Photographs: Bert Trowlen
U16B Football Championship
St Joseph s 2-13 St Endas 2-8
St Joseph s came out on top of a combative U16 championship game despite a late surge by the Hightown Gaels.
Darragh Armstrong struck 1-2 and Eoin Dixon top scored with 0-8 as Glenavy withstood a late comeback from the visitors to advance to the next round of the U16B Championship.
Starting well St Enda’s opened the scoring with a Sean Murray free but then struggled against a packed Glenavy defence.
A goal after 8 minutes preceded a period of domination that saw St Joseph’s take a commanding lead 1-5 to 0-1 before Sean Murray pointed two frees.
The half ended 1-5 to 0-3 despite some late pressure from St Enda’s.
The second half began with a few changes for Enda’s but they failed to make the best of some good possession. St Joseph s continued to score to lead 1-9 to 0-5 after points from Murray and Eoghan OHare
Glenavy hit back with another goal before Ryan Kelly and Colm McCabe points gave a glimmer of hope to the men in black and Amber.
To their credit the Hightown boys kept working hard despite trailing 2-12 to 0-7 they then mounted a spirited comeback with goals from Aidan Kelly and Saul Sherlock and another point from Ryan Kelly gave them some hope.
However late points from Glenavy ensured they ran out winners 2-15 to 2-8.
Glenavy Panel: Ronan Hill, Matthew McDermott, Michael Fox, Daniel Hamill, Shay O’Neill, Matthew Lawlor, Joseph Mulholland, Finn Malley, Darragh Doherty (0-1), Rory Nelson, Eoin Dixon (0-8,) Fiontan O’Boyle (0-2), Darragh Armstrong (1-2), Caolan McClenaghan, Michael Morgan (1-1), Lewis Collins Niall, Burke, Ruairi Hamill, Eugene Clenaghan.
St. Enda’s scorers: Sean Murray 0-3 frees, Eoin O’Hare 0-1, Ben O’Reilly 0-1, Ryan Kelly 0-2, Jude Stewart 1-0, Saul Sherlock 1-0
