Drumsurn were without injured star forward Ciaran Mullan who looks set for a long lay off as well as midfielders Micky Coll and Damien Canning. They failed to take advantage of the first half wind and really should not have been 1-05 to 1-03 behind. They hung in for another ten minutes and then it became very one sided as the impressive home team fired over and under scores from all angles and distances.

Cathair Friel had a fine debut for Drumsurn scoring 1-02 but overall Greenlough still unbeaten were always looking like winners. The teams meet again this Thursday evening in the first round of the Championship and it looks as if Drumsurn have it all to do.

The match

It only took Fintan Kelly 17 seconds to put the hosts ahead after a good pass from Enda Lynn straight from the throw in. However within 60 seconds Drumsurn almost responded with a goal, but for a great save from veteran Greenlough keeper Vincent McDonnell. Drumsurn did manage to get the next score of the game in the 3rd minute, but this was soon cancelled out by an Enda Lynn free following a foul on Brian McCallion.

Just when it looked as though Greenlough were getting some sort of grip in the game a hight ball into their defence wasn’t dealt with and Drumsurn took full advantage by finding the back of the net with a well taken goal from Cathair Friel. A further point from Pierce McNickle a minute later saw Drumsurn go from a point down to three ahead in the space of just over 5 minutes.

Enda Lynn closed the gap with a superb point after he skipped past three Drumsurn defenders and knocked over in the 15th minute. Enda was then involved again within the minute when Christopher Kearney surged forward and played Enda in, onlt to see his shot blocked; fortunately for Greenlough Christopher had continued his run as was on hand to blast to the back of the net and give the St. Oliver Plunkett’s men the lead once more.

Niall Bradley put Greenlough further ahead two minutes later with a well taken point, following a good run from Kevin McCann and pass from Ruairi McGlinchey. Both sides then wasted good goal opportunities within seconds of each other; both efforts slicing wide of the posts.

With six minutes of the opening half remaining Drumsurn hit back to close the gap to 1 courtesy of a Pierce McNickle point , but a minute into injury time Niall Bradley picked up a ball broken down by Thomas McCloy and blasted over the bar to give Greenlough a 2 point advantage at the break.

Half-Time: Greenlough 1-05 Drumsurn 1-03

As with the first half their was a point after 17 seconds, this time however it was Drumsurn's turn to get the early score again from the boot of Pierce McNickle, and with it close the gap to the minimum. Unfortunately for the visitors it would be the closest they would get to their hosts for the rest of the game as they only managed 2 further points in the remaining 30 minutes.

Brian McCallion was first to point in a high scoring second half for Greenlough, converting a '45 after having his first effort from the same distance fisted wide by a defender. Enda Lynn, having been involved in Greenlough's first goal, was involved again; this time however his run and pass found Fintan Kelly in front of goal, who in turn blasted to the net past the helpless keeper.

Drumsurn hit back with a point from Ciaran Ferris three minutes later, but any hope of a quick revival following the goal were soon dashed, as Brian McCallion was quickest to react when the Drumsurn 'keeper failed to deal with a high dropping shot from Enda Lynn, allowing Brian to poke the spilled ball to the net.

For the next 20 minutes it was all one way traffic as Drumsurn's heads dropped with the gap up to 7. Indeed the gap would increase significantly before the final whistle.

When Fintan Kelly's half blocked shot went over the end line Brian McCallion got on the scoresheet again with his second '45 of the afternoon. Within a minute Seamus Graham got his first point of the day following a good run and pass from Ruairi McGlinchey.

Following a magnificent run from Kevin McCann through the heart of the Drumsurn defence; Brian McCallion then continued his rich form of scoring in the second half, when, despite the best efforts of the Drumsurn 'keeper who managed to get a hand to the ball, he blasted to the back of the net with a rasping shot for his second goal in 4 minutes.

A point from Fintan Kelly and two from Enda Lynn saw Greenlough's lead increase to 14 with 10 minutes of normal time remaining. Drumsurn did have the ball in the back of the net within a minute, but it was ruled out as it was fisted directly into the goal without anyone else touching it.

Brian McCallion then completed his haul for the day with his 3rd point to add to his 2 goals when he chipped over the bar following Enda Lynn's shot on goal being saved and rebounding out, before Fintan Kelly brought his own tally to 1-3 with a well taken point from the corner.

John Loughlin tapped over for his first and only point of the day in the 54th minute of the contest, before Thomas McCann raided up field to combine well with his brother Kevin yet again, and knock over for a point.

As with last week against Foreglen, Greenlough conceded a late penalty; however unlike last week when he had to watch the ball nestle in the back of his net, Vincent McDonnell pulled off a great save from Cathair Friel and cleared his lines. With 3 minutes remaining Pierce McNickle kicked Drumsurn’s final point of the game, but even that was cancelled out within seconds when Greenlough substitutes Paul Downey and Michael Clarke combined to score the game's final point, ensuring a 19 point victory for St Oliver Plunkett's.

Team and scorers
Stephen Harbinson, Michael Archibald, Dane Mullan, Craig Chewing; Paul Butcher, Colm Feeney, Christopher Harbinson; Cahir Mullan, Jonathan Irwin; Mark McLaughlin, Dean O'Neill, Ryan Mullan (1-00); Ciaran Ferris, Pierce McNickle (0-05), Cathair Friel (0-01)