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Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship
St Galls 4-10-2-11 Gort Na Mona
By Kevin Herron from Corrigan Park
Twelve-man St Galls advanced to the quarter-final of the Intermediate Hurling Championship after coming out on top in a thrilling West Belfast derby with Gort Na Mona at Corrigan Park this afternoon.
Mark Napier rifled to the net for the Milltown men just before the midway point of the opening half and a coolly converted penalty from Tomas O’Ciarain appeared to have in cruise control – that was until Conor Burke was issued with a straight red-card by referee Colum Cunning and Dessie McClean rifled to the net from a free around 25-yards from goal to ensure his side trailed 2-07-1-04 at the break.
St Galls made up for their numerical disadvantage with early second-half goals from CJ McGourty and Jackson McGreevy – but the later was dismissed for a second bookable offence, two minutes after scorer of the first goal Napier was issued with a straight-red and the Milltown men were three men short but eleven to the good.
Gort Na Mona found it difficult to breach the St Galls backline and scored their second goal with less than ten minutes to play through Darren Boyd – but the Turf Lodge side ended the fourteen players as Gavin McKenna walked in injury-time for two bookable offences within a few minutes of each other. Six minutes of injury-time elapsed before this thrilling encounter came to a conclusion – St Galls may have survived this scare but may count of cost of suspensions to Napier and Burke for next week’s quarter-final clash with Glenariffe.
There was a lot of anticipation ahead of the this afternoons clash between the Milltown side and last year’s Junior Championship winners Gort Na Mona – who rued a couple of early wides as St Galls opened the scoring through Mark Napier after Aodhan Gallagher had claimed Kurtis McGreevy’s puck-out.
Darren Boyd hooked the ball over to level things up at the other end and Gort Na Mona edged ahead as Dessie McClean claimed a loose ball and shot high over the bar.
CJ McGourty levelled the game for a 2nd time with a 12th minute point and St Galls drew first blood on the goal count a minute later – Kieran McGourty’s inch perfect pass released Mark Napier who advanced and rifled past Martin Ward in the Gort’s goal to give his side a 1-02-0-02 lead.
Tomas O’Ciarain added a delightful point and a minute after the midway point, referee Colum Cunning signalled for St Galls penalty after Colm Scullion obstructed Aodhan Gallagher in the square – O’Ciarain took responsibility and confidently fired into the top left hand corner to give St Galls a 2-03-0-02 lead.
The resulting puck from Ward fell to CJ McGourty who popped the ball over as the Milltown men had conjured up 2-03 without reply – though Dessie McClean converted a free at the other end, nine minutes after Gort’s last score.
Tomas O’Ciarain claimed his second score on the spin through a converted free and turned provider for the ever reliable CJ McGourty as St Galls led 2-06-0-03 approaching the final ten minutes of the half.
On 21 minutes the first major talking point occurred as Conor Burke crashed into Gort Na Mona’s Gary Doyle – referee Colum Cunning had no hesitation in dismissing Burke and showed him a straight red.
McClean converted the resulting free though O’Ciarain responded from similar circumstances for St Galls.
Gort Na Mona were staring down the barrel of a nine-point deficit at the break, despite their numerical advantage – but four minutes from the interval Dessie McClean produced a moment of magic.
25-yards from goal McClean and standing over the placed ball McClean appeared to have a goal on his mind – St Galls packed their line with no less than eight bodies, that wasn’t enough to McClean who rifled to the roof of the net to ensure that Gort would go in at the break trailing 2-07-1-04 but crucially with a man extra.
St Galls made a terrific start to the second period and restored their nine-point lead within the first sixty seconds – Mark Napier did the donkey work on the left channel and floated the ball into the path of CJ McGourty who rifled home his sides third and make it 3-07-1-04 on the scoreboard.
Gort na Móna’s Dessie McLean goes up to catch a high ball during Sunday’s IHC prelimary round game with St Gall’s at Corrigan Park. Pic by John McIlwaine
The sides traded points through O’Ciarain [free] and Padraig McHugh before St Galls appeared to have sealed victory – in a carbon copy of McGourty’s goal it was Napier who provided the cross and County star Jackson McGreevy was waiting to prod the ball home and give his side a 4-08-1-05 lead after 34 minutes.
Dessie McClean converted his third free of the afternoon but the Turf Lodge men required goals – they were afforded the glimmer of hope by St Galls however as their numerical advantage increased further.
On the 40th minute lively corner forward Mark Napier followed team mate Conor Burke to the dugout for lashing out and two minutes after that Jackson McGreevy walked for a second bookable offence as St Galls were down to 12-men.
In between both dismissals Dessie McClean added a further point from a placed ball – midway through the half St Galls should have found the net for the fourth time as McGourty brothers Kieran and CJ combined, however the later saw his low drive turned away by Marin Ward.
Mark Rea added a point with little over ten minutes to play to reduce the deficit to nine – however on the 52nd minute Gort Na Mona set-up a grandstand finish. Conor McCann’s dangerous ball was seized upon by Darren Boyd who swung a boot and fired past Kurtis McGreevy to ensure the score board read 4-08-2-08.
Two quick fire McClean points reduced the deficit to four with five minutes plus added time but Gort Na Mona found it difficult to breach the St Galls defence with time ticking down.
St Galls were also encountering problems in front of the posts with six wides in a quarter of an hour – eventually Karl Stewart stepped up to the plate and converted a free on the stroke of full-time with O’Ciarain adding a second a minute later.
The game was up for Gort and two minutes into six added on – Gavin McKenna was the final player to exit the field early after picking up his second yellow card in a matter of minutes.
Patrick McCaffrey added a late point with the final action of the game as referee Colum Cunning sounded his full-time whistle.
St Gall’s will now prepare for the quarter-final clash with Glenariffe – but must do so without the services of Conor Burke and Napier.
St Galls: K McGreevy, S Morrison, J McDaniel, A Hannaway, C Burke, S Burke, R Irvine, J McGreevy (1-00), J Hopkins, T O’Ciarain (1-05, 1-04f), K McGourty, CJ McGourty (1-03), M Napier (1-01), A Gallagher, K Stewart (0-01f). Subs: A Gribbon for A Hannaway (Blood sub – 11 mins) S McAreavey for CJ McGourty (51 mins), A Healy for J Hopkins (61 mins).
Gort Na Mona: M Ward, C Scullion, G McKenna, C Connolly, G Doyle, C McCann, M Rea (0-01), P McCaffrey (0-01), D Hughes, T McCaffrey, P McHugh (0-01), S Doyle, D McClean (1-07, 1-06f), C McErlean, D Boyd (1-01). Subs: S Campbell for S Doyle (32 mins), C McMullen for C McErlean (37 mins), C Vallely for S Scullion (62 mins).
Referee: Colum Cunning (Dunloy)