Desertmartin: 1-09
Moneymore: 3-05
The Senior men travelled to McCracken Park on Friday 3rd June to play Moneymore in their seventh league game. On a pitch bathed in early summer sunshine Desertmartin played with a lively breeze in the first half. Signs of an away victory were prominent in the first few minutes of the game. By the eighth minute Desertmartin were 0-3 up with two points from Dermot Breen one from Enda McGuckin. The Saffrons were totally dominant and only for the industry of Chrissy Young in the Moneymore midfield the homeside could barely cross the halfway line. Moneymore had isolated raids into Desertmartin territory but could only muster four wides during the first twenty five minutes. In the meantime Desertmartin were relentless in their pursuit of scores. Breaking strongly from halfback and feeding the forward line with quick passes the visitors built up plethora of scoring opportunities. Two further points from Dermot Breen and one apiece from Enda and Cormac McGuckin bringing Desertmartin’s first half total to seven points did not reflect their overall authority. Moneymore eventually got on the score-sheet when Christopher Marshall pointed from a free on the stroke of half-time.
Desertmartin started the second period strongly. Greg McGovern broke through the Moneymore rearguard on the 33rd minute and finished low to the net. Dermot Breen quickly followed this with a point giving Desertmartin a ten point lead on 34 minutes. Moneymore replied with a point cutting the deficit to nine. Play ebbed and flowed during the following ten minutes with neither side raising a flag. Then on the 45th minute Moneymore broke quickly from defence, moved the ball through mid-field and fired a long searching pass to Paudie O’Neill who outfoxed two Desertmartin defenders on the edge of St Martin’s square and drove the ball low into the corner of the net. Desertmartin seemed to have regained their composure when Cormac McGuckin scored his second point on the 46th minute to give the visitors a seven point lead. But that was to be Desertmartin’s final score. The remaining eleven minutes belonged to the McCrackens. With Desertmartin starting to tire Moneymore laid seige to the Desertmartin goal. Callum Bloomer with his strong running down Desertmartin’s left flank exerted pressure on the Martins defence. On the 55th minute a high cross into the Desertmartin goalmouth fell to Jack Barton who finished to the net from close range. Another point by C Bloomer on the 58th minute cut Desertmartin’s lead to two points. Sensing the possiblity of rescuing the game the home side pressed forward and following another high cross into the visitors small square the ball broke to Moneymore who finished to the net to go a point up on the 60th minute. Desertmartin found it difficult to work the ball upfield and when C Bloomer scored a point in the 63rd minute it was all over with Moneymore running out winners 3-5 to 1-9.
Desertmartin: B McElhennon, M McGuigan, P McCann, C Murray, E O’Kane, G McGovern (1-0), P McCrystal, J P Higgins, P McGovern, F Higgins, E McGuckin (0-2), D Breen(0-5, 2f, 1/45), O Kelly, C McGuckin (0-2), E Burns.
Sub used: Ronan McGuckin