Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship (Qtr Final)
St Gall’s 1-16 St Mary’s Aghagallon 1-09
St Gall’s booked yet another Antrim Senior Championship semi-final place when the Milltown men proved too strong for Aghagallon at Creggan on Saturday afternoon.
Little had separated the sides in the opening quarter with St Gall’s holding a two point lead at 1-07 to 1-05 and a place in the last four still looked up for grabs. Little changed in the opening phase of the second half with Brendan Bradley and Caolan Farr swapping points but the accuracy of CJ Mc Gourty always kept the Milltown men ahead, and when they stepped on the gas in the final quarter they raised four white flags without reply to pull six ahead (1-13 to 1-07) and there was no way back for Aghagallon.
The introduction of Desi Marshall did stir things up in the Aghagallon ranks in the latter stages but the experience of the battle hardened Milltown men stood them in good stead down the home straight and they crossed the finish line in full control at 1-16 to 1-09.
The west Belfast men had opened well when CJ Mc Gourty found the net only seconds into proceedings, the elusive forward pouncing on the rebound after the Aghagallon net minder made a good save to deny his opening shot. Aghagallon were rocked back on their heels by the early blow, but to their credit they hit back right away and carved out a goal chance of their own which which corner forward Adam Loughran fired home.
Loughran proved a thorn in the side of the Gall’s defence as they matched their opponents during the opening quarter and a close gamelooked in prospect.
CJ Mc Gourty had raised a couple of white flags with Brendan Bradley adding another whilst Adam Loughran helped himself to a couple with Ruairi Mc Cann supplying the other.
St Gall’s did step on the gas a little stronger in the second quarter and they looked good as Brendan Bradley despatched a 30 metre free between the posts and the ever accurate McGourty followed suit from an acute right sided angle before Mickey Pollock fully aided by Niall O’ Neill’s delivery added another.
The Gall’s seemed to be in control and on the way to a comfortable win, but though CJ Mc Gourty added another point in the latter stages, Adam Loughran continued to impress in the green and white at the other end as he added to his personal haul with a further point . When Loughran was upended during another attack Gareth Magee stepped up and punished the indiscretion as he split the post from the resultant free, but St Gall’s did still lead 1-07 to 1-05 at the break.
The opening phase of the second period saw St Gall’s regain control and after Caolan Farr pointed for Aghagallon the Belfast men hit back with an excellent Niall O’ Neill point. Still only a couple of points separated them but that was as close as the men from south west would get. St Gall’s upped the ante and after CJ Mc Gourty punished a foul on Niall O’ Neill by splitting the posts further white flags were raised by Niall O’ Neill and Brendan Bradley who slotted over to put the Milltown men six points clear, 1-13 to 1-07.
The end was in sight with the wily St Gall’s men in charge though the introduction of Desi Marshall added a bit of fight into the St Mary’s men. They did add a couple of late scores through top scorer Adam Loughran but these were to serve as consolation as the men from De La Salle Park were already home and dry.
St Galls
Ronan Gallagher, Eoghan Mc Cabe, Colm Brady, Shane O’ Hagen, Mark Kelly, Jackson Mc Greevey, John Mc Caffrey (0-01), Aodhan Gallagher, Niall O’ Neill (0-02), Conor Stinton, CJ Mc Gourty (1-07), Michael Pollock (0-02), Brendan Bradley (0-04)
Subs
Tiernan O’ Ciaran for S O’ Hagen
Sean Kelly for T O’ Neill (black card)
Sean Burke for C Stinton
Ryan Ervine for M Kelly
Brendan Mc Garr for CJ Mc Gourty
Aghagallon
Damien O’ Hagen, Aidan Mulholland, Daniel Donnelly, Mark Mc Kenna, Jamie Lamont, Jack Lenaghan, Paul Mulholland, Oisin Lenaghan, Ruairi Mc Cann (0-01), Gareth Magee (0-01), Pat Brannigan , Adam Loughran (1-05), Caolan Farr (0-01), Mark Mc Afee
Subs
Michael Mc Stravick for M Mc Kenna, Ruairi Loughran for C Farr, Desi Marshall for M Mc Afee
