Antrim Senior Football League Division One
St John’s 3-12 Naomh Éanna 1-7
When Antrim played Kildare in last Saturday’s All Ireland qualifier at Corrigan Park two of the men who stood out despite the defeat were Paddy McBride and Matthew Fitzpatrick, the two Johnnies men showing well on their home turf. On Friday night they were very much to the fore again at the same venue, Fitzpatrick this time taking the lead role with an incredible 2-3 from play as they put visitors Naomh Eanna to the sword in 3-12 to 1-7 win. The victory keeps the Johnnies very much in the race for league honours, one of five of the top six teams who are separated by just three points.
The home team hit the ground running and had opened up a seven point lead by the end of the opening quarter, the goal coming from McBride. Ruairi Scott got the visitors opening score but St John’s were totally dominant and further points from Dannan McKeogh, Conal McGlade and Patrick McBride had them eight ahead by the 20th minute. Naomh Eanna were thrown a lifeline when James McAuley picked out corner forward O’Connor on the edge of the St John’s square and he bundled the ball home to re-ignite his team’s challenge. However the home team had a quick reply and another McBride point and one from Peter McCallin had them 1-8 to 1-1 ahead at half time.
Naomh Eanna started the second half a little brighter when O’Connor hit two points in reply to one from McBride, but any hopes of a sustained fightback were soon dashed by a brilliant Fitzpatrick solo goal which put his team 2-9 to 1-3 clear.
The Glengormley men battled away bravely and they added further four points to their tally, but the Johnnies forward line had just too much firepower and with just minutes left for play Fitzpatrick put the seal on a great individual display when he finished a free flowing move involving himself, McBride and Andy McGowan with a low shot to the corner of the Naomh Eanna net.
ST JOHN’S: P Nugent; P Gribbin, B McFall, J Hannigan; C Carland, M Dudley, J Bohill; S McDonagh, M Fitzpatrick 2-3; D McKeogh 0-2, P McBride 1-4 (0-2fs), C McEvoy 0-1; C McGlade 0-1, R McNulty, P McCallin 0-1.
Subs: A McGowan for McNulty (35mins), L Peden for Dudley (37mins), S Tierney for McGlade (53mins), R Hannigan for Gribbin (56mins), F McCrudden for McKeogh (56mins).
NAOMH ÉANNA: M Morgan; C Lyttle, M McNamee, K Jennings; R O’Neill, J McAuley 0-1, R Kennedy; F O’Connor, N McKeown; S McBride, E Gibson, R Scott 0-3 (0-1f); P Curran, J Maskey, S O’Connor 1-3 (0-1f).
Subs: S Flynn for Curran (15mins), M McAuley for O’Neill (21mins), C Maxwell for McBride (38mins).
REFEREE: D McKeown (St Gall’s)