Antrim Minor B Football Championship
Minor B Football Championship
St.Joseph’s, Glenavy 1.14 v 2.08 Clan na Gael
When these sides met in the league Clan na Gael won on a scoreline of 4-20 to 1-1 which made the visitors raging hot favourites going into this game. The home side fielding a young side were rewarded with a workman like display. The amalgamated side looked like they just had to turn up but were never allowed to settle into their rhythm.
Glenavy were first of the mark with a Fergal Henry pointed freebut back came the city side to go into the lead with points from Ryan and Niall Kelly. Things were looking good for the visitors when they were awarded a penalty which was dispatched to the net by Eoin Dixson. The ever reliable Fergal Henry pulled a point back for the hill sidebut it was Clann na Gael who continued to dominate the opening exchanges as Niall Kelly, Conor Quinn and Eoin Dixson added points to put their side six in front with halftime approaching. Darragh Armstrong pulled one back for the Chapel Hill side to leave the halftime score 1.05 v 0.03 in Clan na Gael’s favour.
Ryan Kelly had the first score of the second half with a point from play to extend the visitors lead. Home keeper Jack McCann had an excellent game and his kick-outs nearly always found a team mate. From one of these kick outs the ball was played on from midfield and made its way to Fiontan O’Boyle who had replaced the injured Sean McCambridge and he split the sticks from an acute angle. The home side went into overdrive and added scores with a brace of points from Fergal Henry and a goal and point from the hard working Darragh Armstrong to put their side one ahead and the tide appeared to be turning. However a long ball from midfield caused panic in the home defence the visitors grabbing a second goal to put them two ahead. Once again young Henry steadied the ship with a pointed freebut back came the city side with a point which proved to be their penultimate score.
The orange men then added five unanswered points with Fergal Henry getting three (1 free), Ruairi Nelson and Lorcan O’Neill getting the other two. With time almost up Clan na Gael had their last point but It was fitting that Fergal Henry had the final point to the game to bring his personal tally to nine points. The final whistle blew to leave St.Joseph’s in the next round on a score of 1-14 to 208.
This was an all-round team effort and everyone deserves great credit for the standard of play from such a young team. Clan na Gael will feel disappointed in the manner in which they threw away their early lead but were beaten by the never-say-die attitude of Glenavy on the night.
St.Joseph’s: Jack McCann; Lorcan O’Neill; Michael Fox; Anto O’Hare; Matthew Lawlor; Calum Creighton; Pearse Connaughton; Lorcan Nelson, Anthony Gallagher; Aodh O’Neill; Ruairi Nelson; Caolan McClenaghan; Sean McCambridge (Fiontan O’Boyle h/t); Fergal Henry; Darragh Armstrong.
Referee: Richie Leahy St.Comgall’s.
Moneyglass 1-6 Gaeil an tSeibhe Dhuibh 2-9
Photographs: Elaine Kelly
In the other game played in the Minor B Football Championship last night Gaeil an tSeibh Duibh impressed with a win over Moneyglass at Marrion Hill and will now face St. Joseph’s Glenavy in the next round on 3d of September.
