Ardboe v Dromore A Real Numbers Game

Saturday 10.09.2011

Club

There was a lot of talk after the Dromore v Ardboe draw on Friday night about the number of cards issued by the referee during the game. Some felt there was an unusually large number and perhaps there was but based on what happened during the game, few if any of the players who received cards could complain. Persistent fouling and dangerous play deserve to punished and dealt with and players, managers and supporters can complain all they like but take a good close look at the decisions and it is difficult to argue against any of the sanctions issued.  Indeed there were one or two players from both sides who on reflection might well consider that Cathal O’Hagan did them a huge favour by not issuing additional red cards late in the game.

In the context of any match but particularly a tight championship fixture, picking up an early or silly yellow card can prove costly and that was the case in this game as the intensity built and Ardboe sought to close the game out late on. Dromore were the first to be reduced to fourteen men following Fabien O’Neill’s second yellow just before half time but matters were levelled up in the second half when Ardboe attacker Frank Mc Guigan picked up his second caution.

Both teams will probably feel they have cause to complain about various decisions and passages of play but if they are honest in their assessment they will realise they can play much better and perhaps we can look forward to a much better game next time out. Having said that there were some highlights in what was a low scoring match as both Kyle Coney and Colm Mc Cullagh showed that the art of accurate long kicking is alive and well with some fantastic scores for their respective teams.

On a night when the attendance was not as good as the money men might have been hoping for it turned out to be a night when numbers were all important. Ten points each, fourteen men against thirteen, eighteen yellows, three reds, three additional minutes becoming nine, eleven wides to two, fifteen Dromore and fourteen Ardboe the best players on view, six rugby tackles in the final minutes of the game, countless time wasting stoppages during extra time and only four stewards to escort the ref off at the end. It all ADDs up to an intriguing battle next day out and perhaps even larger NUMBERS of spectators might turn out to see what is sure to be a compelling rematch.