Photographs: Mark Hasson
Ulster JFC Quarter Final
Rasharkin 2-12(18) Drumhowan 4-14(26)
Antrim league and championship winners, St. Mary’s Rasharkin made the long trip to Clones on Sunday to face Drumhowan of Monaghan in the Ulster quarter-final and despite a much improved second half performance, fell to the Monaghan champions, Drumhowan.
The men from Dreen found themselves under immediate pressure from the throw in as Drumhowan raced into an early 1-3 to 0-0 lead with Daragh McElearney 0-2, Aodhan Brennan (goal) and a further Oisin Quinn point the men on target.
James Higgins raised Rasharkin’s hopes with their opening point from play in the 8th minute and when Eamonn McNeill replied with a goal to a Liam McGurk point for the Monaghan side, the Antrim champions looked like they were beginning to settle.
Eamonn McNeill who was in fine form for Rasharkin and top scored for the Antrim champions
Further exchanges between Tom Doherty (f) and the industrious McNeill kept St. Mary’s within touching distance after 14 minutes and another Rasharkin point from James Higgins closed the gap to two at the end of the opening quarter.
Back came Drumhowan and Joseph Duffy and Patrick Quinn pointed from play before Jason Clarke found the net in the 18th minute to put a bit of distance between the sides.
Pearse McTeague made a brief reply for St. Mary’s when he split the posts but two goals within a minute from Eanna Curran and Tom Doherty opened up a nine point gap and the excellent Doherty kicked the final 2 points of the half to leave his side 4-9 to 1-4 ahead at the break.
Rasharkin introduced Killian O’Boyle for the injured Tiernan O’Boyle at the start of the second half with Daragh McElearney extending the Drumhowan lead with an early point.
Rasharkin replied with a fine score from Fearghal Kennedy and Eamonn McNeill followed from a free as the Monaghan champions rang the changes before the Antrim side suffered a blow when Thomas Hasson was shown a Black card.
Tom Doherty then punished a breach from St. Mary’s and added another free before Eamonn McNeill responded as he punished a Drumhowan breach to briefly halted the Monaghan side surge.
The Dreen side continued to battle against the odds with McNeill and Fearghal Kennedy pointing from play as Brian Og O’Neill was introduced for Thomas Hasson and Daniel Doherty came in for Andrew Hasson.
The Monaghan side had been under a period of sustained pressure but responded with a 2 pointer from Oisin Quinn in the 20th minute but St. Mary’s now had a bit of wind in their sales.
Cormac McMullan replied with a 2 pointer for the Antrim champions and when Daniel Doherty fired home their second goal in the 23d minute the momentum was with the men from South West Antrim.
Drumhowan’s mass substitutions seemed to have disrupted their rhythm for a time but they regrouped in the closing stages with an Eamonn McNeill point late in the half all that the visitors could manage.
In the end it was a Daragh McElearney inspire Drumhowan side who took the spoils with something to spare but Rashrkin will rue the concession of those four first half goals while taking some satisfaction from a fine second half performance which in the end came up short.
It’s been a good season for St. Mary’s Rasharkin under the guidance of Cathal McMullan and Paddy Kelly and they will play their football in division 2 next year and in the Intermediate championship.
The team has undergone massive change this season with quite a number of youngsters coming into the side and quite a few of them would have experienced Ulster for the first time on Sunday.
It will stand them in good stead for next season where consolidation will be the primary aim but they are well capable of causing a few upsets on the way.
Rasharkin GAC starting 15:-
1 – Ryan Doherty
2 – Liam Quigg
3 – Fergus Quigg (c)
4 – Pearse Kelly
19 – Pearse McTague
6 – Fearghal Kennedy
7 – Colm Kennedy
8 – Tiernan O’Boyle
9 – Oran McMullan
5 – Thomas Hasson
11 – Cormac McMullan
12 – James Higgins
20 – Oisin Casey
14 – Eamonn McNeill
15 – Andrew Hasson
Rasharkin Subs: Killian O’Boyle, Brian Og O’Neill, Daniel Doherty, Liam Quigg
Referee: Mark Turley (An Dun)
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