Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship
Portglenone 1-12 St John’s 2-6
Wednesday September 9
Brendan McTaggart reports from Coláiste Feirste, Belfast
Just three days from their epic encounter at Ahoghill, Portglenone and St John’s renewed acquaintances under the floodlights of Coláiste Feirste for their senior championship replay. This time we had a winner inside the 60 minutes but this contest was every bit as compelling as what had transpired on Sunday afternoon.
Portglenone sealed their place in the last four, and a meeting with Lámh Dhearg next weekend, as they saw off St Johns with three points to spare. The final score probably flattering the Corrigan Park side at the end of the hour with Portglenone being much the better team throughout.
Defensively strong and astutely organised while their ability to break at pace and in numbers proved to be the difference between these sides. Ronan Kelly and Conall Delargy did the lions share of the scoring for the Casements, sharing six points equally from frees while Michael Donnelly scored their goal in the 34th minute but it was their running from deep and electric pace that did for the Johnnies. Man of the match Niall Delargy immense throughout with lung busting runs through the defence while Dermot McAleese’s move to a deeper roll has been a revelation for Portglenone and run his clubmate close for the man of the match accolade.
For the Johnnies, its more bitter championship disappointment. Having left the Cloney club grounds on Sunday feeling like they underperformed, they will have the same feeling while making the short journey home from Coláiste Feirste. Trailing by three points at half time, they were still in with a shout and scored their first goal from Brian ‘Bam’ Neeson straight after Portglenone’s major. It lifted their support on the terraces but they couldn’t get any change from a superb Portglenone defence.
They were reduced to 14 men midway through the second half with Conal Kelly seeing red for a second yellow card and Portglenone went onto build what would turn out to be a game winning lead. Unlike three days ago, the Casement’s passes with more purpose and continued to press forward but taking no chances. Possession was king in the closing stages and Portglenone lorded the ball. Six points separated the sides going into injury time and despite the Corrigan Park men scoring their second major, it was too little too late.
Portglenone named an unchanged team from the first match while St Johns made a number of personnel and positional changes. Bam Neeson replacing Conor Johnston while Adrian Oliver, Pearse Donnelly and Domhnall Nugent replacing Conal Bohill, Paul McGribben and Conor McEvoy.
The opening exchanges were nervy and a case of both sides sizing each other tactically. Portglenone looked brighter from the start with their defence and tackling on point from the first whistle but the opening point from play came from Matt Fitzpatrick in the 14th minute. Portglenone had already registered three points from frees by that stage with Conall Delargy and Ronan Kelly (two) on hand to punish any indiscretions from the St Johns defence.
Portglenone began to create more scoring chances as the half progressed and could have had the first goal of the contest with Dermot McAleese making a piercing run from the right hand side but his left footed shot spooned wide of the posts. A counter attack from Niall Delargy led to Paddy Kelly firing over the Casement’s first point from open play in the 17th minute to open a three point lead once again and it was a score that was a hallmark of the game from a Portglenone point of view. Sound defence, force a turnover and break with pace when the chance arrived.
Peter McCallin doubled the Johnnies tally in the 20th minute and while Portglenone were the better side up until that point, only two points separated the teams. The Casement’s continued to outplay St Johns for the remainder of the half however. Points from Conall Delargy (free) and Kieron McKenna preceded a Paddy McBride free to leave three between the sides at the short whistle, 0-6 to 0-3 in Portglenone’s favour.
The Johnnies will look at a number of missed frees and turnover ball they were forced to concede in those opening 30 minutes but the three point margin was a fair reflection of the first half with Portglenone much the better side.
The first score after the restart came four minutes in with Portglenone scoring the opening goal of the replay. Ryan Convery with the incisive break before passing to Niall McKeever. The Portglenone man found Michael Donnelly in space with a hand pass and he fired to the net and open a six point lead.
The Johnnies needed a response and they got it with the next attack. Collecting the ball deep in the Portglenone half on the left hand side and 30 yards from goal, Bam Neeson sent his shot towards the Portglenone goal. The ball dipped and lobbed Ryan O’Neill in the Portglenone goals, finishing in the top corner. If it were anyone else on the pitch, you would say it was a fluke but with Neeson you never know. He has the ability to produce moments of magic just like that and he has done so in the past for club and county. He may have been misfiring from placed ball on the night but that was a goal to rival anything that’s gone before it in this years championship.
The Portglenone response was one of measured calm and professionalism. They didn’t panic and stuck to the task, going about their business in the manner that had gave them control of this tie and with Conall Delargy and Dermot McAleese firing over either side of McBride’s second free of the night, the Casement’s held a four point lead with 16 minutes remaining.
St Johns cut the lead to three when Ryan McNulty finished a neat team move moments later but they were dealt a hammer blow in the 46th minute when Conal Kelly was sent off for a second yellow card, much to the obvious disappointment to the Johnnies man.
Unlike three days previous, Portglenone didn’t try to protect what they had. Instead they continued to push and could have scored their second goal with the next attack. Fergal O’Kane and Niall Delargy creating the chance for McKeever but his blasted effort was well saved by Padraig Nugent between the sticks for St Johns.
McBride’s third free of the match reduced the deficit to two points with ten minutes of the match remaining but Portglenone were in control. With their half back line in dominant form and their work rate never dropping, they opened a five point lead with substitute Michael Kelly scoring with his first touch of the game just one minute after coming on as a sub along with McKeever and Ronan Kelly.
With the game ticking into injury time, Portglenone kept possession and looked to frustrate St Johns. After almost two minutes of keep ball, they found midfielder O’Kane in space and he fired over to leave six between the sides and while St Johns pressed for goals, lightning wasn’t going to strike twice this time.
The Johnnies second goal came from a side line ball delivered by Michael Bradley landing on the edge of the square and after a scramble, Matt Fitzparick got the last touch for the ball to eventually get over the line. Fitzpatrick had another chance for goal moments later with a speculative effort from close to 25 yards out but Johnny Convery was on hand to block his effort with what was to be the last action of the half.
Portglenone progress to a meeting with Lamh Dhearg with county final place up for grabs.
TEAMS
Portglenone: Ryan O’Neill; Johnny Convery, Shane Delargy, Ryan Convery; Ronan Delargy, Dermot McAleese, Caolan Tierney; Niall McKeever, Fergal O’Kane; Conall Delargy, Niall Delargy, Kieron McKenna; Ronan Kelly, Michael Donnelly, Paddy Kelly.
Subs: Gerard McAleese for K McKenna (44); Michael Kelly for P Kelly (52); Ryan McGuigan for R Kelly (Inj)
Scorers: Ronan Kelly 0-3 (3 f’s); Conall Delargy 0-3 (3 f’s); Michael Donnelly 1-00; Dermot McAleese 0-1; Niall McKeever 0-1; Fergal O’Kane; Kieron McKenna 0-1; Paddy Kelly 0-1; Michael Kelly 0-1
St Johns: Padraig Nugent; Michael Bradley, Adrian Oliver, Jack Bohill; Ciaran Garland, Ronan McCafferty, Ryan McNulty; Simon McDonagh, Domhnall Nugent; Pearse Donnelly, Conal Kelly, Peter McCallin; Paddy McBride, Brian Neeson, Matthew Fitzpatrick.
Subs: Conan McGlade for P Donnelly (Black Card 23); Liam Laverty for S McDonagh (29); Michail Dudley for R McCafferty (45); Jack Hannigan for P McCallin (56); Andy McGowan for B Neeson (59).
Scorers: Matthew Fitzpatrick 1-1; Brian Neeson 1-00; Paddy McBride 0-3 (3 f’s); Ryan McNulty 0-1; Peter McCallin 0-1.
Referee: Sean Laverty (Moneyglass)
