Experience Vital In Replay Win
Experience is something which usually involves a degree of time and pain but when acquired can prove hugely beneficial to a team. Dromore have more experience than most when it comes to nous and know how in terms of winning championship matches. Both management and players have built up a reservoir of knowledge over the years of what it takes to get over the line and have used it to their advantage enabling them to win championships and leagues in recent years.
Last week Killyclogher came close to dumping them out of the Power NI Championship in a tight and physical encounter which finished five points apiece. The reigning county champions looked somewhat disjointed and devoid of ideas at times as they struggled to break down their opponent’s stubborn rearguard action. However when the replay came along it was clear that Dromore had learned significant lessons from the drawn game delivering a much more focussed and improved overall team display.
Killyclogher’s main men last time out Dermot Carlin, Eoin Bradley, Conall Mc Cann and Ryan Mc Aleer just were not allowed to influence the game in the same way. Dromore’s tackling and support play was much better. Their ability to find men in space was much more effective as was their decision making on and off the ball. The winners played at a much higher tempo on Friday night than they had done in the drawn game. There was a hunger and pace about their game that had been missing in the first game and Killyclogher just could not cope with it.
Dromore dispensed with the idea of playing a sweeper in the replay and relied on the ability of their defenders to do a man to man job on the Killyclogher forward line. However the fact that their midfield and half forwards worked exceptionally hard in and around the middle third ensured that their backs were provided with all the assistance they needed to make their jobs easier. Ronan Mc Nabb, Sean Mc Donnell, Ryan Mc Menamin and Fabien O’Neill were superb for Dromore and led from the front and by example. They used all their experience and guile to get the result and were deserving winners on the night.
This win sees them make their fifth final in six years and sets up an intriguing clash with an Errigal Ciaran side intent on ending their long wait for a county title. Interestingly both sides are managed by Ballinderry men, both highly experienced managers and so that should add an extra dimension to this particular final.
