U21 Football Championship grading round

St. Paul’s 1.09 (12)   Tír na nÓg 0.13 (13)

Tir na nOg’s good start to this year’s U21 football championship continued on Sunday when they travelled to Shaw’s Road to face a good St. Paul’s side who provided them with a much stiffer test than they faced against Glenavy on day one.

The Hoops matched them all the way in a tight opening half with the visitors from Whitehill leading 0-6 to 0-5 at the break. Thomas Porter opened their account and points from  Darragh Fegan 0-3, and Jack O’Mahoney 0-2 saw them lead by the minimum at the short whistle.

Darragh Fegan and Ciaran O’Neill edged the visitors three in front on the restart and after the home side replied Aaon McNeilly and Darragh Fegan extended  the Whitehill side’s lead to  four. Just when it looked like Tir na nOg were taking control the home side struck back with a vengeance and a goal and a point to draw level.

It was nip and tuck from there until the end with Ciaran O’Neill edging his side in front once more only for St. Paul’s to respond again and tie the contest. It looked like anyone’s game at this stage but it was Stephen Carey who became the Tir na nOg hero when he fired over the winning point with just a minute remaining.

Tir na nOg: 1. R. Conceicao 2. M. Porter  3. D. Mallon 4. O. McAtamney 5. R. Griffin 6. P. Cullen 7. A. McNeilly 8. D. McCormick 9. D. Fagan 10. C. O’Neill 11. A. Tolan 12. J. O’Mahoney 13. D. Hastings 14. S. Carey 15. T. Potter

Scorers: D. Fagan (0.5- 2 frees), C. O’Neill (0.3), J. O’Mahoney (0.2), T. Porter (0.1), A. McNeilly (0.1), S. Carey (0.1)