Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Round 2B

Drumhowan 0-11 Oram 0-10                                   26/7/14

 

Drumhowan kept their JFC hopes alive when they edged past Oram by the narrowest of margins in Blackhill on Saturday evening. After leading by a single point at half-time, Drumhowan conceded the first four points of the second period, but they gradually worked their way back into the game and top scorer Colm Lambe, who was restricted by injury to a 15-minute cameo, kicked the winning point late on. Niall and Kieran Mooney, Darren Duffy, David Millar and John Paul O’Neill were best for Drumhowan, while Pauric Graham, Lorcan Keenan and Cathal Crowe helped lead a determined Oram challenge.

A Pauric Graham free gave Oram an early lead, but David Millar quickly brought Drumhowan level with a point from play and he then won and scored a 13-metre free. Oram were inches away from finding the net on seven minutes through Ryan McGuinness, whose shot came back off the post for Leo Burke to send the rebound over the bar. Graham added a point from play and McGuinness won and scored a 40-metre free, but Drumhowan got on top around the end of the opening quarter and quick hands by Millar created a goal chance for Anthony Mulligan, who fired wide.

Niall Mooney ended 10 scoreless minutes for the eventual winners after taking a pass from Aidan Duffy and Kevin Mooney linked up with Darren Duffy to bring them back on level terms. Millar set up Niall Mooney to double his tally and although Graham replied via a free from the left wing, after a foul on McGuinness, Millar won and scored another close-range free to give Drumhowan a 0-6 to 0-5 lead at half-time.

Oram started the second half brightly, with Danny Lynch kicking a point in the opening minute and substitute Aaron Molloy edging them ahead after dispossessing a Drumhowan defender. Burke landed a good point after a one-two with McGuinness to double Oram’s lead and Graham converted a 20-metre free for a foul on Cathal Crowe to make it four in a row.

Drumhowan eventually got their first score of the second half in the 13^th minute when Kieran Mooney pointed at the end of a strong run by Kevin Mooney and when an attempt from Niall Mooney came back off the left upright, Aidan Duffy’s shot at goal was tipped over the bar by Oram keeper David Sheehy. A Millar free released Kieran Mooney to swing over a well-taken equaliser, but a foul on Molloy allowed Graham to regain Oram’s lead from a 30-metre free. Millar punished a loose pass from Sheehy to bring Drumhowan level and Colm Lambe then combined with fellow substitute Kieran McElroy to hit what would prove to be the winner.

 

 

Drumhowan: E Duffy; M McElroy, Dermot Mooney, D Duffy; P Mulligan, B McGuirk, L McGuirk; JP O’Neill, A Mulligan; N Mooney (0-2), Kevin Mooney (0-1), Kieran Mooney (0-2); A Quinn, D Millar (Capt., 0-4, 2f), A Duffy (0-1).

Subs: Colm Lambe (0-1) for A Duffy (45 mins), K McElroy for Quinn (48), M Atkinson for P Mulligan (59).

 

Oram: D Sheehy; C Crowe, L Keenan (Capt.), C McGuinness; G Keenan, S McBride, R Murphy; S Graham, D Crowe; D Forde, R McGuinness (0-1f), D Lynch (0-1); J Mone, L Burke (0-2), Pauric Graham (0-5, 4f).

Subs: A Molloy (0-1) for S Graham (inj., 28), J McDonald for Molloy (inj., 50), C McGeough for Forde (black card, 62).

 

Referee: H McKenna (Monaghan Harps).