Draperstown will feel that they let two points slip on Saturday after their draw with Moyola. While they dominated the second half, they could not grab that all important second goal. Moyola appeared happy with their day’s work and were quite intent in putting everyone behind the ball and will probably know that a point was the most they deserved, and were relieved to get that.
Celtic opened brightly and straight away took the game to Moyola with Flanagan and Scullion looking lively up front. Draperstown had a lot of possession and created a couple of chances within the first 5 minutes. On a rare attack a Moyola midfielder found the centre forward with a clever ball but a thundering perfectly timed sliding tackle from Roghan McCloskey snuffed out the chance and let the forward know it would not be an easy game.
Draperstown took adeserved lead on 10 mins when an excellent jinxing run from Odhran McGuigan ended in a shot from Flanagan which the keeper could only save with his knee. The deflected shot found his way to Ciaran Scullion who finished well into the bottom corner from 10 yards. However the lead lasted no more than 3 mins when near enough straight from the kick off Moyola punished Draperstowns naivety and the centre forward went straight through the middle to equalize. It was Moyola’s only chance of the half as Draperstown controlled the game and had 3 attempts cleared off the line and
a free kick from McCloskey hit the post.
Peter Lagan on the right wing was having a great game and causing all sorts of problems with his pace. The second half went the same way as the first with Draperstown camped in the Moyola half. Again Moyola had only 1 chance and this was dealt with by keeper James McCrory sliding out to block with his feet and the clearance was completed by Michael McGeehan. The centre midfield partnership of
Gallagher and Doole did well and with a few more games together could be difficult to beat. The Celtic full backs, Pearse Grant and Ronan Murphy gave nothing away and the whole defensive line looked solid all day.
The rest of the game was played in the Moyola half but unfortunately for the decent crowd of supporters the home team were unable to convert the chances as Moyola worked extremely hard to deny the second goal.
Overall a great effort from Celtic which did deserve more, and with a little luck they would have recorded an emphatic win. But with this attitude and application it should not be long in coming.
Team: James McCrory. Ronan Murphy, Pearse Grant, Roghan McCloskey, Michael McGeehan, Mark Doole, Conor Gallagher, Peter Lagan, Odhran McGuigan, Ciaran Scullion, Tiernan Flanagan
Subs: Aaron McBride, Conor Baker, Eoghan Gilmore,
Goals: Scullion
