Olympic Toppled By Drumaness
The NAFL Premier League
League Match
Kilmore Playing Fields on 2nd April 2022
Ballynahinch Olympic 0 3 Drumaness Mills
Both sides went into this local derby clash with a lot at stake given their lowly league positions and for over an hour there was not much between the two teams with the game played at a fast pace and both sets of players looking nervous writes Cyril McKinney.
Every refereeing decision was increasingly being challenged throughout the game along with many rushed passes that were over-hit or misplaced. Relegation from the Premier Division for one of the teams was a glaring reality.
Both sides had chances in the opening minutes with Olympic’s James McLean firing wide from a Jason Noade knockdown after just two minutes, while at the other end James McGivern was wide of the target for Drumaness from the edge of the box on four minutes.
Drumaness almost took the lead on 15 minutes when ex Olympic forward Callum Dougan sent a rasping shot from all of thirty yards which hit the crossbar with such velocity the bar shook and the echo could be heard all round the pitch with keeper Timothy Larmour beaten all ends up.
Indeed Dougan looked sharp and up for the challenge and was leading the line and ably supported by Rory Mason on the left wing. Despite their hard work there was no end product as the Olympic rear guard stood firm with Noade and Murray sticking gamely to their task.
At the other end Olympic’s Nathan Jones pressed down the left wing and crossed for McClean who saw his goal-bound shot blocked at the near post on 33 minutes.
In the opening stages of the second half both sides chased and harried their opposition but it was Drumaness who began to build a sustained amount of pressure and it was Callum Dougan who broke the deadlock and the Olympic resistance on 73 minutes when he smartly drilled home a low angle drive from inside the right edge of the box.
Five minutes later Drumaness doubled their lead following a great left wing run and cross from the end line by Mason and there was super sub Eoin Rooney who got across his man at the near post to flick his shot past a helpless Larmour in the home nets.
The result was put beyond doubt on 84 minutes when, following a good save and partial clearance from Larmour in the Olympic nets, it fell to McGivern 30+ yards out and he pinged a first time shot back over the retreating keeper’s head and into the empty net – what a strike and sending the visiting supporters back to Drumaness with all three points in the bag.
Ballynahinch Olympic: Timothy Larmour, Dalton Tate, Nathan Jones, Jason Noade, Niall Murray, Connor Reid, James McClean, Chris McNamara, Ryan Molloy, Steven McGoran, Adam McLean. Subs: Liam Burns for James McClean, Gavin McMullan , Jack Roddy for Niall Murray.
Drumaness Mills: Marc Reid, Benjamin Campbell, Eoin Lundy, Thomas McConville, Gary Murdock, Joe Healy , Adam Kearney, Conor Carew, Callum Dougan, James McGivern, Rory Mason, Subs: Keegan Domican for Rory Mason , Eoin Rooney for Adam Kearney , Owen Wright for Conor Carew.
