Season over, now planning begins for next campaign

they came away without the points.

Tobermore went in front as early as the fourth minute when their centre forward, just returning from two years out with a bad knee injury, headed home at the back post unchallenged.

Dollingstown did get back level a minute later when Marty Hughes tapped the ball over the line following a good cross from Adam Walker.

The home side responded by going in front once again on ten minutes when their fast winger Hugo nipped in after a slip by Gareth Ringland to round the keeper and stab the ball home.

Dollingstown had a few chances to equalise before the break through Hand and Thompson but failed to convert.

Andy King replaced the injured Glenn Hand in the second half and added much better balance to the side and much more determination and nearly scored from 30 yards out.

Then on 70 minutes both Kingsberry and Gibson had wonderful chances when clear on the keeper following

breaks down the right but both times they fired wide of the far post.

Against the run of play on 75 minutes Tobermore wrapped up the game when the sub chipped the keeper from the edge of the box.

Overall Dollingstown were more than happy with finishing seventh in Championship 2 after their first season in senior football, but considering where they were at Christmas they could and should have been able to push on into top a top four position.

However, in what will be a crucial season next time around, manager Gary Duke has the task now of resigning his key players for plus trying to recruit four to six new players to ensure the club are not one of the four teams relegated from the division next season and out of senior football which will be reduced to only 36 teams next year.

Dollingstown: O’Neill, Redpath, O’Neill, Moffett, Ringland, Hughes, Thompson, Gibson, Kingsberry, Hand and Walker.

Subs used were A King, Donaghy and J Wright.