Second half scoring spree nails victory for Glack over Drum

Glack 0-16 ... Drum 1-06

Glack and Drum kicked off the much anticipated 2024 Championship season on Thursday evening and it was hosts Glack that ultimately eased their way to a season resuscitating opening win.

IN PICTURES: Action from Glack v Drum

Free-takers Niall McGowan and Ryan Morgan top scored, sharing seven points over the hour, but Glack could boast as many as nine different scorers on the night.

Adrian O’Kane scored the only goal of the contest for Drum who began the game very strongly and were well in the fight up until the final quarter when Glack found a higher gear that the Gortnahey men couldn’t quite match.

This season’s Division Three league table yields sorry reading for both Drum and Glack. Finishing just above basement club Ardmore, Friday night’s opponents amassed a solitary two wins between them out of fifteen games played. Neither can be accused of peaking too soon.

And indeed their league meeting earlier this year was abandoned because of what could euphemistically be called ‘a bit of a shemozzle’.

But, of course, the slate is wiped clean come Championship time and these two clubs are well seasoned in Championship football down through the years.

The visitors burst out of the blocks as the late evening rain, wafting in from Loughermore mountain, receded to leave blue skies and a very fast, wet playing surface. Controlling most of the early play, Drum opened the scoring when Damian Brolly cut inside and curled over a beauty after six minutes. The same man claimed a majestic high catch in the following Glack kick-out, and when Niall McLaughlin nailed a forty foot point it handed Drum a 0-2 to no score lead they more than deserved.

Stung into action, the home side responded emphatically by scoring the next five points. They’d wait until the 11th minute before Adam O’Kane, excellent over the hour, first moved the O’Connors scoreboard. But once the seal was broken the points flowed quickly. Ciaran O’Brien drilled over from close range before a lovely, mazy run from Shane Toner resulted in Glack’s third point. If Glack can coax this kind of form out of Toner on a consistent basis they will have another ace up their sleeve.

A free from Niall McGowan was the prelude to a classy and unexpected outside of the boot humdinger from old hand Ned McLaughlin. McLaughlin has rolled back the years this season in a more advanced midfield role.

But Drum fought back before the break. With the evergreen Kevin O’Reilly carrying real threat from deep, the St Colm’s men had the final say of the first half when Ruairi O’Hara landed a huge effort to leave his side just two adrift at the interval.

Half-time: Glack 0-5 - 0-3 Drum

A Morgy monster with that laser-guided left peg of his opened the second half for us. O’Hara, also with the left, replied for Drum and it appeared that we were set for a real ding dong affair.

As the game opened up after a fairly drab opening thirty minutes, a textbook Jimmy O’Connor run and point stretched Glack’s lead to three.

However, St Colm’s threatened to turn the contest on its head by scoring a goal in their very next attack. Quick thinking at free time, with Glack’s defenders snoozing on the job, resulted in Ruairi O’Hara fisting to the back of the net.

The sizeable Drum support roared their approval and it was very much ‘game on!’

But from nowhere, the O’Connors discovered that elusive rhythm and tempo that few Junior sides can match. Mixing long rangey kick passes from Niall McGowan, and classic, high octane ‘through the hands’ football, Glack accounted for the next seven unanswered points. Nailing a selection of dream scores, it was a joy to watch.

A brace from McGowan and a second from Eddie McLaughlin once again restored Glack’s three point advantage by the 43rd minute.

More was to come. Two further points from Morgan sandwiched scores from Aaron Moore and Finbar O’Brien to leave the home side in a very comfortable 0-14 to 1-4 position.

Glack's Ciaran Mac Giolla Mhichín makes a break with the ball. (Photos - Tom Heaney, nwpresspics)

Drum continued to battle and tagged on late points from veteran warhorse Donal Brolly and Barry Hazlett. But a second from Pepe and McGowan’s fourth point of the evening confirmed Glack’s victory.

Injury to stalwarts James McCartney and Niall Burke has been a serious loss to Rossa McManus, but midfielder Michael Farren showed glimpses that he has the potential to fill that big void beside Damian Brolly who looks as good as ever.

Craigbane and Slaughtmanus will shoulder the tag of hot favourites to top a very competitive Group B, but you can expect a fully loaded and weaponised Drum and Glack to squeeze into the knock out phase too.

Glack: James Martin McLaughlin, Ronan O’Kane, Liam Moore, Ryan O’Kane, Shane Toner, Ciaran O’Brien, Jimmy O’Connor, Padraig Morgan, Edward McLaughlin, Ryan Morgan, Niall McGowan, Adam O’Kane, Eoin Mackey, Aaron Moore, Finbar O’Brien

Subs: J Anderson for J O’Connor, D McIvor for A Moore

Drum: Eunan O’Hara, Conor Hasson, Alex Moore, Oisin McCloskey, Dylan Newland, Barry Hazlett, Kevin O’Reilly, Michael Farren, Caolan McLaughlin, Lorcan McVey, Ruairi O’Hara, Niall McLaughlin, Damian Brolly, Donal Brolly, Adrian O’Kane

Subs: S McGill for L McVey

Referee: Kevin McNally

MAN OF THE MATCH - There were a number of very decent performances. Michael Farren, Damian Brolly, Kevin O’Reilly and Ruairi O’Hara were probably Drum’s best performers. For Glack, Shane Toner, Jimmy O’Connor, Ned McLaughlin, Adam O’Kane and Ryan Morgan all caught the eye. But best of all was probably Niall McGowan with his vast array of vision and kicking skills.

BEST SCORE - Everything Drum scored was pretty easy on the eye. Niall McLaughlin, Ruairi McLaughlin and Ruairi O’Hara all scored from distance. Shane Toner’s run and point was worth the admission fee alone, while Eddie McLaughlin’s outside of the boot number was one for the archives. Niall McGowan landed a point from just over the half way line which just takes the prize this time.

KEY MOMENT - When Drum pulled us level scoring their goal it left the game very much in the balance. But Glack’s accepted the gauntlet thrown and wired over seven points in a row to tip the balance of proceedings in their favour.