Dromintee u13s secured a place in the All County League Final Saturday evening after tough contest with South Armagh neighbours Cullyhanna at home. The game was in contrast to their earlier league encounter with the Cullyhanna lads putting Dromintee under pressure all over the pitch.
Making light of playing into a stiff breeze, the home side settled quickest to post three early points on the board and a fortuitous goal from a long Fergus Toale delivery before the first water break gave Dromintee a comfortable five point cushion.
The same pattern continued in the second quarter and a second opportunist’s goal from Neil Evans put further daylight between the teams before the half time whistle with Dromintee leading 2-06 to 0-02 ahead of turning around with the breeze at their back.
Cullyhanna re-emerged a different team and fought valiantly for every ball in a third quarter where Dromintee were pinned back for long periods and registered only a single point to close the gap to seven points.
The final quarter continued with the same high intensity. Cullyhanna chased the lead but Dromintee played a more composed game, creating a lot of opportunities – most of which were squandered. A late goal from Charlie Fox finally extinguished the Cullyhanna resistance and the home side ran out ten point victors after a great contest.
Dromintee will meet Clann Eireann in the All County final after they squeezed past Armagh Harps in the North section final.
Dromintee: James McBennett, Odhran Carnegie, Gavin O’Rourke, Odhran McCann, Conor Dunne, Conor Laverty, Scott Harris, Fionnán Ó Tuathail (0-02), Diarmaid O’Rourke (0-3), Michael Walker, Michael O’Neill, Fergus Toale (1-00), Oisin Byrne (0-03), Ronan Martin, Oisin Gallagher.
Subs: Neil Evans (1-00) for R Martin, Tomás Fox for N Evans, Daithi McCreesh for O McCann, Charlie Fox (1-00) for O Gallagher. Cathal Rice, Peter Rice, Kurt Conlon, Conor Graham, Keane McArdle.
Dromintee 3-08 Cullyhanna 1-04.