Drumaness Mills lose out to Armagh who just had the edge
Intermediate Cup Round 1
Meadowvale, Saturday 23rd September 2023,
Drumaness Mills 2 3 Armagh City FC
Armagh City travelled to Meadowvale for this Intermediate Cup Round One game and although they enjoyed a lot of possession in the first half they went into the interval at half time 1-0 down writes Cyril McKinney.
A breakaway goal on 43 minutes saw a Stefan Mason’s goal-bound shot deflect off the unlucky Armagh defender Anton Reilly and nestle in the bottom corner of the visitor’s net.
Up to that point neither side created any real clearcut chances that bothered either keeper despite a lot of industry from both sides.
Both sides had periods of misplaced passes, lack of close ball control and a lack of quality ball in the final third.
The visitors came out on the front foot at the start of the second half and were gifted an equaliser on 47 minutes when a mixup between keeper and defender allowed Bradley Okaidja, who worked tirelessly all game, to calmly side foot home into an empty net.
Drumaness responded well and regained the lead on 53 minute when Joe Healy volleyed home at the back post from a left wing corner.
Armagh were not done yet and pressed forward with real intent. Marc McConnell saw a long range shot shave the top of the crossbar on 68 minutes before they finally got on level terms.
A minute later. Matthew Butler made a surging rundown the left wing and fizzed a low cross across the six yard box and there was midfielder Noeem Oladunjoye ghosting in at the near post to flick the ball past the stranded Domican in the Drumaness nets.
By now the visitors were enjoying much of the possession helped by misplaced passes from a disjointed Mills team and went in front on 79 minutes through a well-taken goal from the hard working Matthew Butler.
Butler cut in from the left wing a fired a low drive through the keepers defence and ended up in the Mills net.
Despite their best efforts Drumaness could not conjure up any clear cut opportunities and it is the visitors who progress to the second round.
Drumaness can take heart from some good performances… Keegan Domican
produced a great save to keep his side in the game in the first half and
for large periods was commanding in his box.
Gary Murdock was his usual consistent self in the back line, Stefan Mason showed well before suffering an injury and had to come off and Adam Kearney, Peter Brannigan and Adam Murray all battled hard but came up against a strong physical Armagh side.
Drumaness Mills FC: Keegan Domican, Rory Deegan, Thomas McConville, Joe Healy, Gary Murdock, Eoin Rooney, Owen Murray, Stefan Mason, Adam Kearney, Peter Brannigan. Subs: Ben Campbell for Thomas McConville,Tom McNeill for Stefan Mason,
Daniel Bell for Eoin Rooney
Armagh City FC: Connor Byrne, Anton Reilly, Andrew Wilson, Matthew Butler, Jack Clarke,
Noeem Oladunjoye, Marc McConnell, Calum Macgregor, Scott McCann, Ben
Mullen, Bradley Okaidja. Subs: Keith Gaynor, Shea Geraghty for Calum Macgregor, Jordan King for Andrew Wilson.
