Drumaness Mills player takes ill and match abandoned against Abbey Villa
The NAFL,
Premier League,
Venue: Meadowvale, on Saturday 3rd May 2025,
Game Abandoned 11 minutes into 2nd Half.
Drumaness welcomed Abbey Villa to Meadowvale for this league encounter on a bright sunny day for football and the match got under way as the season is hurtling to a close writes Cyril McvKinney.
From the start Abbey Villa were pressing, sharper to the ball and did not allow Drumaness time to settle.
Abbey Villa took the lead on 19 minutes from a right wing corner that found Abbey Villa number 4 Matthew Dempster at the back post who powered home a great header.
1-0 up and Abbey Villa looked threatening on each attack and a breakaway on the right wing and a great cross found Ross Arthurs steaming in who directed his header past McGourty in the Drumaness nets to put the visitors 2-0 up on 26 minutes.
It could have and should have been more if Abbey had of taken their chances. As the game headed to half-time Drumaness had chances to score but a mix of good defensive work and last ditch defending from Abbey Villa left the half-time score at 0-2 to the visitorsxa0
In the opening minutes of the second half Drumaness started to make inroads on the Abbey defence and looked threatening.
Unfortunately approximately 11 minutes in, Drumaness player James McGivern took ill on the pitch and an ambulance was called. The referee took the decision to call off the game to allow medical attention to James who had collapsed on the pitch.
Special mention should go to Paul Magee and Simon Gordon from Abbey Villa who supported the Drumaness support staff in attending to James on the pitch – a sign of true sportsmanship.
James McGivern has now been released from hospital following assessment and treatment.
We all wish James a full recovery from that difficult experience.
Drumaness Mills: Conor McCourty (GK), Tom McNeill, Sean Og Kelly, Sheaxa0xa0Holland, Keegan Domican, Andrewxa0Watson, Declan Looney, Eoin Murray, Callum Dougan, Jack Sharvin, Andrew Kearney: Subs:xa0Damien Turley, James McGivernxa0for Eoin Murray.
Abbey Villa: James Darlington (GK), Ryan Murray, Casey Courtney, Matthew Dempster, Adam Arthurs, Ryan Convery, Jack Uprichard, Mark Cooling, Jake Wilson, Ross Arthurs, Alex McIlmail. Subs: Matthew Edwards, Daniel McFarland, Scott Robbie.
