Mission accomplished
November 27, 2011The club's first move in their bid for survival was to appoint former Meath hurler Kevin Dowd as manager for the 2011 campaign. Dowd has built up a good reputation as a coach in the past few years, despite the fact that he is still hurling with his club Dunderry and it was certainly a shrewd move by the club to get him involved.
Kevin spoke to the Royal County Yearbook and he revealed to us that his main goal was to consolidate Drumree's position in the senior ranks. The club were dealt a good slice of luck when placed in what was the 'weaker' side of the draw in that they avoided meeting the big guns like Kildalkey, Kilmessan and Kiltale.
However, they were still considered by many as the team to be relegated, but Dowd knew from early on that he had a very determined bunch of lads under him. "We would have a small panel of players to work with, but they are a very committed bunch and they really wanted to stay up senior," admitted Kevin.
Drumree would face Na Fianna, Dunboyne, Gaeil Colmcille, Trim and Navan O'Mahony's in the group stages and all these sides would have fancied their chances against the 2010 intermediate champions.
"For any side that gain's promotion, the main aim is to stay up in your first year there. We knew that we had a good chance of that when the group draws were made, although I'm sure all the other teams would have felt that they could take points off us."
In their opening match, Drumree would face Na Fianna. This match was played in Kildalkey and it turned out to be a very tight affair indeed.
There was little between the teams in the opening half but it was the scoring prowess of Barry Slevin which made the difference. Slevin hit 1-01 in five minutes to add to the opening points scored by Daniel Gleeson and Diarmuid Bailey. Eoin Reilly was also in great form and he put over two excellent points in addition to two huge long range efforts from Shane Burke and Sean Griffin. Two further Slevin points left the score at 1-10 to 1-6 to Na Fianna at half time.
The second half was very scrappy affair where Drumree outscored their opponents by 0-7 to 0-4. David Wallace got two points early in the second half but two points for Na Fianna restored their four point lead. Stephen Doyle pulled one back from a free but two Barry Slevin pointed frees put Na Fianna five points in front. The second of these in the twelfth minute was Na Fianna's last score. Drumree dominated to the end but found scores difficult to get. James Reilly pointed from a free and a "65". Stephen Doyle hit the upright from a close range free but David Wallace failed to connect with the rebound with the goal at his mercy. However Wallace did add two points from play to leave just one in it.
Na Fianna only mustered one point from play through Kirby and Slevin added three pointed frees. Na Fianna's final score from a Slevin free was in the seventeenth minute and it was not until deep into injury time that the next scores were taken, this time by Drumree as they moved within a point of their opponents. But the missed free proved costly for Drumree and Na Fianna were let off the hook to claim the win on a scoreline of 1-14 to 1-13.
"The Na Fianna game was certainly one that we should have won. We had the chances, but unfortunately didn't take them. However, this performance gave the lads great confidence as they now knew they could match any team in the group."
Another close match followed against Dunboyne as St Peter's opened the scoring with two points in three minutes but Drumree replied with points from Fearghal Delaney, Ronan Curley and Stephen Doyle.
Dunboyne levelled but Drumree went three up with points from Brendan Walsh, John Crimmons and a long range free from Shane Troy. Dunboyne pulled one back but a Stephen Doyle '65 kept three in it. Dunboyne's Niall Hackett scored three frees to go one in front but Doyle again levelled with a converted '65.
David Wallace opened the scoring in the second half but Dunboyne levelled. The sides were level at ten all and eleven with two Doyle frees with another Doyle free putting Drumree one point up.
Then Dunboyne goaled. They added two more points and in the twenty ninth minute scored their second goal. They added another point while David Troy got his stick to a lobbed ball to close the scoring for Drumree. (2-14 to 1-12).
Despite the spirit and determination shown by Dowd's charges, they still had no points from two outings, but this was about to change in their next match, which was against Gaeil Colmcille.
A goal just before half time put Kells two points up at the break. Gaeil Colmcille added to their lead in the seventh minute of the second half but one minute later a long ball floated in by John Crimmons was fielded over the full back by David Troy and kicked into the net to level the match. Stephen Doyle put Drumree two up with a converted '65 and a free. The Kells men pulled one back but a pointed free by Stephen Doyle and one from play by George Troy had Drumree three points up with only a couple of minutes left.
A long ball floated in by David Wallace this time, was again fielded by David Troy over the full back and again kicked into the net. Stephen Doyle closed the scoring with a pointed free to give Drumree victory by a flattering seven points.
"After the first two games we knew that we could compete with any team in the group, but we needed to start picking up points. The result against Kells was deserved, but the game could have gone either way as it was very close all the way through."
That first win gave the side a renewed confidence and when Drumree faced 2010 semi finalists Trim, they knew that they had a genuine chance of taking something from the game.
The reds opened the scoring with a point from a '65 in the sixth minute but three pointed frees by David Wallace and a point from play by James Reilly after a pass from James Gaughan had Drumree ahead by three points. In the twentieth minute Trim scored a goal and while David Wallace pulled a point back from a free. Trim closed out the first half scoring with a point from a '65 to leave the goal in it at half time.
Trim added two points early in the second half which was cancelled by a point from a Wallace free and a long range effort from Brendan Walsh. Trim then added three points to take control with a six point lead. In the 14th minute David Troy scored a goal that Drumree's play had threatened and followed it with a point. Trim pulled three ahead again, Brendan Walsh cancelled it out with another long range point but two points by Trim had them four points clear with 30 minutes gone. Drumree fought with great spirit and were rewarded with David Troy's second goal to leave just a point in it. Trim won the puck out but with the Trim player surrounded by Drumree players referee Fergus Smith awarded a free in to Drumree for over carrying and with the last play David Wallace levelled the match (1-13 to 2-10).
"We knew we had a great chance against Trim and really we should have won it. I think the lads lacked a bit of self belief throughout and if they had that we could have easily qualified for the knockout stages."
The last match of the group saw O'Mahony's run out comfortable victors, but by this stage Drumree's place in the senior ranks was safe for another year and Kevin is confident that they can build on this year's experience.
"Throughout the year, we had a number of long term injuries as Shane Troy, Kit Doyle and Johnny Gilsenan all missed a good bit of the championship, so if we have those lads fit next year, I think we can do well.
"Some of the lads gave huge commitment and had an outstanding year and those were John Crimmons, Brendan Walsh, Keith Cummins, Kieran Kenny, Ronan Curley, Dermot Doyle, Davy Wallace and Jimmy Gaughan. With a bit more commitment from more players, there is no reason why we can't at least qualify from the group." Tweet
