Drung 0-5
Drumlane 1-6
In the end, it was John Fitzpatrick¢¬¢s brilliantly taken second-half goal that helped settle the issue for the visitors after they¢¬¢d led by just a single point at the break with the wind in their favour.
In a clearly low-scoring affair, it took 15 minutes for the first score to arrive and when it did it was Barry Corrigan who nudged Drumlane ahead with a well struck effort from the right side.
Three minutes later and the west Cavan men had doubled their advantage once John Fitzpatrick¢¬¢s early switch from full-forward out to the wing paid dividends and saw the pacy attacker round his man and split the uprights.
Drung, struggling to get started against the heavy breeze, hit back when full-forward Stephen Reilly won a central free and pointed well from 30 metres.
Both sides were wasteful in their chances during the opening half-hour, kicking five wides each, but when Ciaran Galligan drew a free in a suitable position for Michael McEntee to shoot over from the ground it looked as though the hosts were about to move into the lead for the break.
However, when Shane Kelly was axed down 35 metres from the posts Corrigan ensured that it was Drumlane that would be taking in the advantage at the interval as he curled over the half¢¬¢s last score.
The early stages of the second half saw Corrigan (free) and Martin Reilly exchange scores before Drumlane landed what proved to be the killer blow with the move of the match five minutes into the restart.
Through a combination of diligent work from centre-back Glenn Fitzpatrick and attacker Shane Kelly, John Deignan released JP Kelly, who unselfishly offloaded to Fitzpatrick on the edge of the square and he shot a devastating finish past James Reilly to the top-corner of the Drung net for a four-point advantage.
For all their efforts, that score difference was something the Bunnoe men found too tough to overcome.
Galligan, who had played an hour for Cavan the previous night at midfield in Newry, struck over a beauty from all over 45 metres to leave a goal in it coming into the last quarter.
Shane O¢¬¢Rourke made it two soon after, and it could have been so different for the hosts had Martin Reilly¢¬¢s effort on goal, setup by a menacing run from Galligan, not been brilliantly touched away by Drumlane net-minder Danny Kelly.
Instead it was Drumlane that seized the opportunity, with the likes of Robbie Smith, Gareth Corrigan and Paul Kelly scrapping for them at the back and Barry Cunningham and Corrigan shooting over the points into the stiff breeze late on that assured them of their second victory in as many games.
Drung ¢¬ James Reilly; Brendan Brady, Finbar Reilly, Ronan Slowey; Ronan Crowe, Christy Moore, Raymond Fay; Ciaran Galligan (0-1), Alan Curran; Fergal Hueston, Michael McEntee (0-1), Noel Hueston; Shane O¢¬¢Rourke (0-1), Stephen Reilly (0-1), Martin Reilly (0-1). Subs: Paul Hueston, Sean Johnston
Drumlane ¢¬ Danny Kelly; Robbie Smith, John O¢¬¢Dowd, Neil McCann; Fergal Brady, Glenn Fitzpatrick, JP Kelly; Paul Kelly, Gareth Corrigan; Shane Kelly, John Deignan, Stephen McCann; Barry Corrigan (0-4), John Fitzpatrick (1-1), Barry Cunningham (0-1). Subs: Darren Murphy, Cormac Fitzpatrick
Ref: Robbie McDermott
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