Drumree make tame exit at Cusack Park

Drumree made a tame exit from the Leinster Club JHC at Cusack Park Mullingar on Sunday when they were ousted by Westmeath side Delvin. The game was the curtain-raiser for the Leinster Club SHC first round game between Westmeath senior champions Clonkill and their Offaly counterparts Coolderry. Drumree produced a thoroughly disappointing performance and were worthy of finishing second in a game where they failed to score for the opening 22 minutes. When they eventually found a bit of momentum, late in the second-half, it was much too late and the closeness of the scoreline fails to reflect a dismal Drumree display. For the opening 10 minutes Drumree hardly got out of their own half as Delvin reeled off a series of points and, to the benefit of the Meath side, some appalling wides. Delvin managed four points during that period with Niall Willaims (two frees), Killian Murphy and Anthony Clune on target. The Westmeath men wasted two early opportunities from frees when Killian Murphy was guilty of poor shooting, but a change of free-taker remedied the problem. Drumree were denied a goal from their first meaningful attack, after 12 minutes, from Stephen Doyle’s '65’ which produced a goalmouth scramble. Delvin’s Thomas Clune averted the danger. By the end of the opening quarter Drumree were six points adrift after Ger and Anthony Clune added further scores while Pat Farrington left it 0-7 to 0-0 by the 21st minute. Drumree improved for the remainder of the half and shared six points with the hosts as centre-back Brian Coughlan got them off the mark following a tremendous surge forward. Brendan Walsh and David Wallace added to the tally from play. However, Delvin were ahead by 0-10 to 0-3 at the break after Kevin Williams, Barry Williams and Murphy, all from play, split the posts. Drumree made a better start to the second-half with a pointed Stephen Doyle free after four minutes, but Delvin found the perfect response with a Niall Williams goal in the sixth minute. Amazingly, that proved to be Delvin’s last score and that fact puts Drumree’s inability to capitalise into perspective. According to Drumree manager Mike Cole, the players were aware that Delvin would fade in the second-half. “We had watched Delvin and we knew they would be full of running for about three-quarters of the game and that they would fade after that,” Cole told the Meath Chronicle. Drumree full-back Shane Troy went for a goal from a 20-metre free soon after, but his effort was deflected out for a '65’ which Doyle converted and the same player added another point by the end of the third-quarter. That left Drumree adrift by seven points, 0-6 to 1-10, but a tally of eight second-half wides only sustained Delvin. Fergal Delaney had what looked like a gilt-edged goal chance with about eight minutes remaining, but he was unable to capitalise on the opportunity. Drumree finished with a flourish and reeled off late points from Doyle, Walsh and Caoimhin King and they were flying at the final whistle but it was too late. Delvin - J O’Shaughnessy; T Clune, F McGrath, J Cogan; P Farrelly, P Clune, K Williams (0-1); P Farrington (0-1), JP Farrelly; A Clune (0-2), G Clune (0-1), P O’Shaughnessy; K Murphy (0-2), N Williams (1-2 two frees), B Williams (0-1). Sub - G Halpin for P O’Shaughnessy half-time. Drumree - R Curley; C Kenny, S Troy, S McGroder; P Walsh, B Coughlan (0-1), J Gilsenan; B Walsh (0-2), F Delaney; S Doyle (0-4 three frees one '65’, C King (0-1), D Wallace (0-1); K Rooney, D Crimmins, C Doyle. Subs - M devaney for Gilsenan 18 mins; P Rattigan for Rooney and J Reilly for C Doyle both 47m. Referee - Alan Lagrue (Kildare)