Classic with more twists than a Hitchcock movie
Sometimes a match defies analysis and that is what we got last Saturday in Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada as neighbours Dromahair an Drumkeerin served up a thrilling and pulsating GWP Intermediate Championship Semi-Final that eventually ended up as a draw.
GWP INTERMEDIATE CAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL
ST PATRICK'S DROMAHAIR 2-11
DRUMKEERIN 1-14
A wonderful Stephen Feeney equalising point rescued a draw for Drumkeerin in what appeared to be overly generous added time as Dromahair had turned the game around completely in an amazing second half transformation.
With a fantastic atmosphere thanks to two sets of boisterous and loud supporters, Pairc Sean was rocking last Saturday as the game came down to the very wire. And if the replay is half as entertaining, I'd encourage a lot of neutrals to take in this match on next Saturday.
For most of the first half, a composed, economical and stylish Drumkeerin appeared on their way to the Intermediate final as they dominated the first half to lead by seven points just a minute into the second half.
Yet Paddy McGowan's flicked goal just four minutes into the second half suddenly transformed the men in red as they completely took over for 20 minutes to go three points clear and suddenly look like certainties for the final on October 5.
But in a game that had more twists than Chubby Checker, Drumkeerin fought their way back to rescue a draw and definitely emphasise that when it comes to derbies, there is often nothing between teams.
Both teams deserve the highest praise for producing such wonderful football in a competition that has definitely lagged some way behind the Senior grade. There was great scores from both sides and totally committed players.
And like most draws, it is very hard to predict who will come out on top in the replay – in the first half, Drumkeerin looked several classes above their rivals but their composure and free-flowing football disappeared when Dromahair suddenly rediscovered their belief in the second half.
The introduction of subs Terence Leydon and Denis O'Rourke also contributed greatly to Dromahair's revival. Leydon, when introduced early in the first half, added a bit more graft and physical power in the full-forward line while a reorganisation of the team paid dividends.
O'Rourke came on just after Paddy McGowan's game-altering goal and his first act was to stroke a lovely shot over the bar. He added another point but his mobility gave Drumkeerin's defence lots of problems.
However, Drumkeerin showed amazing resilience of their own to come back from a three point deficit with less than eight minutes of normal time to go. Many a team would have given up and, at times, Drumkeerin looked like a beaten docket but when they got the sniff of a chance, they took it with both hands.
Suddenly, they regained the free-flowing football of the first half and with John Cullen a constant thorn in attack, Drumkeerin unsettled the Dromahair rearguard and staged an unlikely and remarkable recovery.
Both will feel that they let this one slip – Drumkeerin were in the driving seat but faded completely out of the game while Dromahair will feel they didn't perform at all in the first half, allowing their neighbours get on top.
On the plus side, both showed spirit and resilience to recover when all seemed lost and this is the sort of contest that could be the making of a championship winner.
The early exchanges didn’t give much hint of the drama to come as Drumkeerin missed three chances and Dromahair had one wide. However, when Edward McTiernan converted a 35 yard free on the left wing after five minutes, it opened the flood-gates.
John Cullen sold his marker a lovely dummy to score on seven minutes before fisting over. A minute later and Drumkeerin looked well on their way when Colm Clarke gathered the ball about 40 yards out.
He rounded Kenneth Casey and soloed in at speed before unleashing a powerful shot that gave keeper Padraig Flanagan no chance.
A shocked Dromahair made an immediate switch with Terence Leydon coming on and they settled themselves with a lovely solo effort from Kevin Conlon on 12 minutes. But an instant reply from Clarke, set up by a great catch from Ciaran White from the kick-out, emphasised Drumkeerin superiority.
That superiority changed in an instant when Alan Harvey’s 50 yard free dropped short only for Christy McGowan to fist powerfully to the right hand corner of the Drumkeerin net, availing of some terrible marking.
A Camillus McMorrow point, set up by good work from Leydon and Conlon left a point in it but all it seemed to do was spur Drumkeerin on to great heights as they added six points before the break to just one from Dromahair.
Richard and Edward McTiernan each landed two points apiece, both scoring one from play and another after a solo run. John Cullen added his second from a very tight angle after a solo run as Drumkeerin were finding acres of space in the Dromahair defence.
A McMorrow long range effort stopped the rot temporarily but Stephen Feeney finished a very good half for Drumkeerin with a lovely long range score to leave his side 1-9 to 1-3 ahead at the break.
That dominance seemed set to continue when Richard McTiernan converted an early free but Dromahair then started an unlikely comeback with a McMorrow free on three minutes.
A minute later and a seven point gap was down to three – pressure on Drumkeerin defenders trying to clear the ball resulted in a turn-over and suddenly, Paddy McGowan was bursting through under pressure to calmly slot the ball past Conor Woods in the Drumkeerin goal.
Denis O’Rourke was introduced at that point and his first act was to fire over the bar after good work from Conlon. The pressure continued to build as a big hit on Stephen Feeney, which necessitated his removal from the game, turned over the ball and Christy McGowan fired over a wonderful long range effort.
With just a point between the teams, Richard McTiernan lifted the siege temporarily with a free on ten minutes but Dromahair continued to press forward. Paddy McGowan and Leydon set up O’Rourke for a classy point from the left while Colm Clarke, charging through and looking to replicate his first half goal, had his shot blocked.
Camillus McMorrow drew the sides level from a sideline ball and a long range Paddy McGowan effort put Dromahair in front for the very first time on 18 minutes.
A hit on Kevin Conlon just outside the area allowed McMorrow to extend that lead an when the Dromahair free-taker added another, a great point after a foul on Christy McGowan with less than eight minutes of normal time left, Dromahair looked like definite winners.
But crucially, the scores stopped coming and Dromahair started to fall back – with less than three minutes to go, Richard McTiernan converted a free and you could see the belief billow through the Drumkeerin ranks.
With no sign for added time going up on the sideline, spectators didn’t know how much allotted time there was, adding to the excitement. However, it still seemed as if John Cullen’s point, over a minute into added time and set up by a great run from Colm Clarke, was nothing more than a consolation score.
However, the clock kept ticking with both sides missing chances before Stephen Feeney, back on after earlier injuring his shoulder, popped over an equalising point some four and a half minutes into added time.
It later emerged that four minutes were allocate but the clock kept ticking to nearly six before the final whistle blew and the crowd could draw a breath.
St. patrick’s Dromahair
Padraig Flanagan, Brian McMorrow, Barry Loughlin, Ronan Fowley, David McDermott, Kenneth Casey, Fergus Meehan, Adrian Fowley, John Evans, Paddy McGowan (1-1), Kevin Conlon (0-1), Christy McGowan (1-1), Shane Fowley, Camillus McMorrow (0-6), Alan Harvey. Subs: Terence Leydon for Evans (12 mins), Denis O’Rourke (0-2) for Harvey (35 mins), Michael McKeon for B. McMorrow (57 mins).
Drumkeerin
Conor Woods, Enda McNama, Francis Davitt, Adrian Smith, Aidan Dolan, Damien McPadden, Jason Beirne, Damien McPadden, Richard McTiernan (0-5), Ciaran White, Thomas Davitt, Colm Clarke (1-1), Stephen Feeney (0-2), Edward McTiernan (0-3), Stephen Gilhooley, John Cullen (0-3). Subs Keith Gallagher for Davitt (53 mins.), Daragh Flynn for Feeney (38 mins), Feeney for Gilhooley (58 mins.).
Referee: Finbarr Keaney
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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