Enda Henry was again on form for the Rorys.

Belturbet edge past Drumgoon to get first win

ACFL Division 2

Belturbet 0-11

Drumgoon 0-9

Mark O’Reilly

Belturbet picked up their first league win of the season when they overcame Drumgoon by a two point margin in Rory O’Moore Park on Saturday evening last. Drumgoon opened the scoring in the third minute when Keith Fannin converted a free. Sean Og Lawlor drew the teams level with a superb point a minute later from long range. Drumgoon turned Belturbet over from a short Belturbet kickout and Paddy McCabe worked himself into space to float over a point from 20 yards in the seventh minute. Corey Smith landed a 45 for the visitors to move them into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead. Paddy McCabe kicked his second point in the 13th minute, as the Goonies dominated the first quarter of the match, with Belturbet very wasteful in possession and guilty of erratic shooting clocking up a high first half wide count.

The water break came at a good time for the hosts as they regrouped and began to gain a strong foothold in midfield. The Rorys began to start winning turnover ball with Stuart Dunne, Shane Fitzpatrick and Killian Murray very effective during the entire match with cleaning up danger that came their way and the hosts looked dangerous every time they counterattacked. Shane Fitzpatrick’s good play saw him fouled in the 26th minute and Enda Henry fired over the resultant free. Sean Og Lawlor’s good probing run saw him hauled down and Henry again supplied the finish from the dead ball to leave it 0-4 to 0-3 in the visitors favour with 28 minutes gone. Fionan O’Reilly kicked a fabulous long range point in the 31st minute to ensure that the sides were level at half time at 0-4 apiece.

Jason O’Reilly kicked the Rorys first point of the second half, just seconds into the resumption and Fionan O’Reilly’s vision picked out Enda Henry, to arc over another point for the hosts after 34 minutes. Kaylan Jackson, who was the standout performer for Drumgoon, kicked a free after 37 minutes to leave the scoreboard 0-6 to 0-5 and that is how it would remain until the second half water break.

Jason O’Reilly clipped over another neat point and Augustas Saulis was denied a goal by a fine smothering save from Corey Smith with Enda Henry blazing over Belturbet’s eight point in the 47th minute from the rebound. Kaylan Jackson pulled a point back for Drumgoon with a well taken point to reduce the arrears down to 0-8 to 0-6.

Sean Og Lawlor used his pace to good effect to burst clear and rattle over two quickfire points for the home side to open up a four point cushion with eight minutes left. Kaylan Jackson was keeping Drumgoon in contention with his kicking and he landed a third point of the half in the 54th minute to leave a goal separating the teams. Jason O’Reilly teed up Henry to fist over a point to again give the Rorys some breathing space.

Drumgoon kept plugging away and Kaylan Jackson, who scored all of Drumgoon’s second half points kicked another two from play, to bring it down to a two point game.

Belturbet managed to stave off late pressure to pick up the win, in what was an error strewn game for long spells, as both sides were guilty of coughing up possession on multiple occasions and taking the wrong option when shooting.

Belturbet: Aaron Donohoe, Mark Lawlor, Peter Shannon, Alan Brown, Killian Murray, Stuart Dunne, Shane Fitzpatrick, Cormac Donohoe, Fionan O'Reilly(0-1) Evan O'Reilly, Donal McDonald, Sean Og Lawlor(0-3), Brendan Vesey, Cian Vaughan, Enda Henry(0-5 2f). Subs: Jason O’Reilly(0-2), Jack Lawlor, Augustas Saulis.

Drumgoon: Corey Smith (0-1 1 45), Dylan Hand, Killian Moynagh, Oisin Doyle, Enda Shalvey, Barry Cooney, Shane Smith, Kaylan Jackson (0-5), Adrian McCluskey Padraig Jackson, Keith Fannin (0-1 1f), Daniel Ward, Conor Moynagh, Paddy McCabe (0-2), Connor Bates. Subs used: Dermot McCabe, Conal McCabe.

Referee: Oliver Og O’Reilly