devine were doing well to create scoring opportunities while Dylan Lowry, Oisin Kerlin and Rory Dolan stopped Kildress from stretching out their lead.
Entering injury time, Kildress were in front by three points. Drumragh needed a goal and it came from nearly the last action of normal time. The move started with a turnover in midfield by Turlough Collins. He drove through the Kildress defence and his pass inside found Fionn Collins, who showed good determination to get a shot off at goal. That was saved by the Kildress goalkeeper but the rebound came out to Conor Gormley who did so well to find the back of the net with a first-time finish off the ground.
Level game and the referee blew the full-time whistle not long after.
Oisin Kerlin put Drumragh ahead at the start of extra-time with a good point from a move involving Dara Cox and Ryan Montgomery. The lead was then extended out to three points with frees from Ryan and Niall Maguire.
It was now Kildress who needed a goal but Drumragh defended strongly in the second half of extra-time to deservedly claim a place in the final.
Scorers: Ryan Montgomery 0-6, Conor Barrett 1-0, Conor Gormley 1-0, Niall Maguire 0-3, Oisin Kerlin 0-1, Aidan McCarney 0-1,
Team: Sean O’Doherty, Ryan Baxter, Ronan Bresnahan, Rory Dolan, Conor Gormley, Ryan Montgomery, Carraig McKenna, Oisin Kerlin, Turlough Collins, Lorcan McGrath, Niall Maguire, Frankie Monk, Fionn Collins, Aidan McCarney, Conor Barrett
Subs: Niall McLaughlin, Dylan Lowry, Dara Cox, Kristiann Devine
Ryan Montgomery played centre-half back as Drumragh reached the league final
