Draperstown Celtic 1–1 Strabane
February 25, 2008
Draperstown dropped two very valuable points in a lack lustre performance against basement side Strabane at Cahore Park on Saturday. Despite having a great deal of possession, especially in the second half, they were unable to turn their countless chances into goals.
Credit must be given to Strabane’s keeper, Stephen Conroy, who at times performed wonders in keeping out the Celtic attack and almost single-handedly put a dent into Celtic’s title aspirations.
Again, it was the home side’s failure to start the game in a high tempo which caused them problems. They did create several half chances in the first half hour. Murray twice came close to put the home side in the lead but failed to test Conroy, but his best chance came on 20 minutes when he attempted to round the keeper but Conroy smothered the ball magnificently to keep Celtic’s top scorer at bay. Celtic almost paid the penalty for this early slackness when in their first real attack, Strabane should have taken the lead but Patton headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Draperstown then produced the best move of the match to date after 30 minutes involving Higgins and Murray before Conroy pulled off a remarkable reflex save to divert McSorley’s shot over the bar for a corner. From that Graffin’s volley was cleared off the line by McCallion and one began to get the impression that it could be one of then those days.
That thought became a reality as Strabane took the lead on 36 minutes. Following a corner which Draperstown failed to clear, Patton stole in for a header past Shane McGuckin to put the visitors into a shock lead. Draperstown almost equalised in their first attack from the resumption but Murray fired over from 12 yards which left Strabane in the driving seat at half time.
The second half saw the home side encamped in the Strabane half and Draperstown duely equalised after 56 minutes when Higgins robbed Moore and set up Eamon Murray who made no mistake from 12 yards. Two minutes later and Celtic could have taken the lead, when McNicholl’s free crashed off the cross bar with Conroy rooted to the spot, and how the home side didn’t score on 65 minutes when in a goal mouth scramble, Higgins, Murray and substitute Dean Flanagan all had goal bound shots blocked, no one knows.
Celtic then had a good shout for a penalty turned down when Mc Crory appeared to block Flanagan’s shot with both hands but nothing was given. It was Eamon Burns’ turn to hold his head in his hands when his header from a corner was cleared off the line by McCrory on 77 minutes before Conroy again pulled off a quite brilliant save to deny Eamon Murray three minutes later. Celtic then were denied what seemed another quite blatant penalty when Burns was pushed in the box before Conroy again produced another great save, this time denying Darren McKillion in the last minute of the game and in doing so gain a great point for the visitors.
Celtic still remain in a good position but this result will show that nothing in football can be taken for granted and if they wish to be thought of as contenders for the league title, they will have to improve on this performance.
An evening with Jan Molby
February 12, 2008
South Derry Grassroots Development Centre Presents; ‘An evening with Jan Molby’ Hosted by BBC N.I. Sport correspondent Joel Taggart.
SATURDAY 5th APRIL 2008
At Moyola Park Golf Club, Castledawson;
- Evening starts at 7.30pm
- 3 Course Meal
- Music ‘til late
- Excellent raffle prizes to be won
Sports memorabilia auction to include;
- Signed 07/08 Man Utd squad shirt
- Signed 07/08 Liverpool squad shirt
- Signed 07/08 N.I. squad shirt
- Signed David Healy N.I. shirt
Tickets cost £40 per person
Contact Niall Curneen (07802327541) to book your tickets now!
All proceeds go to South Derry Grassroots Development Centre
Draperstown Celtic 2-0 Roe Valley
February 12, 2008
A double second half strike from leading goal scorer Eamon Murray was enough to see off the stubborn resistance of Roe Valley and consolidate the home side’s strong position in the League.
The performance from Celtic was not one of their best, certainly not compared to what has been seen in recent weeks, but while Valley enjoyed good possession especially in the first half, Eoin Mc Nicholl, in Celtic’s goal, was rarely troubled throughout the game.
It was the visitors who began well with Brady and Doran giving the Celtic defence a busy time in the opening ten minutes though in this period both Murray and Quinn had the first efforts on goal, neither of which troubled Valley’s keeper, Cahir Mullan. As the half wore on, despite not being at their best, Draperstown created further half chances which fell to Quinn who headed over under pressure, and also to Eamon Murray whose turn and shot on the half hour mark was wide of the mark. Colin Murray should have put the home side in the lead on 41 minutes when he broke past Cooke but Mullan made a good save with his outstretched leg, diverting the ball for a corner from which Davin McSorley headed narrowly over.
The second half began at a higher tempo from the home side. Eamon Burns went on a surging run on the right, his cross being put behind for a corner by Ciaran Moore with Murray ready to strike. On 48 minutes it was Murray again, this time forcing a good save from Mullan. It was certainly Draperstown who were exerting the majority of the pressure now and they almost took a deserved lead on 52 minutes when McSorley crashed a header against the bar from Seamus Bradley’s corner, which a relieved Roe Valley defence were able to clear.
Declan Graffin again forced Valley’s keeper into making a great save when he met Colin Murray’s cross with a powerful header which the young keeper did well to parry away to safety. It seemed that it could be one of those days where not taking the chances created could have proved costly and just to prove the point, Billy Doran had a great chance to put Roe Valley into the lead right against the run of play. With Celtic claiming offside, the centre forward had only McNicholl to beat but he pulled his shot well wide.
That was to prove costly for the visitors as one minute later, Draperstown took the lead. Again it was from a dangerous Bradley corner and Eamon Murray rose highest to head firmly past Mullan after 58 minutes. Murray almost doubled the lead two minutes later when his header from McSorley’s free beat the keeper but was also just over the bar. However he made amends on 62 minutes when he was again in the right place to latch onto a loose ball in the Roe Valley penalty area and place his shot past Mullan.
While Roe Valley certainly never looked like caving in, they did not put the home defence under any sustained pressure in the last half hour and it was Eamon Murray who should have added to his season’s tally when firstly heading McSorley’s cross just wide and in the last minute side footing wide from close range.
Not the best Draperstown Celtic performance, especially in the first half but a much improved second 45 minutes brought about the desired result, and with it, their fourth straight league win in a row.
DC Training – Update
February 5, 2008
Tuesday nights in March in the new sports hall from 8pm to 9pm.
Thursday nights in the Meadowbank Arena, Magherafelt from 8pm to 9pm.
It is important that all those who are able to attend be there ready for the 8pm start.
We are using the hall on TUESDAY nights only. THURSDAY night training will be at the same outdoor venue and at the same time.
Next First Team Fixture
V 
Draperstown Celtic v Broadway Celtic
Under 15 Presentation Evening
The under 15 Presentation evening has been arranged for this Saturday evening 19th June 20.Re: Technical Issues
issues resolved..Technical Issues
Currently having a few technical problems with the website, hopefully be resolved ASAP.Quick League Table
| NI Intermediate League - Intermediate |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||