Downpatrick seconds progressed to the third round of Bobby Dalzell Cup with a youthful team, click on the link to read more…
Saturday 9th September – NADAFL Bobby Dalzell Cup 2nd Round
Downpatrick Athletic 6 v Rossglass County 3
The first cup competition of the season for both teams saw a highly entertaining match with plenty of goals and some good football played especially by the very young Downpatrick team. With resources stretched to capacity for Downpatrick they were forced into fielding a very young and inexperienced team with many of the players having already played an 80 minute game earlier that day.
Credit to the young Downpatrick team they came out without any fear and attacked their visitors from the off and got their just reward within the opening ten minutes. Declan Looney and Andrew McCoubrey worked the ball well down the left wing before McCoubrey played a lovely through ball for Declan Burns to run onto and from the edge of the box fired past the County goal keeper. Minutes after the restart Rossglass got back on level terms when the Downpatrick defence hesitated and allowed the striker to score.
On fifteen minutes Downpatrick went back in front when the veteran of the team Shane Matheson got his first goal of the game. McCoubrey was again involved when his cross was smashed home by Matheson to make it 2 – 1. Just like after the first goal Rossglass hit back immediately with a well taken goal.
The hosts again went in front midway through the first half, debutant Callum Mahoney burst through from midfield and played a one-two with Joe Healy before hitting an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. Both sides created chances before half time but neither side could find the back of the net.
Half Time: Downpatrick Athletic 3 v Rossglass County 2
It was more of the same from Downpatrick in the second half as they played some neat football through the midfield. With ten minutes gone in the second have Downpatrick doubled their advantage, Declan Looney who was having a terrific game on the wing produced a superb cross for Matheson to head home for his second and Downpatrick’s fourth of the game. Rossglass to their credit pulled a goal back five minutes later.
Shane Matheson completed his hat-trick with 15 minutes remaining when he latched onto a cross from substitute Kian Tierney from about 10 yards from the net giving the visitor’s keeper no chance. Tierney then completed the scoring just before the end of the game when he got on the end of a Matheson pass, beat two players and slid the ball down the side of the keeper to put his side into the next round of the competition.
Downpatrick: 1) R Holland 2) R Fitzpatrick 3) Conor Logue 4) Caolain Logue 5) T Fitzsimons 6) C Mahoney 7) S Matheson 8) J Healy 9) D Burns 10) A McCoubrey 11) D Looney 12) K Tierney 14) N Strange 15) M Murphy
