ACFL Division 1
St. James Aldergrove 0-11 St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass 2-14
It’s taken a time for St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass to collect their first points of the season but on Thursday night in Crumlin they did it in style as they overcame the challenge of St. James’ Aldergrove.
The visitors were keen to put a difficult period behind them as they took the game to the home side right from the start with Paul Duffin, Colm Duffin 0-2 and Aidan McErlain kicking them into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead by the 12th minute.
McErlain added another to move St. Ergnat’s five ahead before Fearghal Hanna finally opened St. James’ account with a point in the 16th minute.
Aldergrove would manage only two further first half points through Hanna and a Seamus McGarry free as a rejuvenated Moneyglass continued to build up a lead with Connlaodh McCann 0-2, Colm Duffin, Seanchan Duffin, Jimmy McMeel and Conor Boyd all on target as they moved 0-10 to 0-3 ahead at the interval.
St. James needed a good start to the second half if they were to make inroads into the Moneyglass lead and when they kicked the first three points through Cormac McGarry 0-2 and Declan Gough things appeared to be going to plan.
Conor Boyd opened the Moneyglass second half account with a point in the 6th minute but Seamus McGarry reduced the deficit to four again as Sean Boyd replaced Eamon Kelly in the St. Ergnat’s side.
The visitors needed a lift at this stage and Kevin McCann provided it as he fired home the game’s opening goal in the 14th minute but Aldergrove replied with points from Cormac McGarry and Declan Gough to keep in contention.
Both sides were giving it everything as Colm Duffin and Seanchan Duffin on target for the visitors and Brian McQuillan, Declan Gough and Seamus McGarry keeping the Crumlin side’s fading hopes alive with points at the other end.
Then came a somewhat bizarre moment with time almost up and Aldergrove pressing forward in numbers in search of a goal. The visitors forced a turnover and with St. James’ keeper Ryan McCarthy stranded around mid-field, Dermot McErlain sent his shot into an empty net to conclude the night’s scoring.
A good win for Benny Marron’s side and one that will surely ignite their season and on this performance they look capable of climbing up the table.
Aldergrove: 1 Ryan McCarthy, 2 Conleith O’Toole, Emmet Irivine, 4 Eoin Gough, 5 Conor Browning, 6 Chris McVeigh, 7 Gerald Mallon, 8 Brian McQuillan, 9 Oisin Graham, 10 Declan Gough, 11 Fearghal Hanna, 12 James Trowlen, 13 Cormac McGarry, 14 Seamus McGarry, 15 Andy Flood.
St. Ergnat’s: 1 Daniel McErlain, 2 Colm McStocker, 3 Diarmuid Scullin, 4 James McCormick, 6 Paul Duffin, 7 Connlaodh McCann, 8 Connor O’Kane, 9 Dermott McErlain, 10 Jimmy McMeel, 11 Seanchan Duffin, 12 Eamon Kelly, 13 Conor Boyd, 14 Colm Duffin, 15 Aidan McErlain, 16 Rory Gribbon, 17 Matthew Mullen. 19 Sean Boyd, 23 Kevin McCann
Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)
