Under-21 Football Championship
Cuchullian’s Dunloy 2-11 St Mary’s Aghagallon 0-10
Pics by Damian McKee – Picture Magic Studios
Dunloy got away to a win in the opening phase of the under-21 football championship, and although a lot of distance has to be travelled before the winning line appears in sight the well-organized Cuchullian’s served notice they may well be contenders following their 2-11 to 0-10 win over Aghagallon at Toome on Saturday.
Nothing separated the sides at the end of the opening half with Aghagallon, having been reduced in number by an Adam Loughran red card, came from off the pace and a trio of late points ensured they were on par, 0-07 to 1-04 at the break.
Seaan Elliot and Fiontan Campbell had raised a couple of white flags apiece at either end in an opening ten minute period in which little separated the sides although Aghagallon did have the services of a strong breeze in their favour.
Despite the elements the Dunloy lads with a sizeable number of the hugely successful minors included were proving composed in the extreme.
A controlled approach with the leather transferred mostly through the hand paid dividends and back to back points from the boot of Anthony Smith ensured a 0-04 to 0-02 advantage as the end of the opening quarter approached.
Aghagallon were soon to return fire however and after Eunan Walsh concluded strong approach with a 16th minute point thanks to the benevolence of a post a foul on the incoming Paul Mulholland was punished when Jack Lenaghan despatched the resultant award directly between the posts from about 55 metres.
After the end to end activity of the opening phase and a fair return on the board the next minutes were to see chances created and indeed wasted at either end but the St Mary’s side were about to endure a body blow to their chances as the very talented Adam Loughran was caught in an off the ball incident and looked at the red card as punishment.
A real spoke in the wheels for the Aghagallon men and the dismissal of the centre forward was to arrive as a double edged sword of punishment as the ‘free’ awarded from the incident saw Seaan Elliot send into the danger area for mid-fielder Declan Smith to grasp and firmly dispatch to the back of the net.
The Cuchullian’s had gained a 1-04 to 0-04 advantage but the St Mary’s men were quick to recover and late scores as Eunan Walsh (2) and Niall McShane raised late whites to see them draw level at the break, 0-07 to 1-04.
The Cuchullian’s had the services of the stiff southerly breeze in the second half and with Conall ‘Coby’ Cunning and Seaan Elliot pulling the strings they started on the positive with an early score and when Eoin O’ Neill seized opportunity from a poor clearance to return to the back of the net the die looked cast.
The ever busy Seaan Elliot had raised the opening flag, splitting the posts again in the 33rd minute and although a well laid delivery from full forward Daniel Hannon paved the way for a Fiontan Campbell reply in kind at the other end the next minutes were to belong to the Cuchullian’s.
The Aghagallon rear guard did well to deny Declan Smith in his efforts to double his goal tally following a solo Seaan Elliot approach in the 36th minute but an excellent Conall Cunning point followed shortly after and the Cuchullian’s were about to press the ‘go’ button.
Seaan Elliot grabbed a super long range point and after Eoin O’ Neill took the gift of a poor clearance to send the leather to the net a minute later and the impressive Conal Cunning followed with a point, Dunloy had gone 2-08 to 0-08 ahead and as the game progressed to the last quarter they looked in charge.
Aghagallon looked to return fire, but despite their endeavours, with Eunan Walsh and Jack Lenaghan mostly in the vanguard they kept finding it difficult to gain penetration through a Dunloy defensive unit in which Aaron Crawford and Ciaran Mc Quillan were prominent and scores proved hard to come by.
Mid-fielder Lenaghan tried to find the net in the 49th minute after a strong approach but the Cuchullian’s rear guard stood strong to deny him and when Fiontan Campbell chose to strike a close free ‘low and hard’ the leather was diverted over the bar.
The Dunloy men were not to yield and although spurning more than a few clear cut openings they always looked in command with as Seaan Elliot and Coby Cunning giving most employment to the scoreboard attendant in the latter stages.
A late Fiontan Campbell point completing Aghagallon’s total but Dunloy had matters well in hand at conclusion to scamper over the winning line full value for the 2-11 to 0-10 winning advantage.
Dunloy: Cathan Quinn, Eoin Mc Quillan, Aaron Crawford, Oisin Mc Erlaine, Ciaran Mc Quillan, Ryan Elliot, Conor Ferris, Colm Scullion, Declan Smith (1-00), Chris Mc Mahon, Conal Cunning (0-04), Liam Mc Cann, Anthony Smith (0-03), Eoin O’ Neill (1-00), Seaan Elliot (0-05)
Subs
Ryan Mc Ferran for R Elliot
Ronan Molloy for L Mc Cann
Ciaran Doherty for E Mc Quillan
Aghagallon: Robert Haire, Stephen Brannigan, Seamus Donnelly, Aaron Doherty, Gerry Downing, Pat Brannigan, Jamie Lamont (0-01), Niall Mc Shane (0-01), Eunan Walsh (0-03), Adam Loughran, Paul Mulholland, Mark Mc Afee (0-02), Daniel Hannon, Fiontan Campbell (0-03)
Referee Ryan O’ Reilly (Glenravel)
Pics by Damian McKee – Picture Magic Studios