DERRY GAA: Drumsurn second half too hot for Foreglen in Celtic Park

Drumsurn 2-15, Foreglen 1-08

This McFeely Group Derry Intermediate quarter-final should have been about Drumsurn's impressive second half gear change which suggests the St. Matthew's are hitting top form at precisely the right time in the season.

It should have been about the prospect of having a mouth-watering semi-final against another in-form team in the shape Faughanvale to look forward to. Instead all the post match talk centred on the reaction of Foreglen substitute James O'Kane to a second booking two minutes from time, a reaction that saw the O'Brien's man hit out toward match referee Emmett McShane as he made his way off the pitch. In fairness it looked more petulant than aggressive from an understandably frustrated O'Kane and the match official was eventually able to resume the game after treatment but the tie had already gone away from the O'Brien's, who eventually finished with 13 after John Duffy was later also dismissed.

The incident could mean a lengthy ban and it capped a second half to forget for Foreglen who were excellent for long spells in the opening half but lost control when Drumsurn stepped on the gas to hit 1-04 without reply in 10 scintillating second half minutes.

The scoring burst took the St. Matthew's from three points down to 1-11 to 1-07 up by the 46th minute and completely flipped the script of a quarter-final that had been the toss of a coin until that point. The key moment was substitute Aidan Duddy's 46th minute goal from a move that typified Drumsurn's slick team-play.

With only one point in the game - but Drumsurn starting to really purr as an attacking force - a brilliant interchanging move ended with Tiarnan Woods finding Cathair Friel who unselfishly squared the ball to the back post where half-time substitute Duddy had the simple task of punching into an unguarded net. It was fast, attacking football at its best.

From there, and with Dara Rafferty a superb driving force from midfield, Drumsurn were never going to be caught with Friel adding a second goal in injury time courtesy of an uncharacteristic mistake from Foreglen keeper Sean O'Hara.

Foreglen scored only one point in 30 second half minutes after Caolan O'Connor had shot them into a 1-07 to 0-7 lead four minutes after the restart. At that stage it looked like Drumsurn would have their work cut out for them but when the questions were asked, Drumsurn found all the necessary answers and will take some stopping on this performance.

First half it was thrilling stuff. Foreglen's aggressive press on the Drumsurn kick-out paid plenty of dividends early on until Tiarnan Woods and Shea Murray, who were both excellent throughout, started to provide exit routes for the restart, but it was end to end stuff.

Friel got his side up and running three minutes in only for Foreglen to level through an impressive Cahir O'Connor mark before Tiernan McHugh restored Drumsurn's slight advantage.

The dye had been cast and there was still only the minimum between the two teams on 17 minutes when the game's first big incident arrived after an untimely slip in possession by Dara Rafferty gifted Foreglen possession with Drumsurn keeper Ronan Rafferty stranded off his line. Tiernan O'Connor still had plenty to do at almost 40m out from goal but cool as you like, the O'Brien's forward rolled a lovely low finish into the empty net for a 1-03 to 0-4 lead.

Tiernan McHugh (f) and Eoghan Duffy swapped frees before McHugh's brilliant pass allowed Friel to fist a point that left only one between them on 22 minutes but Foreglen had already shot seven wides, a tally that would rise tom eight by the break, and it proved costly.

A lovely Cahir O'Connor point and one from Rafferty left Foreglen 1-05 to 0-07 ahead at half-time with no indication of the second half step up to follow from St. Matthew's.

Indeed when Foreglen, through the excellent Caolan O'Connor, scored the opening two points of the second period the smart money appeared to be on Paddy Downey's men whose high risk, high reward kicking game was extremely pleasing on the eye. Yet those two scores would be as good as it got as Drumsurn's game went up a level to outscore their opponents by 1-08 to 0-1 over the remainder of the game.

The double dismissal was an unsavoury end to what had otherwise been an enthralling contest and there may be repercussions to follow but as far as Drumsurn were concerned, a return to the senior championship had been confirmed as well as a timely return to top form that may have arrived at the perfect moment. The semi-final against Faughanvale looks one not to be missed!

Drumsurn scorers: Cathair Friel (1-5), Aidan Duddy (1-2), Tiernan McHugh (0-3, 1f), Cahir Mullan (0-2, 2f), Dara Rafferty (0-1), Tiernan Woods (0-1), Barry Harkin (0-1).

Foreglen scorers: Tiernan O'Connor (1-0), Caolan O’Connor (0-4, 1f), Cahir O'Connor (0-2, 1m), Eoghan Duffy (0-1), Liam Downey (0-1).

Drumsurn: Ronan Rafferty, Fearghal McIntyre, Daniel McNicholl, Michael McCloskey, Sean Butcher, Cahir Mullan, Eoin Ferris, Dara Rafferty, ⁠Barry Harkin, Shea Murray, Tiarnan McHugh, Tiarnan Woods, Harry Foster, Cathair Friel, Ryan Mullan. (Subs) Aidan Duddy for R Mullan, HT; Aaron Butcher for H Foster, 44mins; Pearse McNickle for B Harkin, 64mins.

Foreglen: Sean O’Hara, Paul O’Kane, Conrad Sheerin, John Duffy, Sean O’Connor, Oisin Duffy, Paul Downey, Darren O’Kane, Mark McCormick, Liam Downey, Caolan O’Connor, Eoghan Duffy, Cahair O’Connor, Tiernan O’Connor, Niall McConway. (Subs) Martin Brown for P Downey, 57mins; James O'Kane for C Sheerin, 47mins.

Referee: Emmett McShane