Donemana 3 v 3 Glendermott
Glendermott knew that they would be in for a tough game travelling to Donemana as it is an awkward place to come and go away with a result.
Glendermott knew they would be under pressure right from the off with Donemana setting up an attacking formation with a lot of physical presence in the middle of the park. The home side started brightly and had a couple of shots from distance that never really bothered Niall Donaghey in the away net. Glendermott battled hard and didnt back away from any tackles, getting their foot in and trying to break up play during the early stages. Mark Nurse set the pace with the agression early on putting himself into a few meaty challenges. Around the 25 minute mark the home side made a break through - a long ball from the back set the Donemana striker off which he rounded the keeper and calmly finished off into the back of the Glendermott net - 1-0 Donemana.
Glendermott didnt hang their heads at this point because they new it was an unlucky goal too concede but instead they again came out of the blocks mainly down the left hand side through Kyle Ross who had the beating off his man all day. Kyle kept committing the right back and won a few corners but the away side couldnt make them count. A passage off play saw David McKittrick play Adrian Donaghey down the line who beat his man and fired a great ball across the 6 yard box which Kyle Ross gratefully tapped in at the back post bringing the game to 1-1.
Roughly 10 minutes later seen Adrian Donaghey yet again holding the ball up brilliantly just outside the Donemana area, to be fair he could have had 2/3 free kicks during possesion but he held his ground and finally the Ref gave the freekick. Ricky McClelland and Matthew Kirkwood debated on taking the kick but the pair decided to have a strike. Ricky hit the freekick which took a whicked bounce in front of the Donemana keeper, off his shoulder and into the back off his net. 2-1 Glendermott.
Not long before the half time whistle went Donemana had a bit of possesion down one side which could/should have been blown up for offside but a cross was fired in to the Glendermott box which the striker attempted to control but it bounced off his knee and agonisingly went passed the away keeper. 2-2
The second half started firey between both sides with a number of decisions going against both teams at different occasions. Glendermott had a chance early in the first half which saw Adrian Donaghey take a touch but when he went to strike the ball it took a nasty bobble and ended up missing the target - this happened alot for both sides as the pitch looked like it hadnt seen a lawnmower or roller since the late 90's. The longer the game went on both sides had a few chances, mainly Glendermott coming from corners which saw their headers going just wide or over. Donemana's striker seen himself pick the ball up around the half way circle which he carried, beating the Glens defence and striking in to the far corner from a very tight angle. 3-2 Donemana.
Glendermott felt a little hard done by at this stage as it was against the run off play - The boys never stopped battling but and their hard work paid off again when Adrian Donaghey yet again played a ball to Kyle Ross who hit a wicked shot that took a slight deflection off an oncoming defender taking it passed the Donemana keeper. 3-3.
In the last few minutes off the game Glendermott won a freekick from about 30 yards out - Matthew Kirkwood fancied his chances with a strong breeze behind him and he connected with a great strike which saw the Donemana keeper get his fingers to the ball and putting it onto the crossbar. The ref brought the game to a close soon after.
Glendermott players should be proud of the way they battled hard in tough conditions away from home against a decent Donemana side! Possibly a game they would have lost in years gone by!
