In Castletown

Simonstown Gaels 1-11 - Drumconrath 0-9

Drumconrath bowed out of the Junior Championship with this below par performance against an unfancied Simonstown side. But it could have been all so different had Drumconrath taken a number of great 1st half chances.

While Drums where slow out of the blocks as Simonstown Charlie McNulty and teenager Brian McGrath got them on the score board but Drums had a few decent chances themselves before Derek Duff pointed in the 11h minute. Stephan Crosby pointed soon after and further points from Duff and Brendan Lyons a screamer than somehow went over the bar with an empty net gaping.

John Lunney who was a threat all game pointed for Simonstown and soon after Donagh Fitzpatrick levelled the game with a free,
Drums had a great chance to take control of the game when Lyons was hauled down and unlike an earlier incident when the referee signalled a penalty but then changed his mind this time the decision stuck but the Simonstown keeper saved from Alan Byrne and Byrnes rebound shot hit the post and went out wide.
Graham Tighe and Shane ONeill traded points late on as the sides retired 0-5 each at the break.

Drumconrath wind assisted opened well with Jamie Myles pointing and on 34 minutes Duff popped over a free. Simonstown soon levelled with Lunney and Shane Kiernan added points.

Kiernan whose father hailed from Meath Hill was a thorn in the Reds side all game  as while Duff edged Drums ahead Lunney pointed soon after. Lyons fisted Drums  ahead again but a fine run from Kiernan whose deflected shot deceived Sean Kane for a game turning score.on 49 minutes

Simonstown used their bench well as Drumconrath ran out  of ideas and failed to score for the last quarter.
Simonstown pushed on with sub Chris ONeill pointing and Lunney got his 5th point and during this time managed to hit a number of wides to raise their tally to 10, Simonstowns' greater strength in certain areas was crucial with Hank Traynor sub Pail Meade and ONeill strong in central positions.

Drums will be disappointed to go out at this stage of what is a really open Championship where it was felt they had a great chance and this will have to be seen as a missed opportunity. Aiden Tighe had a good game with Jamie Myles Stephan Crosby giving good support but missed frees and that penalty save will haunt a forward line which threatened so much early on but that spark fizzled out.

Drumconrath: Sean Kane: John Lynch. Aiden Tighe. Patrick Dunne. Jamie Myles (0-1), Peter Tighe. John MCDermott. Stephan Crosby. (0-1). Peter McEvoy. Chris Tighe. Derek Duff (0-4). Eoin Martin. Graham Tighe (0-1), Alan Byrne. Brendan Lyons (0-2). Subs Oran Finnegan for McDermott, Niall Martin for C Tighe and Damien Glass for Byrne