South West Antrim Minor Football Championship – Laverty Cup
Con Magees Glenravel 1-20 St Joseph’s Glenavy 2-9
Glenravel came back from the brink at Fr Maginn Park on Sunday evening when they staged a great comeback to beat a very good Glenavy team in the Laverty Cup quarter final. The home team trailed by two points late in normal time and appeared to be going out of the competition, but two brilliant points from full forward Rian Lennon brought the game to extra time and in that twenty added minutes they dominated proceedings, outscoring their opponents by 1-5 to 0-0 to secure a semi-final place.
Glenravel started well with a point from the excellent Ryan McQuillan, but Glenavy hit back with two pointed frees from distance, which were beautifully struck off the ground by left half back Pearse Connaughton. Points from Ryan McQuillan (2) and Rian Lennon put Glenravel two in front but the visitors responded well with points from Darragh Armstrong and a goal from James Mulholland to retake the lead, and this despite being reduced to 14 men after one of the players received a black card. It looked like Glenavy would take a lead ino half time but a late McQuillan point brought his team level at the short whistle.
Centre half back Matthew Lawlor put Glenavy back in front two minutes into the second half but Lennon soon had his team back level with a well taken point. Once again the visitors edged ahead when corner forward Darragh Armstrong pointed. However with centre back Cathal Hynds driving his team on the home team were starting to get on top and three points in a row from Lennon (2) and midfielder Calum Higgins put them twp up by the 50th minute.
Darragh Armstrong cut the gap to one with a point from play before swinging the game in his team’s favour as he took advantage of a defensive error to grab a goal.
This put the St Joseph’s boys two clear and with time ticking away things looked bleak for the home side, but Rian Lennon produced the goods when it was needed and his two late points brought the game to extra time.
Everything seem to go for Glenravel in that extra time and three quick points from Lennon, McQuillan and Calum Higgins put them on top, and when the stylish McQuillan grabbed a goal the victory was all but safe. Lennon hit two more in the second period of extra time and McQuillan topped off a fine display with another point to give his team an eight point cushion at the final whistle.
