The Season So Far……
October 28, 2009
With a third of the season gone Draperstown Youth are finally turning the potential and style shown last year into results and points. With the experience of last year under their belts and with the addition of a few new signings bringing height and strength to the team, the Under 15’s are showing that they are one of the form teams this season.
Match 1: Draperstown Youth Vs Institute (3-1)
The season got off to a perfect start with a superb 3-1 win against Institute who last year were runners up in the league.
Team: F. Averill, M. McAuley, S. O’Hara, C. McCabe, J. McAuley, C.McKenna, O.Hegarty, A. Lagan, P. Flanagan, R. McGuigan, C. Convery
Scorers: T. Flanagan (sub), Convery, Hegarty
Match 2: Moyola Vs Draperstown (3-2)
The first away game saw the only defeat of the season so far. Draperstown will have felt that they were desperately unlucky not to have at least got a point from this game – the referee disallowing a perfectly good equaliser for an alleged foul on the Moyola goalkeeper.
Team: F. Averill, M. McAuley, S. O’Hara, C. McCabe, J. McAuley, C.McKenna, O.Hegarty, A. Lagan, P. Flanagan, R. McGuigan, C. Convery
Scorers: P. Flanagan, Convery,
Match 3: Coleraine Under 14’s Vs Draperstown Youth (0-5)
The withdrawal of quite a few regulars gave a chance to some of the squad players and they did not disappoint. On a very wet and windy day in Coleraine it was the Coleraine team who ended up getting blown away by a brilliant Draperstown performance. The highlights being a Tiernan Flanagan hat-trick, an exquisite lob from Aidan Lagan and a clean sheet from stand in keeper Ryan McGuigan.
Team: R. McGuigan, S. McBride, J. McAuley, C. McCabe (Capt.) D. Doyle, C. McDevitt, C. McKenna, Z. Elaliou, P. Flanagan, T. Flanagan, A. Lagan
Scorers: T. Flanagan (hat-trick), P. Flanagan, A. Lagan
Match 4: Draperstown Youth Vs Coleraine Academy (2-2)
Coleraine came to Cahore as league leaders and looking revenge for the previous weeks defeat of their under 14’s. In a very tight game, which Draperstown played the better football, honours were shared. The goals were both fine long range efforts – a first time shot from 25 yards by Danny Doyle and a free kick from all of 35 yards by Stephen O’Hara.
Team: R. McGuigan, S. McBride, J. McAuley, C. McCabe (Capt.), S. O’Hara, C. McDevitt, C. McKenna, D. Doyle , P. Flanagan, T. Flanagan, A. Lagan
Scorers: D. Doyle, S. O’Hara
Match 5: Draperstown Youth Vs Dungiven (2-1)
A local derby against a team that beat Draperstown 3 times last year. The game was a debut for new goalkeeper Chris Scullion The first half was a scrappy affair but Draperstown upped their game in the second half, played the better football and were deserved winners.
Team: C. Scullion, S. McBride, J. McAuley, C. McCabe (Capt.), S. O’Hara, C. McDevitt, C. McKenna, D. Doyle , T. Flanagan, P. Flanagan, R. McGuigan
Scorers: S. O’Hara, R. McGuigan (pen.)
Match 6: Donemana Under 14’s Vs Draperstown Youth (2-4)
The final game of the first round of matches was an away game to Donemana. Due to improvement work being carried out on the Donemana pitch the game was switched to Strabane. Between the atrocious weather, a terrible pitch and a very big physical home team it took the Draperstown boy’s time to settle into their usual passing football. The first goal came on 15 minutes when a speculative long range shot from Piaras Flanagan was spilled by the keeper and the ball trickled into the back of the net. The second goal quickly followed when Tiernan Flanagan was allowed to stroke the ball home after a goal mouth scramble. Draperstown were now firmly in control and in the 25th minute a great through ball set T. Flanagan on his way. The centre half tripped him from behind and the referee pointed to the spot.
Ryan McGuigan stepped up and hit an unstoppable penalty into the keepers top right hand corner. Draperstown were firmly in control and the only moment of real danger came when the Draperstown keeper picked up a back pass and an indirect free kick was awarded just inside the box. Draperstown saw out the rest of the half without incident.
The second half began the way the first ended – with Draperstown firmly in control, The pressure told and in the 2nd minute of the second half Piaras scored his second of the game to make it 4-0. The game should have been over at this stage but whether Draperstown thought they had it won or the substitutions disrupted the flow, the home team started to take the initiative and their efforts were rewarded with 2 goals in quick succession. In the end Draperstown had won the match by half time and it was just as well they had done so as they let the home team have far too much of the ball in the second half.
Team: C. Scullion, S. McBride, O. McGuigan, C. McCabe (Capt.), S. O’Hara, C. McDevitt, C. McKenna, D. Doyle , P. Flanagan, T. Flanagan, R. McGuigan
Scorers: P. Flanagan (2), T. Flanagan, R. McGuigan
A big thank you to Eugene and Aidan McAuley of the Diamond Service Station who this year sponsored waterproof training tops for the squad. This is very much appreciated by all at the club.
Also a big thanks to the Draperstown “Ultras” supporters who have travelled to all the games so far including a 90 minute journey to a wet and windy Strabane. Thanks for all your support and we hope it continues throughout the season.
Draperstown Celtic 2-2 NFC Kesh
October 20, 2009
NI Intermediate League
Draperstown will feel that they let two points slip on Saturday after their draw with Kesh. Twice they were pegged back after taking the lead and while they dominated the second half, they could not grab that all important third goal. Kesh appeared very happy with their day’s work and were quite intent in slowing the game down at every opportunity and will probably know that a point was the most they deserved, and were relieved to get that.
Celtic opened brightly and McCusker saved well in the 8th minutes from Gavin Bradley’s well hit shot and Fitzpatrick did well to clear Seamus Bradley’s dangerous cross five minutes later. The home pressure brought a deserved goal on 20 minutes when Seamus Quinn’s free found Eamon Murray in the box was then able to turn and find Gavin Bradley at the far post who scored from close range. The Kesh equaliser came 6 minutes later when Nicky Allen was adjudged by the referee to have been fouled and Noble put away the resultant spot kick. A dubious decision to say the least, but it appears recently that match changing decisions have not been going Celtic’s way of late.
Draperstown restored the lead on 35 minutes when a bad foul by Callum Funston on Eamon Murray saw a yellow card and a free. Seamus Bradley’s put in a wonderful cross and Gavin Bradley’s header gave McCusker no chance. Two minutes later and Funston again put in a bad challenge which was also worthy of a yellow card but this time the referee did not even award the foul much to the dismay of the Draperstown team. This was a let off for Kesh and they took advantage and they equalised when Mark Jones scored from Alan Johnston’s cross to leave the score level at half time.
The second half again saw Draperstown take the game to their opponents and they were denied a blatant penalty on 52 minutes when in a goal mouth scramble, Murray’s shot was blocked on the line by a defender whose use of his hands was evident to everyone but the official who waved away all the Celtic claims. Again Kesh nearly took advantage of the situation when Noble was denied only by a brave save from McConnell who dived at the forward’s feet. Noble was injured in the clash and took no further part in the game. The last twenty minutes saw Celtic dominate the game with Kesh relying on the break.
Seamus Bradley fired wide on 68 minutes after being played in by Gavin Bradley. Further chances fell to McLean, Higgins, Conway and Murray but none of them were able to test McCusker in the Kesh nets. Draperstown introduced Chris Larkin for his debut and while he looked very lively, he was unable to produce a goal for his new team. Right the end, Kesh had a great chance to steal all the points when Alvin Anderson could only shoot weakly at McConnell but his team were more than happy with the point.
A great effort from Draperstown which did deserve more, and with a little luck they would have recorded their first league win of the season.
Next week Draperstown are at home to Raceview in the Irish Cup.
Dungiven Celtic 5–4 DC
October 12, 2009
NI Intermediate League
Quite how Draperstown lost this, the opening game of the Intermediate league, is a matter for some discussion. Three up after 30 minutes, they had the defending league champions well and truly on the rack, but allowed Dungiven to eventually grab all three points with a winner from Stephen O’Kane in the 97th minute.
The game had everything. Celtic opened in great style with Eamon Murray heading past Magee from Sinclair’s cross in the 4th minute. The keeper then saved well again from Murray three minutes later while Crossett blazed over after a great run and pass from Sinclair. The pressure on the home defence was immense with Gavin Bradley, Joe Crossett, and Ryan Sinclair all exerting their influence.
Crossett’s great cross on 26 minutes was headed powerfully past Magee by Murray and two minutes later Bradley scored from a corner after O’Kane handled on the line. The referee decided to allow the goal rather than award a penalty and send the defender off. In hindsight that decision was to have a marked influence on the game to Dungiven’s advantage.
Celtic were cruising at this stage but appeared to take the foot off the peddle and allowed Dungiven to get a hold of the game. Butcher scored from the edge of the box on 37 minutes after Draperstown failed to clear a free kick and the home side were right back in it at half time when Darrell O’Kane headed in at the back post from Boyle’s cross on 44 minutes.
The next goal was always going to be important. Gavin Bradley came close with a header on 51 minutes but it was Dungiven who scored from a corner on the hour to tie up the game. But back came Celtic and Bradley came so close to cutting Celtic back into the lead when his quite brilliant effort from 30 yards slammed against the post and away. Dungiven took the lead on 78 minutes when a free kick deflected off Conor McSorley, totally wrong-footing McConnell. Celtic again upped the pressure.
Magee saved well from Bradley while Murray’s flick just cleared the cross- bar. Draperstown thought they had redeemed a point when deep into injury time Darren McKillion smashed the loose ball home after sustained pressure. But Dungiven were to have the last laugh. From the re-start they forced up-field and won a free from which O’Kane, who could have been sent off in the penalty incident, curled the ball around the wall and into the net for the winner.
DC Res 0-1 Lincoln Courts
October 12, 2009
North West Premier Division
Draperstown returned to league action at home for the first time since the first week of September. Unfortunately the match ended with the same score line.
There were two changes made to the starting line-up with Flanagan and Groogan coming in for the absent Manning and Murray. Unfortunately it wasn’t a player from either set of teams which made the greatest impact on the match, but the referee. Weak decisions coupled with no decisions resulted in frustration for both sides. Such frustration even resulted in the boiling over in emotion between Draperstown’s own players with verbal altercations the management won’t want repeated.
The match itself didn’t do justice to the superb surface at Cahore, with neither side taking control in the first twenty minutes. Scrappy long, high balls relayed back and forth with little skill involved. It was after twenty minutes, the first of three major decisions by the referee was made. The Lincoln Courts forward managed to get around Mallon in the penalty area, who then attempted to recover but fouled in the area. The resultant penalty was dispatched well, just out of reach of Farniok who almost made the save.
Following this incident Draperstown rallied, piling pressure on the Lincoln defence. Kelly pushed forward down the right flank along with the jinky McGuigan. McKenna and Flanagan pushed the defence with the latter shooting well near the end of the half. This goalbound effort was clearly handled by the Lincoln defender, but was not given for the second major decision of the match.
Draperstown regrouped at half time and set out about finding the equaliser. Conway, introduced fifteen minutes into the second half, showed promise initially down the left wing. However, he wasn’t supplied with enough ball. The approach was more direct from the Draperstown side. This method was proving troublesome for the opposition defence but the ball just wouldn’t fall for the home side.
As Draperstown pressed positively, the game became much more open with Lincoln playing counter attack football. This almost resulted in a goal, with the Draperstown full back clearing with the use of the woodwork with the keeper beaten.
In saying this, Farniok had prevented many other attempts in a solid performance from the youngster. The third major decision was yet another penalty area one. Flanagan reached the ball just before the keeper, who then proceeded to tumble the forward. Again, no penalty was given. Draperstown pressed until the end of the game but it just wasn’t to be their day.
Draperstown still await their first league win of the campaign. Surely it will arrive sooner rather than later and act as a springboard for the rest of the season.
Draperstown Celtic 1–1 NFC Kesh
October 5, 2009
Pharmacy Supplies League Cup – Group Stage
Draperstown secured the point they needed to progress to the semi final stages of the league cup, coming from a goal down to earn a draw against Kesh in a game dominated by the strong wind. They had enough possession to win the tie but the draw, together with other results mean that Celtic top the group and as a result will be at home in the semi final.
Again manager John McKee had to re-shuffle his team with a number of withdrawals but those who played did not let the side down and can be well pleased with their contribution. Kesh played with the wind in the first half but it was Celtic who looked the more likely to score on the break as they created several decent openings without really putting McCusker in the Kesh goal under enough pressure.
Draperstown lost Seamus Quinn early through injury but with Andrews moving into centre half the home side looked more than able to cope with the Kesh attack especially their top scorer, Mark Jones. McConnell did save well from Middlemass while Crossett and Flanagan did look very lively for Draperstown. Anderson cleared well from Flanagan as he bore down on goal while Haskins shot narrowly wide, but the half ended scoreless.
It was Kesh who rocked Celtic with a goal only one minute into the second half when Jones found time and space in the box to score past McConnell. However,they soon lost Middlemass through injury and for most of the reminder of the half it was Celtic who were putting a great deal of pressure on the visitor’s defence. McLean’s pass found Flanagan in acres of space but he hurried his attempt when with a little more composure, a goal looked certain.
The introduction of Eamon Murray saw Celtic play with three attackers. Crossett’s free was well saved by McCusker who then did even better to deny Haskins with an excellent save and from the resultant corner Murray headed narrowly over. But two minutes later it was Murray who danced and jigged his way past three defenders inside the box before coolly sliding the ball home past the wrong footed McCusker.
Kesh showed that it was not all one way traffic when McNulty’s free brought out a great save from McConnell. The final minutes saw Celtic push for the winner and only a last ditch tackle from Fitzpatrick denied Flanagan but the point was enough and Draperstown have another semi final to look forward to.
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
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