Desertmartin continue winning run

So eventually this game took place! First it was off, then
on then off and finally on again. Mind you, ten minutes before half time things
looked as though Coleraine were right to change their mind and force the
Martins to field tonight. OK, fast forward to the final whistle, would they
still have played the game tonight? I don’t think so!

With a number of the senior panel unavailable for selection
for this game it looked as if this might be the night to play the Martins. The
absentees forced the management into making a total of five changes from the
team, which played Claudy a few weeks back resulting on a major reshuffle and a
few new faces on the starting line up.

 

Coleraine were out of the blocks like a team possessed and
took an early lead with some fine shooting from their full forward line. With
county star Barry McGoldrick back on club duty and pulling all the strings in
midfield for Coleraine, they soon found themselves 5 point to nil up and
playing some attractive football along the way. Eventually Desertmartin
remembered the game was on on Sunday and a fine move saw Gavin Kidd point
following some nice build up play. A Cormac McGuckin effort rebounding off the
upright just seemed to kick start Coleraine again who went back into scoring
mode and knocked up a further 5 unanswered points to leave the score 0.10 to
0.01 after 20 minutes and Coleraine looking as if they would run away with a
very easy result.

 

Hold on lads, this was not going to script. Queue the
comeback. With Ruairi Murray picking up a break in the middle of the park and
pushing forward, he look up to see Cormac McGuckin in a yard of space. With a
delightful left footed pass he picks out Cormac who’s first touch lets him down
and momentarily gives the Coleraine defender the chance to clear. However
Cormac’s quick recovery sees him take the ball, and faced by two Coleraine
defenders between him 30 yards out and the goal he sets out and takes
them on. On reaching the 21 he unleashed an unstoppable drive which settles in
the top corner and gives Desertmartin a lifeline.

 

With the Martins wasting several more chances the half ends
on a score line of Desertmartin 1.02 Coleraine 0.10.

 

The second half started was the first ended with the Martins
playing some good football. All that was needed now was the scores and
eventually they began to come. Some good work from the defence and a forward
line starting to tic saw Desertmartin claw back a few points but if they were
going to eat into this Coleraine lead it was goals the lads needed. And so came
our second goal of the night, scored by Jimmy McElhennon. With a Desertmartin
effort on goal dropping short and the defender picking it up it looked as if
they were going to clear their lines with ease. However the hard working
forwards quickly put him under pressure forcing him to pass back to his keeper
on the goal line. On receiving the ball the keeper was soon faced with Jimmy
who forced the error and put the ball in the net. GAME ON Desertmartin 2.05
Coleraine 0.13.

 

Desertmartin soon took the lead with the points now coming
allot easier than before. Coleraine then hit back to take the lead on 2.07
0.14. Desertmartin then hit the net again to put the two points up with just
over 5 to play. This time the scorer was Danny Murray getting the flick on from
a ball hit into the box from Jimmy McElhennon. Coleraine then had the chance to
take it to within a point with a couple of minutes to play but instead went for
goal but the Martin’s defence held out. Finally in the last kick of the game
Barry McGoldrick pointed to put a point between the side before the ref blew
for full time.

 

Final score: Desertmartin 3.07 Coleraine 0.15

 

Desertmartin team: L. Bradley, C. Higgins, E. Murray, C
Madden, J. Breen, B. McElhennon, G Kidd, P. McCann, J. McGovern, E. McGuckin,
R. Murray, D. Murray, J. McElhennon, R. Kidd, C. McGuckin