Homefit Antrim All County Football League Division 1
St Galls 0-10 St Johns 1-11
Paul McIntyre reports from Milltown Row.
Andy McGowan’s goal in the 23rd minute helped St Johns to a deserving four point win against neighbours and old foes St Galls on Sunday afternoon. And it was a victory achieved the hard way as they were forced to play part of the second half with just 13 players.
Midfielder Pearse Donnelly was black carded on 41 minutes, just three minutes after Conor Hand was dismissed for striking St Galls full back Séan McCaffrey in an off the ball incident. McCaffrey picked up a yellow card for his part in the same incident. Despite their numerical advantage, St Galls were unable to cause the St Johns defence any trouble. This lack of creativity will no doubt be the cause of great concern for Pádraig Ó Muirigh.
In the roasting hot summer sun, the game took some time to come to the boil and the only scores from play in the opening quarter came from Padraig Nugent. Normally a goalkeeper, Nugent wore the number 3 jersey today and kicked two fine points as the sides equally shared the first six points of the game.
After the water break Barra McCaffrey and Caolan Chada kicked St Galls two in front before McGowan stormed through the heart of the home defence to finish emphatically to the net.
Two more Bellew frees meant that it was McGowan’s goal was all that separated the sides at the break with St Johns leading 1-5 to 0-5.
Both sides added to their tallies before St Johns were dealt the body blow of losing two players in the space of three minutes. St Galls were finding it difficult to break down the visitor’s rear guard which was brilliantly marshalled by Nugent and Stephen Tierney.
Possession was the name of the game for the Johnnies and in the 58th minute good build up play down the right saw Conal Quinn claim the score of the game when he kicked a delightful point with the outside of his right foot.
A late St Galls rally saw Terry O’Neill have a half chance at goal but his first time shot was blocked and St Johns held on to claim their first win of the season.
Teams & Scorers:
St Galls: Louis McCormick, Colm Brady, Séan McCaffrey, Shane O’Hagan, Tomas O’Ciarain, Caolan Chada (0-2), Ruairi Wilson, Tomas Bunting, Aodhan Gallagher (0-1), Conn Doherty, Terry O’Neill (0-1), Niall Burns (0-3f), Barra McCaffrey (0-3f), Niall O’Neill, Cathal O’Kane.
Subs: Eoghan McCurdy for T. O’Ciaran (HT), Brendan Bradley for T. Bunting (HT), Fergus Donnelly for S. McCaffrey (46).
St Johns: Eoghan Rua Lambert, Ciaran Garland, Padraig Nugent (0-2), Jack Bohill, Ronan McCaffrey, Stephen Tierney, Paul Gribben, Simon McDonagh, Pearse Donnelly, Darren Bellew (0-7, 6f), Andy McGowan (1-0), Conal McGlade (0-1f), Fra McCrudden, Conor Hand, Conal Quinn (0-1).
Subs: Ryan McNulty for S. McDonagh (22), Joe Garland for F. McCurdden (43), Oisin Donnelly for A. McGowan (62), Ross Hannigan for P. Gribben (63).
Referee: Fionntan. McCotter (Sarsfields)
