Loughmacrory Pip Drumragh To Claim Grade 2 Title

Sunday 27.09.2020

Club

Loughmacrory claimed the Grade 2 Under 14 league title at Killyclogher on Sunday but only after they were pushed all the way by an excellent Drumragh side who fought right to the last whistle. Both sides deserve great credit for their performances with superb scores,  brilliant blocking and tackling and high energy support play the order of the day.

Connor Barrett opened the scoring with a clever point in the sixth minute but Loughmacrory responded with a scoring blitz that yielded 2-2 inside four minutes. Ruairi Mc Cullagh, who was superb throughout, hit 1-1. This was followed up by a well taken goal from diminutive corner forward Mark Mc Dermott before full forward Pearse Mc Donald put his team seven clear with his first score of the game.

Drumragh dragged themselves back into the contest with Carraig Mc Kenna, Ryan Montgomery, Oisin Kerlin and Fionn Collins featuring prominently. Niall Maguire struck for a brilliant goal after thirteen minutes.  The Sarsfields added a further 1-1 to level the game at 2-2 apiece with their second goal coming from the boot of Oisin Kerlin and their point a fine effort from full forward Aidan Mc Carney.

Loughmacrory then hit a purple patch of their own bagging 1-4 after the first water break with Ruairi Mc Cullagh hitting 1-3 and Pearse Mc Donald adding they other point to go off at half time leading 3-6 to 2-2. Drumragh knew a good start to the second half was required and that was exactly what they got.

Ryan Montgomery opened the second half scoring with a point and Fionn Collins followed that up immediately with another to reduce the deficit further. Conor Barrett then broke through to hit the net and narrow the gap to two with only seven minutes of the second half played.

It was end to end stuff with neither side prepared to yield an inch. Every ball was competed for and the tackles and blocks were of the highest quality. Pearse Mc Donald waltzed through for a point to ease the pressure on Loughmacrory but Drumragh responded with an excellent score from Niall Maguire. With two points between the teams it was all to play for. Loughmacrory captain Mc Cullagh burst through and drove a shot for the corner which was brilliantly turned away by Drumragh keeper Sean O’Docherty to keep his team in the game. That save was only one of a series of great stops made by the Drumragh custodian over the course of the game.

Mc Cullagh (2) and Mc Donald added points to the Loughmacrory total as they looked set to pull away from the Sarsfields. A point from Ryan Montgomery reduced the Drumragh deficit to five with five minutes remaining. O’Docherty pulled off another super stop in the Drumragh goals and a converted penalty by Oisin Kerlin left the score 3-11 to 4-6 in favour of The Loch.

Drumragh laid siege on the Loch goals in search of another goal. Time and again they were denied by some superb last ditch tackling and blocking. Fionn Collins landed an excellent point to narrow the gap but Ruairi Mc Cullagh responded with a fine point for his side to extend the lead to two. One last gasp ball was launched forward from Kerlin into the Loughmacrory goals but Cathair Logue made a superb catch to deny the Sarsfields the chance of a match winning goal.

Referee Kevin Taggart sounded the full time whistle and the championship title for Loughmacrory after an excellent advertisement for youth football in the county.

Final score: Loughmacrory 3-12, Drumragh 4-7.