Newbuildings fully deserved the three points from this league fixture, played in gale force wind conditions and on a pitch which deteriorated badly as the game progressed.
A victory for Celtic would have pushed them into the top three but their plans went astray as early as the 12th minute when captain John Higgins was sent off for a deliberate hand ball on the line. Jason Hay dispatched the resultant kick, though McConnell was unlucky to see his attempted save come off the underside of the cross bar and in.
Draperstown worked very hard to get back into the game with Conway and McBride putting in a sterling effort in the centre of the field but they found it difficult to put McKeegan in the visitors’ goals under any real pressure. With the wind at their backs Newbuildings certainly had the majority of the possession but they did not double their tally until the 42nd minute when Peter Allen sent a screamer to the net from 30 yards.
The second half saw Draperstown, playing with the considerable wind attempt to get back into the game, but despite a great deal of possession they were unable to get past the solid Newbuilding’s defence. Gary Conway tested McKeegan from long range and the same player saw his corner kick hit the Newbuilding’s cross bar, but in truth Draperstown did not do enough to suggest that a comeback was on the cards.
Little was seen of the visitors as an attacking force in the second half but the one man advantage for 78 minutes and their better use of the conditions in the first half were the main factors in their continued good league form.
