Drumaness Mills beat Finaghy FC after going two goals down in Steel & Sons Cup Round 3 match
Toals Bet.Com Steel and Sons Cup match Round 3
Venue: Meadowvale, 9th September 2023.
Final Score: Drumaness Mills 5 2 Finaghy FC
Drumaness Mills started theis Round 3 clash against Finaghy with good intent but after an initial flurry of attacks, Finaghy started to play strongly writes Jim Masson.
Benjamin Campbell crossed to winger Eoin Murray who was running for the centre of the Finaghy box but the ball had too much pace.
Drumaness then won a corner and were certainly looking for an early goal.
The after 5 minutes Finaghy came back and attacked and Marcus Greenfield sent a volley just wide of the back post.
Adam Kearney who was starting to make charges into the Finaghy half had a great run with the ball and crossed to Campbell and Eoin Rooney waiting in the middle of the box.
It was a shock to the system for Drumaness when Finaghy scored the first goal when Andrew Gordon was part of a push through by the Finaghy forwards and found the ball at the back of the box and volleyed into the net to open the scoring in the 14th minute.
But again the ball fizzed through past the waiting Drumaness players in the box without a touch.
Jack Sharvin was playing a role of feeding balls to the front line and did it well chipping in a few lobs and making useful crosses.
In the 17th minute Sharvin made a cross to Kearney who ran in behind the defence and keeper Philip Warnock came rushing out and demolished Kearney who was much smaller in stature. A penalty was given.
Sharvin stepped up to the spot but his strike was saved by Warnock who read it and dived low to his right. This was a disappointment for Drumaness.
Rooney received a superb cross from Eoin Murray and his shot just scuffed the top post.
As play swung back into the home side’s half, James Edgar launched a fierce shot at the Drumaness goal but again keeper Reid managed to keep it safe.
Although Finaghy seemed to be exerting most of the pressure in the first half, Drumaness had a number of useful opportunities such as a quick break from Sharvin crossing to Murray whose attempt at goat was just over the bar.
But unperturbed, Finaghy kept fighting back.
There were spells that Drumaness were not holding possession of the ball well and challenging quickly enough but the very hot afternoon had something to do with that.
( Check: MATCH PHOTOS FROM JIM MASSON/DOWN NEWS @)
Finaghy seemed to get their tails up and in an attack Greenfield was just wide with a glancing header.
Then Finaghy saw a powerful volley from the right giving them a second goal.
Drumaness fought back again and Rooney blasted on target but a defender’s leg got in the way blocking the shot.
Drumaness midfield seemed to be working poorly and in one effort, Finaghy’s Jack Netherton found space to hit the ball on target by Drumaness keeper Mark Reid made a terrific reflex save.
Finaghy had made a lot of running into the Drumaness half expending a lot of vital energy in the first half.
Eventually Sharvin passed through to Rooney who ran in to the Finaghy goal area rounding the defenders and slotted the ball into the net almost on the half-time whistle.
Half-Time score – Drumaness 1 2 Finaghy.
When the second half started, Drumaness had it all to do. They had not sparkled in the first half but they certainly came to life in the second.
Sharvin moved to the centre of the front line and Drumaness were gunning for goals.
In one early attack, Rooney and Kearney both got shots in on target but they were unlucky not to have equalised as Finaghy scrambled to clear the ball.
Sharvin started to figure more in the attacks on Finaghy and in the 56th minute scored the equaliser give his side the confidence boost they needed.
Drumaness went up a couple of gears. Then Drumaness defender Thomas McNeill was brought down by Edgar and the referee pointed to the spot.
Jack Sharvin stepped up and this time nailed the ball into the back of the net giving keeper Warnock not a chance to blink, drawing the match all square at 3-2.
Drumaness seemed more energised and raised their game. They were looking now for goals to finish Finaghy off.
Finaghy had lost their edge but still managed to make dangerous excursions into the Drumaness half from time to time and were not to be written off at this stage.
Kearney made a useful chip to Murray who raced into the goal area but was met by keeper Warnock.
Then is was Sharvin who made a short lob to Murray who rocketed the ball just over the top bar.
Then it was Finaghy’s turn to threaten the home side goal area and Aaron Peden hit a solid shot again rising over the bar.
On 68 minutes Sharvin who had raised his game made a great cross to the middle always looking for the goal opportunities. Then eventually, the dam burst!
Sharvin crossed in to Eoin Murray who was close to the Finaghy goal and Murray converted a match-winning header on 75 minutes.
Drumaness were grinding away at Finaghy who were now looking more jaded having long lost their early 2-goal advantage.
This was followed by a cross from Drumaness defender Thomas McNeill to Sharvin whose shot at goal was well saved by keeper Warnock, now under quite severe pressure.
As the action unfolded, in the dying embers of the match, sub James McGivern was on hand for a pass from Sharvin to run in through the defence and score past keeper Warnock in the 91st minute.
Drumaness had found their confidence in the second half and as the Finaghy legs started to tire, they piled on the pressure answering a 0-2 scoreline with 5 goals that say that Drumaness Mills have the fire power when needs must.
Drumaness Mills will now be playing in Round of the Steel & Sons Cup on September 30th 2023.
(Check: MATCH PHOTOS BY JIM MASSON / DOWN NEWS ©)
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Drumaness Mills: 1 Mark Reid (GK) 2 Rory Deegan 3 Thomas McNeill 4 Benjamin Campbell 5 Gary Murdock (C) 6 Peter Brannigan 7 Adam Kearney 8 Joe Healy 9 Eoin Rooney 10 Jack Sharvin 11 Eoin Murray. Subs: 12 James McGivern 14 Daniel Bell 15 Jack Kerr. 18 Keegan Dumigan.
Finaghy FC: 1 Philip Warnock (GK) 2 Aaron Peden 3 Jack Netherton 4 Craig McCarthy 5 Niall Burke (C) 7 Andrew Gordon 8 Marcus Greenfield 9 Christopher Watts 11 Aaron Baker 16 James Edgar. Subs: 6 Luke Hendron 12 Christopher Stewart 14 Darren Scott 15 Ryan Adair.
