O’Neill’s All County Minor Football League – Division 1
St Gall’s 4-2 Tir na nÓg 4-14
Tir na nÓg had too much power for hitherto unbeaten, but badly understrength, St Gall’s in Tuesday evening’s All County Minor Football League at the Bog Meadows. The team, missing players because of injury and holidays, never scored in the first half and trailed by 3-4 to 0-0 at half time. Two goals and a point inside two minutes early in the second half briefly changed the complexion of things, but the Randalstown boys steadied the ship and pulled away again to win by 12 points, despite conceding four second half goals.
It was seven minutes before Peter Cullen fisted over the St Gall’s crossbar to open the scoring, but the visitors soon hit their stride and a fine solo points by Emmet Murray and Aaron McNeilly soon followed, before a great move the length of the field was finished to the net by corner forward Nathan McKee. St Gall’s gave a glimpse of what they were capable off but missed two great goal chances inside a minute and though Tir na nÓg missed a few good scoring chances themselves they found their touch again with a McKee point, and two goals soon followed from Emmet Murray and Eamon Og McAllister to lead by 3-4 to 0-0 at half time.
Tir na nÓg’s Peter Cullen makes a great diving block to deny St Gall’s full forward Mark McKenna during Tuesday evening’s MFL game at Milltown. Pic by John McIlwaine
Ciaran O’Neill increased the Tir na nÓg lead to 14 points a minute into the second half but St Gall’s bounced back with two goals inside a minute from midfielder Paul McLaughlin and their excellent full-forward Mark McKenna. McKenna added a point five minutes later and after Conor Crossey come back with one for the visitors he found the net again to cut the gap back to five. For a minute or two Tir na nÓg suddenly appeared under pressure but they handled the situation well and when Eamon Og McAllister pointed they found their form again. Aaron McNeilly, Ciaran O’Neill, McNeilly again, Nathan McKee (2) and Ciaran O’Neill fired over points before substitute Colla McDonald grabbed his team’s fourth goal. There was still a goal left in St Gall’s and Odhran McDonald hit the net again late on but Tir na nÓg were home and dry by this stage.
Pics by John McIlwaine
St Gall’s
1 – Lorcan Barra O’Ciaran
2 – Caolan McKee
3 – Eoin Burke
4 – Paul Smyth
5 – Matthew McCaffrey
6 – Oran McIhatton
7 – Ronan Gilligan
8 – Lorcan McIlroy
9 – Paul McLaughlin
10 – Conal McCabe
11 – Lewis Tracey
12 – Gary McIlhatton
13 – Conor Breen
14 – Mark McKenna
15 – Odhran McDonald
Tir na nÓg
1 – Justin Higgins
2 – Justinas Venckus
3 – Oliver McAttamney
4 – Casper Logan
5 – Peter Cullen
6 – Brandon McLarnon
7 – Eamon Og McAllister
8 – Ciaran O’Neill
9 – Cormac Devlin
10 – Aaron McNeilly
11- Emmet Murray
12 – Connor Crossey
13 – Mark Porter
14 – Eoin McDonald
15 – Nathan McKee
Subs – Colla McDonnell for Eoin McDonnell; Ehtan Higgins for Venckus; Conor McGarry for Logan.
Referee – Eamon Hamill (St Teresa’s)