Draperstown progressed through to the second round of the Craig Memorial cup with a good win over a competitive Churchill side. Both teams were not at full strength with the visitors having three players suspended while Draperstown’s starting eleven only a shadow of the side which did so well during last season.
However missing players means an opportunity for others and Dean Flanagan has certainly grabbed his chance, scoring the winner yesterday, adding to his double against Roe Valley last week.
Draperstown began well and were one up after 6 minutes when Davin McSorley scored at the second attempt following a corner. Churchill came straight back to equalise when Brian Devine score following an indirect free inside Celtic’s penalty area. The game settled into a fairly dour struggle with little creative football from either side but Flanagan came close to restoring the lead but saw his shot canon off the cross bar with keeper Deeny beaten. Churchill themselves were not shot shy and David Scanlon tested Celtic’s keeper in quick succession with two well hit long range efforts. Sean McBride brought out a good save from Deeny before Celtic took the lead from a very well worked goal. Stephen Caulfield skipped past McGlinchey before putting in a good ball to the near post which Flanagan was able to get to first and direct the ball into the far post past a helpless Deeny on 38 minutes. A well taken goal from the player who last season was scoring freely for the U-17Celtic side.
Churchill opened brightly in the second half with both Ryan O’Donnell and Mark McKittrick coming close to grabbing an equaliser. The visitors certainly enjoyed the majority of the possession in this half and Celtic’s cause wasn’t helped with injuries to both Ward and Crozier forcing both to be substituted. McKittrick again came close for Churchill on 65 minutes but again shot just over, while at the other end, substitute Brendan Heron gave a glimpse of his ability with a jinking run and shot which produced a good save from Deeny on 76 minutes.
The home side were able to see out the remaining part of the game without too much trouble and grind out the victory which keeps Draperstown’s promising start to the season going.
