Antrim Division 2 Football League

St.Mary’s Rasharkin 3-10    St.Joseph’s Glenavy 5-18

With the Division 2 League title already secured Glenavy travelled to Dreen on Saturday evening expecting another close game against rivals Rasharkin but instead recorded another convincing victory. Both sides started short several of their normal fifteen but it was St. Joseph’s who ended their season with a convincing 14 point win and thoroughly enjoyed the celebrations that followed.

The game started with both sides casting aside defensive formations and putting everything into attack. The home side, playing with the wind got off to a good start with points from Andrew Hasson and Ryan Lynch before Owen Gallagher pulled one back for the Chapel Hill side. It was St. Mary’s who were enjoying the better of the opening exchanges however and two more points from Lynch and Hasson put their side three ahead.

It took the visitors fifteen minutes to get going, with a swift passing movement the ball was quickly delivered into County player Patrick Gallagher who finished with an excellent goal. Alex Gallagher then pointed to put his side in front before Ryan Lynch replied to level the scores once more. Glenavy, now playing like champions responded with the next six points from play to take control with James Gallagher, Eoin Henry, Fergus Cunningham, Patrick Gallagher, Niall McCann and Owen Gallagher the men on target before Johnny McAleese had the last score of the half for Rasharkin to leave the half-time score 1.08 to 0.06 in the Orange men’s favour.

The second half started with Mathew Hamill and Malachi Doherty joining the fray for the visitors. Glenavy rattled off a goal and five points from Fergus Cunningham, Malachi Doherty, Eoin Henry, Niall McCann with the goal coming from Fergus Cunningham as they took control at the start of the second half. To their credit Rasharkin responded and were rewarded with a Johnny McAleese goal but Glenavy hit back again and Owen Gallagher showed his class when he ran fifty meters to blast to the back of the net.

Glenavy introduced Ryan Phillips and Michael McCourt and McCourt immediately made his presence felt with a point from play and another from a free. The home side tried to respond and Ryan Lynch pointed from play before a bizarre sequence of events.  St. Mary’s were awarded a penalty which Ryan Lynch blasted to the net and  from the resulting kick-out the ball was moved the length of the pitch before Glenavy were awarded a penalty of their own. Michael McCourt gave the keeper no chance when he coolly found the corner of the net. Glenavy then introduced their final sub when Lorcan Heenan joined the action.

County minor Malachi Doherty pointed to leave the score 4.16 to 2.07 after forty five minutes and Eoin Henry in his first year as a senior put the game out of Rasharkin’s reach when he scored an excellent point from out on the wing. The same player put the icing on the cake when he followed a dropping ball into the square and rose above everyone to punch to the net. With both sides tiring the Dreen side were awarded their second penalty and Ryan McAleese stepped up to tuck it away. Rasharkin kept battling to the final whistle with Eamon McNeill, Andrew Hasson and Shane Hasson adding points in response to a  Michael McCourt point for the winners.

Referee Jarlath O’Donnell blew the final whistle to the delight of the visitors and their supporters. Its twenty five years since the Chapel Hill side last won Division 2  and this surely makes this year’s win feel all the sweeter. After losing their first match of the present campaign against Moneyglass, Paul Johnston and Colin Toal took  over the management reigns and Glenavy have gone through the remainder of the league unbeaten.

Well done to the management and players for bringing home the cup and a word of praise to their supporters who have been out in numbers at every game and helped to push the team over the line when it was needed and they were there again today to join in the celebrations as fixtures secretary, Eamon Grieve presented the Division 2 Cup to team captain, Paddy Gallagher.

Glenavy: Gerard Hamilton, Niall McLaughlin, Johnny Phillips, Sean McGirr, Francis McMullan (Mathew Hamill H.T.), Conor Hamill, Peter Traynor, Michael Johnston, Patrick Gallagher ( Michael McCourt 40 mins.) Owen Gallagher, Niall McCann ( Lorcan Heenan (50 mins.), Eoin Henry, Fergus Cunningham (Ryan Phillips 40mins.), James Gallagher, Alex Gallagher (Malachi Doherty 40 mins.)

Rasharkin: Ryan Doherty; Donagh Quigg; Dominic McFerran; Pearce Kelly; Declan McKay; Thomas Doherty; Conor Doherty; Brendan Etherson; Thomas McMullan; Shane Hasson; Johnny McAleese; Andrew Hasson; Enda McFerran; Ryan Lynch; Eamon McNeill.

 

Referee: Jarlath O’Donnell Con Magee’s