Creagh Concrete Minor A Football Championship – round robin
All Saints 4-21 Tir na nÓg 2-5
All Saints Ballymena booked their place in the semi-finals of the Antrim Minor Football Championship when they scored a runaway win over Tir na nÓg in Monday evening’s final round-robin game at Quinn Park, Ballymena.
The Ballymena boys flew from the traps and had two points on the board inside the opening minute through Aidan Scullion and Ronan McKillop. Ciaran Campbell and McKillop added two more to put them 0-4 to 0-0 ahead after just three minutes, but they were rocked back on their heels two minutes later when Tir na nÓg corner forward Sean Grant grabbed a goal in their first attack.
Suddenly things looked a bit different, but All Saints were not rattled by the concession of the goal and inside 30 seconds Ciaran Campbell had the ball in the net at the other end of the field. Full forward Joshua Higgins came back with a point for Tir na nÓg, but three on the trop for the Saints put them well in control.
Randalstown did manage a couple more points before the break but a goal from corner forward Cál O’Brien for the Saints was followed by six more unanswered points. Tir na nÓg did manage another goal in first half injury time when Paul Graffin hit the net but another pointed free by Aidan Scullion before the short whistle gav the home team a 2-15 to 2-3 lead at the break.
The second half turned into a bit of procession with Tir na nÓg under the cosh most of the time. Four in the first three minutes for the home side set the tone for what was to come. Chris McKenna and Conor Hasting responded with a couple of points for Tir na nÓg but it was to be their last scores of the game and Ballymena finished with two points from Aidan Scullion plus a goal and two points from Ronan McKillop
