Drumlane impress against Shannon Gaels

Junior Football Championship Round 3

Drumlane 2-10

Shannon Gaels 0-7

Paul Fitzpatrick at Corlough

Drumlane secured their second win of the Junior Championship in impressive fashion as they put an out-of-sorts Shannon Gaels to the sword at the well-appointed Corlough venue on Sunday evening.

The early exchanges were tight, with defences on top, and Shannon Gaels could have been in front after missing some good chances. However, in the 10 minutes before half-time, Drumlane opened up, hitting 2-4 unanswered to move out of sight.

Key to Drumlane’s win were strong performances from target man Michael Owens, Ryan Connolly, Darragh Dolan and full-back Donal Monahan, who was tasked with handling Shannon Gaels’ danger man Caoimhan McGovern and did a good job.

Shannon Gaels, who came into the match unbeaten, started well with Shane Walsh kicking a super point. Ciaran Crowe, who turned in his usual industrious shift in the middle of the field, booted one over from 45 metres on eight minutes and on the quarter-hour mark, Cormac Flynn sent Drumlane into a lead they would never relinquish.

Ryan Connolly sent over two points in as many minutes and then played a big part in the game’s first goal, launching the ball towards Owens, who broke it down and fired to the bottom corner of the net.

Better was to follow in the 24th minute when Dolan scored a sublime goal, riding a tackle 30 metres out and beating two defenders before walking it into the net.

Owens sent over from another goal chance as Drumlane kept the pressure up. A Nevin O’Donnell free on 30 minutes was cancelled out by a well-taken Owens score as the Sons of O’Connell went in at half-time leading by 2-6 to 0-2.

Shane Dolan won a free which Connolly converted on the restart. O’Donnell hit back with another free but Connolly added another from play after a good run out of defence from John O’Dowd.

Dolan then added a point; Shannon Gaels replied through Shane Walsh, who hit the upright moments later after an acrobatic catch.

Dolan knocked over another to make it 2-10 to 0-5 before the Gaels rounded off the scoring with a 50-metre free from O’Donnell and a left-footed Caoimhan McGovern point.

Drumlane now sit on four points and face a must-win game against Knockbride. Shannon Gaels, meanwhile, will be expected to get to five points when they face Maghera.

Shannon Gaels: Kenneth McNiff, Conor McCaffrey, Stephen Fitzpatrick, Gearoid Flanagan, Daniel Fitzpatrick, Jason McLoughlin, Donal Flanagan, Shane Dolan, James Maguire, Shane Walsh (0-1), Nevin O’Donnell (0-3f), Sean McHugh, Philip McGoldrick, Caoimhan McGovern (0-1), Niall McGrath

Subs: Ronan McCaffrey, Billy O’Mahony, James McGovern

Drumlane: Harry Clarke, Francis Lunney, Donal Monahan, John O’Dowd, Shane Dolan, James McCahill, Ciaran O’Brien, Ciaran Crowe (0-1), Ben Monahan, Liam Belton, Darragh Dolan (1-2), Ryan Connolly (0-4, 1f), Cormac Flynn (0-1), Michael Owens (1-2), Daryl McGurren

Subs: Luke Longair, Gary Tubman, Jake Rogers