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DC 3-5 Nortel

This Irish Cup second round tie at Cahore Rd. saw a roller coaster of a game. With fourteen minutes left of normal time Draperstown found themselves 3-0 down but fought back to force the game into extra time with a 95th minute equaliser from Darren McKillion only to concede two further goals in this period from which they were not able to recover.

Nortel, like Draperstown have had a poor start to their league campaign and their victory had its element of luck while Celtic contributed to their own downfall with what has to be said was a poor display from them during the first hour of the game. The opening exchanges were even but it was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Butler’s free kick took a wicked deflection off Quinn, leaving McNicholl flatfooted. There was almost an immediate response from Draperstown but Caulfield was unable to get the vital touch from Graffin’s inviting cross. The half hour saw Nortel extend their lead after Conlin stole possession he advanced and shot tamely from 22 yards but McNicholl allowed the shot to squirm from his grasp and into the net and Nortel were firmly in the driving seat.

McLean could have pulled a goal back for Celtic on half time but his header from Quinn’s free went wide. The second half opened badly for Draperstown when Butler was given all the time in the world to score number three and with the home side in apparent disarray, the tie looked well and truly over even at this stage.

Draperstown’s first shot on target came on 59 minutes when Tracey saved very well from McBride and two minutes later, referee Hetherington waved away Celtic appeals for a penalty when Murray appeared to be tripped in the box. By now however Draperstown were determined to go down fighting. All three subs were used and the introduction of Eamonn Burns was a major factor in Celtic getting back into the game. His astute pass on 76 minutes found Murray who was tripped by Bloomfield, the Celtic forward picking himself up to send Tracey the wrong way. Tempers threatened on more than one occasion to get out of hand and several players were cautioned as the temperature of the game was certainly much higher than that of the weather. A foul on the left side of the penalty area gave Burns the opportunity and he drilled the ball home through a ruck of players to ensure a grandstand finish.

The equaliser, in the fifth minute of injury time, saw Quinn’s free kick fall to McKillion who found enough space to slide the ball into the far corner and send the tie into extra time. However it was the visitors who wrapped the game up in the extra 30 minutes. Mulholland fired past McNicholl when Caulfield had been robbed of possession. McBride had a great chance to equalise but delayed and the opportunity was gone. Murray had a header cleared off the line by Doyle before Butler score his second and Nortel’s fifth right at the end of the first period of extra time. Draperstown were unable to put enough pressure on Tracey’s goal in the second half and ultimately paid the price for a very sluggish performance in the first hour of the tie.

DC 1-3 Ardstraw

Reigning league champions fell to their third successive league defeat of the season, under the lights against league newcomers, Ardstraw. The win, a decisive one for the home side, also saw Draperstown’s recent run of bad luck continue. The Ardstraw woodwork was rattled three times while two goal line clearances with the keeper beaten and a “goal” not given even though the ball was some two feet behind the line just about summed up Celtic’s night and season so far.

Draperstown did start very well with Murray and Mulholland proving a real handful for the Ardstraw defence. Ross Murray saved from his namesake Eamon’s free on 5 minutes and did better on 16 minutes when the Celtic striker nutmegged Gowley but the Ardstraw keeper saved well. It was then Mulholland’s turn to open the home defence on 20 minutes when after beating two defenders his shot beat the keeper but also the far post.

It was very much against the run of play when Ardstraw took the lead in spectacular fashion. Stephen Dunlop’s 25 yard strike into the top corner was their first shot on target but Celtic almost equalised right from the re-start when Ally McLean’s header from Conway’s free, hit the bar with Murray stranded. It was Eamon Murray’s turn to hold his head in anguish on 36 minutes when after a good pass from Gavin Bradley, he rounded the Ardstraw keeper but Darren Boyd slide in to clear off the line and rescue the home side. Ian Hill almost increased the lead on half time but failed to make contact with Watson’s inviting cross.

The second half was only two minutes old when Celtic were denied an obvious goal. In a period of pressure on the home goal, Gowley cleared off the line from Murray at the expense of a corner,. The resulting kick eventually saw the ball well over the Ardstraw line before Ross Murray flick the ball clear. The referee saw fit to wave play on which resulted in Hill breaking clear at the far end and score past McNicholl in the Celtic goal and put Ardstraw in a commanding position. Two almost became three but McNicholl saved wonderfully from Irwin. A third goal for the home side did come on 65 minutes when Hill took advantage of poor Celtic defending while Celtic’s consolation came on 75 minutes when Murray headed in Bradley’s cross. There was still time for Mulholland to hit the crossbar again but it was not to be Draperstown’s night and their first league win of a disappointing season has yet to be claimed.

DC Youths 3-2 Glebeside

Draperstown welcomed Glebeside to Cahore on Saturday 08th November to play the 5th game of the league campaign.

With results not going the Draperstown way it was important that the home team put in a good performance. However it was Glebeside who looked the sharper team and took the lead in 10th minute when confusion among the Draperstown team left the Glebeside striker 1 on 1 with the keeper and he slotted home to make it 1–0.

In previous games this may have led to the heads dropping but to their credit the home team did not let this get to them as they began to settle down and play some good football. A deserved equaliser arrived around 20 minutes when debutant striker Tiernan Flanagan latched on to a great through ball and his composed run and finish made it 1 each. This gave Draperstown new confidence and they began to exert more pressure on the visitors. An inswinging corner from Conor Mc Auley caused panic in the Glebeside box and Draperstown took the lead with an own goal.

The second half started the way the first ended with the home team dominant. About 10 minutes into the half Draperstown made it 3-1 with an excellent team move – involving Aidan Lagan, Piaras and Tiernan Flanagan, Ryan Mc Guigan – moving the ball quickly from defence to attack and ending with a great finish from Conor Mc Auley.

Glebeside launched a fight back and with 5 minutes to go some slack play led to a second Glebe goal. This meant a very nervous last 5 minutes for Draperstown but they hung on bravely to record their first league win.

A good team performance from all involved.

Team: Ciaran Mc Cloy, Mark Mc Auley, Barry Grant, Jack English, Cahir Mc Cabe, Danny Doyle, Aidan Lagan, Ryan Mc Guigan, Conor Mc Auley, Piaras Flanagan, Tiernan Flanagan

Subs: Kyle Wilson, Peter Lagan, Zac Elalilou, Cahir Glass, Oisin Hegarty

UUC 4-3 DC

For the second season in a row Draperstown exited the league cup at the semi final stage, this time against the current cup holders UUC. This was an end to end game with chances for both teams to have won the tie in normal time and Celtic will count themselves unfortunate not to be in the final. UUC’s first two goals had more more to do with the strong wind than any real skill on their behalf while Draperstown’s effort and hard work were to be admired, but ultimately this was not enough to see them through to the final.

Draperstown were forced to make five changes from last week’s win in the Irish cup, but appeared to make light of this and took the game to UUC in the opening minutes. New signing, Daniel Mulholland, who looked very lively throughout, almost caught the home defence out on 10 minutes when a long clearance from another debutant, goalkeeper Jonathon Kelly, found the forward bearing down on goal but keeper McGeough was able to parry the shot away. Ally Gordon headed over Kelly’s crossbar from Doherty’s cross when he should have done better but the university side took the lead on 19 minutes when Trolan’s high cross from the left touch line caught the wind which took it over the despairing hand of Kelly and into the net for a fortunate goal. Right from the re-start Celtic attacked and a pass from Gary Conway saw Seamus Bradley gather the ball, round the keeper and stroke in the equaliser.

Trolan shot wide for UUC but it was Celtic who took the lead on 34 minutes when Eamon Murray found Mulholland who was brought down in the box by Harford for a penalty which Murray dispatched with ease.
UUC’s equaliser also had a taste of luck to it when Jerome McAtee’s inswinging corner was misjudged by Kelly and went straight into the net for the equaliser.

With the wind in the second half, Celtic had a lot of the early pressure. Another long clearance from Kelly found Mulholland whose drive rattled the cross bar with McGough beaten. Gavin Bradley’s right wing cross just cleared the UUC bar and Mulholland had claims for a penalty brushed aside by the referee as the visitors looked likely to take the lead. Murray had a free saved and McGeough saved well from Hassan’s 20 yard effort. The last ten minutes saw UUC mount several good attacks one of which saw Darren McKillion clear off the Draperstown line but the end of ninety minutes saw the sides deadlocked at 2-2.

UUC were to take the game by the scruff of the neck during this period. In the 98th minute McAtee coolly stroked the ball home from the edge of the box after Doherty’s cross was not properly cleared and in the 109 minute Gordon scored to put the university side 4-2 up. Seamus Bradley pulled a goal back latching onto Sean Young’s free kick and Murray almost snatched a dramatic last ditch equaliser but his header at the near post was just too high and with went Draperstown’s last chance of the game. A great deal of effort from Celtic especially from McLean and McKillion in the heart of the defence while Murray and Mulholland kept the UUC defence on their toes for the entire game.

Next week it is back to the league when Draperstown are at home to Strabane.

DC 2-0 Magherafelt Sky Blues

A second half double from Eamon Murray in his first outing for Celtic this season, having recently transferred back from Armagh City, sealed a solid victory for Draperstown in this first round of the Irish cup.

Played on a very heavy pitch both teams served up an entertaining encounter and as would befit two evenly matched teams it was the home side’s ability to create and take their chances which was the main factor for their victory. Magherafelt had their moments and should have taken a first half lead which may have resulted in a different outcome but it was Murray’s sharpness in front of goal which was the decisive factor.

The Blues began very well and played at a high tempo, with the Monaghan brothers and Hawe in good form but once again Celtic’s defence was more than resolute and in right back, Raymond Caulfield, they had the man of the match. The first good chance came on 18 minutes when Collins’ right wing cross was cleared only to Hawe who shot wide when well placed. Benny Heron fired a snap shot over O’Neill’s bar while only a great clearance from Caulfiled prevented Ciaran Monaghan from scoring for the Blues after 24 minutes. With McBride and Heron beginning to exert their authority in mid field Magherafelt’s early dominance began to lessen and by half time Draperstown was beginning to have greater possession of the ball but with defences on top both teams went in level.

Celtic began the second half well and soon had the Blues on the back foot. Gavin Bradley headed over from Seamus Bradley’s excellent cross on 48 minutes but the home support did not have long to wait until the opening goal. Magherafelt were unable to deal with Quinn’s free and when Bradley’s miss hit shot fell to Murray his reactions were sharp as he steered the ball past O’Neill. As one would expect Magherafelt responded well and created some panic in the home defence. McAleese’s cross had McNicholl scurrying across his goal while the keeper did well to save from Monaghan.

A series of corners saw the Blues almost snatch an equaliser on more than one occasion but Draperstown rode their luck a little and the referee’s whistle ruled out Monaghan’s effort, the ball having gone over the end line before being crossed in.

Both teams used all their substitutes and for Draperstown Dean Flanagan was robbed of an excellent goal when a poor offside decision ruled out his excellent finish on 83 minutes. The victory was sealed however on 88 minutes when Bradley’s wonderful cross was put away by Murray with a firm header leaving O’Neill with no chance. Chris Brady almost pulled a goal back for Magherafelt in injury time but McNicholl pulled off a fine blocking save to deny the ex Celtic player.

An important victory for Draperstown whose form this season has yet to reach the heights of last year, but this result should go a long way in bringing back some much needed confidence.
Draperstown are now at home to Nortel in the second round

Next First Team Fixture

NI Intermediate League | 13th March 2010
V
Draperstown Celtic v Mountjoy FC