Bornacoola 1-12 Drumreilly 2-7
Bornacoola maintained their 100% record in the 2000 Masonite league when they defeated Drumreilly in a closely fought but ultimately scrappy game in Dromod on Saturday evening last.
A fast improving Drumreilly displayed a hunger and intensity in the first half which was so badly lacking in much of their play last year, Though playing against a stiff breeze, the green and golds led by a point at the half-time whistle (1-5 to 0-7) with Frank and James Holohan doing most of the damage in open play while Ollie Maguire was reliable as ever from the placed ball.
Bornacoola struggled throughout the opening period and only the freetaking accuracy of Pat Farrell kept the Bors at the races while Peter Mallon made one excellent save from Frank Holohan. A resoloute Drumreilly defence ensured that there was little room for the speedy Bornacoola corner men.
However, the second half followed a different pattern with Bornacoola enjoying almost total possession. Yet scores were slow to come and when Drumreilly got their second goal with around twelve minutes remaining it put them two in front and seemingly on course for victory.
However, an opportunist goal from Mark Mc Closkey was to be the key moment in a largely forgettable second half. He turned two Drumreilly defenders to give the Bors the lead with ten minutes remaining. From there to the end it was all Bornacoola, but they couldn't quite translate their superiority into scores and a succession of wided frees from the normally reliable Pat Farrell might well have cost them more dearly on another day.