Drumconrath 1-13 Clonard 1-11

Drumconrath qualified for the quarter finals of the JFC for the 1st time since 2013 with a battling 2 point victory over Clonard at Sean Newman Park Bohermeen.

This looked far from likely as Drumconrath slumbered through the 1st 40 minutes of the game and appeared not to realize that a win here would put the Reds through as Clonard deservedly led from the off and seemed more intent on the prize on offer a place in the last 8 with a Round to go awaited the winner.

An early free from Ryan Raleigh had got the Westmeath border side off the mark and within the 1st minute they had added a point from play.

Paul Tighe had opened Drums account after 3 minutes. Clonard went about the business well and added further points on 8 & 9 mins to lead 0-4 to 0-1 

Terry Skelly and Tighe narrowed the gap to 1 but again Clonard pointed. Another point after 20 gave Clonard a 3 point lead as both sides hit wide's and indeed Drumconrath's tally of 14 for the game will need to improve. Clonard hit 8.

Skelly and Brendan Lyons pointed late on as Clonard took a 0-7 to 0-5 led to the Dressing room at half time.

A blistering start to the 2nd half from Clonard seen Raleigh point a free and within a minute Clonard found the back of the Drumconrath net and they really looked in control. A point from play and another free had the score at 1-10 to 0-5 with 10 minutes gone in the 2nd half and Drumconrath looked in all sort of bother.

Derek Duff pointed a free on 11 minutes rose a slight cheer from the Drumconrath faithful as there seemed to be a big distance between the sides. Substitute Eoin Martin made an immediate impact as he fired over when a goal looked on. Brendan Lyons now making a bigger impact pointed but there was still a 5 points gap.

Stephan Crosby drove forward and scored a really goal which gave the team in Red  a major boost after 45 minutes and quick fire points from Skelly and Tighe had the sides level and the noise levels had risen significantly. 

Tighe had a goal chance that bounced wide as a fine free from Clonard seemed to stem the tide and gave them back the lead with 10 minutes to go as Drumconrath received a blow as Brendan Lyons was the recipient of a Black Card. 

But Cometh the man Cometh the Hour and Wayne Reilly 21 years after playing in the Famous Junior Football Final of 1996 fired over a free from a full 55 metres to level the game again. Clonard refused to lie down and worked another free but it tailed wide and the momentum now was really with Drumconrath. 

Reilly won the next few kickouts and points from play from him on 58 and 59 minutes showed while his speed may have faded a little over the years Class is constant as his strikes sunk Clonard hearts.

This was a game Drumconrath had been picked to win but having played so poorly for so long this really could be a win that may kick start their season and here's tohoping that that may be the case.

Club Football, Parish Pride, a Championship win on a Sunny August Sunday who would trade it for anything else.

Drumconrath: Eoin Muldoon; Cathal Dunne, Peter Tighe, Aidan Tighe; Jamie Myles, Stephan Crosby (1-0), Robert McEntaggart; Sean McMahon, Wayne Reilly (0-3); Derek Duff (0-1), Terry Skelly (0-3), Brendan Lyons (0-2); Chris Tighe, Paul Tighe (0-3), Daniel Byrne. Subs; Eoin Martin (0-1) for McMahon, Graham Tighe for C Tighe, Patrick Dunne for Peter Tighe, Alan Byrne for Lyons (BC), Damien Glass for Paul Tighe.

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