Drumcliffe survive, Curry relegated

Senior Relegation Final

For the third consecutive season, Dr umcliffe/Rosses Point successfully navigated the perils of the Belfr y SFC relegation play-offs to preser ve their senior championship status for 2018.

Without the suspended duo of Seán Power and Cian Lally, they had to call on all their reser ves to negotiate their way past a determined Curr y team, who made their opponents battle ever y step of the way during a match which saw the lead change hands on several occasions.

It was also a night laced with emotion as Curr y’s Seán Davey lined out for the club for the first time since the tragic death of his wife Mairead.

He received a warm ovation from both sets of suppor ters when substituted in the closing minutes of the game.

His team-mates were determined to mark the occasion with a special performance. They began impressively with Adrian Marren and Keith Davey making good use of the breeze at their backs to help establish an early four-point lead before DRP got off mark with the first of four excellent long-range points from play from team captain and Man of the Match Neil Ewing.

Marren would score six of Curr y’s seven first half points. But it was Ewing’s opening point on 12 minutes which prompted DRP to get to grips with proceedings and they were given a major boost four minutes later when veteran midfielder Brian Óg Murphy fisted a long ball from Ewing to the Curr y net to reduce the south Sligo club’s lead at the time to a single point. Curr y’s John Feeney was black carded a few moments later as the sides continued to trade scores, before going in level at half-time, 1-4 to 0-7.

The lead continued to change hands in the second half with Paul Logan’s point scoring from play outshining his free-taking in this game.

Neil Ewing’s two second-half points were both vital scores.

Curr y continued to work hard throughout with Fearghal Brennan and Brendan Brogan slotting over good points from play, but the substitutions made by DRP in the closing quar ter proved telling. Eoin Gaughan had been the junior team’s hero, just 24 hours earlier in Scarden when kicking the equalising free against St Molaise Gaels to send the Junior ‘B’ championship final to a replay. Here, he was introduced with 12 minutes remaining and kicked the two winning points in added time to seal the deal for DRP. The result means Curr y make the drop to Intermediate championship football for 2018.

Teams: Dr umcliffe/Rosses Point: Ronan McCormack, Ciaran McLoughlin, Jude McGarry, Aaron McCormack, Dara Long, Neil Ewing 0-4 (Capt), Philip Gallagher, Brian Óg Murphy (1-0), Stephen Regan, John McGowan, Paul Logan 0-4, Jamie Gillen 0-1, Niall Coller y, Kevin Davey, Niall Canning 0-1. Subs used: Eoin Gaughan 0-2 for Niall Canning, Donal Gallagher for Niall Coller y.

Curr y: James McDonagh, James Walsh, Sean Collear y, Aaron Kearns, David McDonagh, Seán Davey, Enda Walsh, Oisín Higgins, Dennis Coffey (Capt), Keith Davey 0-2, Adrian Marren 0-6, John Feeney, Kenneth Morley, Michael Gordon, Tommy Henr y 0-2. Subs used: Brendan Brogan 0-1 for John Feeney (BC), Gar y Walsh for Enda Walsh, Jonathon Durkin for David McDonagh, Fearghal Brennan 0-1 for Keith Davey, Ritchie Wynne for Kenneth Morley.

Referee: Gus Chapman.