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.
Next First Team Fixture
V 
Tobermore Utd v Draperstown Celtic
Skills Development Centre
Folks this Saturday 04th September is the last day of the Football Development Centre for.Under 14 Registration
LadsAs we are now entering the Mid Ulster Youth League we have had to re - register you.The New Season
The sun shone, the pitch was in great condition and the team put in a very good performanc.Quick League Table
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