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.
