Breslin Shield Semi-Final
Dunloy 3-04 All Saints 1-15
All Saints made all the early running, moving the ball round intelligently and were 6 points to no score up after 15 minutes and at this early stage of the contest they looked like running away with it. Dunloy weathered the early storm however and ever so slowly began to get a foothold in proceedings, finding the All Saints net twice to leave it level at half time 2-01 to 0-07.
Spurred on by this success Dunloy took the lead in the second half and still led the contest with 10 minutes remaining but the visitors finally regained the initiative and strong pressure resulted in them gaining a penalty, after a foul on Saint’s full-forward Conor O’Rawe.
The All Saints bench held their breath and Aidan Scullion held his nerve scoring against Dunloy goalkeeper Paudie McGilligan (who had looked unbeatable all evening), and kept his side in the game at times, to go a point up, This goal lifted the performance of All Saints’ and although Dunloy tried their best to come back, the Slemish Park side pulled away in the closing minutes to win by five.
A good game of football with great individual performers on both teams – For All Saints centre half back Conall O’Neill; both Matthew Corr and Jake White at midfield; and Oisin Connolly wearing the number 15 jersey but given a roaming role. Dunloy too had their stars and Ryan McFarlaine at number 8, Eoghan Tuggy McGrath at centre half forward; and Paudie McGilligan in goals were their best performers on the night.
Referee Karl Doherty also contributed by letting the game flow and showed once again why he’s one of the top referees in Antrim.