Draperstown’s performance in this league game matched the emphatic score line as they totally overwhelmed a beleaguered Roe Valley side. The home side were second in every department as they were unable to match Draperstown in terms of fitness, skill and ability to make and take chances.
For Celtic, while it was an excellent team performance, the plaudits must go to Eamon Murray who scored five goals and looked a threat every time he went forward.
It was Murray who opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute when he latched onto Darren McKillion’s excellent through pass and calmly flicked the ball past Buttress in the Valley goals. This set the pattern for the game as Celtic attempted to push forward at every opportunity. Burns saw his overhead kick just go over the bar on 12 minutes before John Higgins fired wide on 22 minutes from a free kick on the edge of the box, given after Murray was taken down by Boyd who was fortunate only to be shown the yellow card for his action.
Draperstown doubled their score when John Higgins fired home from close range after 26 minutes. Seamus Quinn’s free found Heron whose pass released Murray who in turn found Higgins in too much space inside the Roe Valley box and the elegant mid-fielder was not going to miss from that range. Brendan Heron almost made it three on 40 minutes when his mazy run took him past three defenders but his shot just went past the far post. The third goal duly came but in a rather bizarre manner. Goalkeeper Buttress while attempting to clear his lines, inexplicably threw the ball to Murray on the edge of the penalty box who promptly dispatched it to the back of the net to give Draperstown a 3-0 lead at half time.
The second half was more of the same one way traffic towards the home goal. Any thought the home side had of getting back into the game was quickly nullified when on 50 minutes, Murray latched onto a through ball, beat centre half Moore and easily beat Buttress to complete his hat-trick and put Celtic four up. Matters only got worse for Roe Valley when Billy Doran was sent off when he picked up his second yellow card just after the hour mark while two minutes later, Celtic’s Murray continued with his own personal demolition of Roe valley when he was left with a simple tap in following after an excellent run and pass by substitute Emmett McKillion.
By now Roe Valley were totally demoralised and, as they had for most of the game, found it difficult to mount any type of serious challenge on the Draperstown defence, which was well marshalled by Seamus Quinn. More goals were to follow for Celtic. Their sixth of the game on 74 minutes, came from the hard working Raymond Caulfield whose cross from out on the right totally deceived Buttress and sailed into the far corner of the home net. Perhaps not meant, but a just reward for the midfielder who never stopped running during the game.
Draperstown weren’t finished yet and number seven came on 80 minutes when Andy Burns found Eamon Murray on the edge of the box. His run took him past two defenders before lashing the ball past a bemused buttress in the Roe Valley nets to bring his personal tally to five. Celtic completed the scoring on 91 minutes when Sean McBride robbed Michael Guy and found substitute Gary Conway who scored from close range.
It was an excellent all round performance from Draperstown which ultimately produced this fine win and keeps their recent good form going. However, they know that there will be sterner challenges ahead and they will have to keep their feet firmly on the ground if they are not to let this solid start to the season slip away.
