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).
Allianz National Football League Division Four North
Antrim 2-17-1-19 Leitrim
Kevin Herron reports from Corrigan Park
Antrim topped the Division Four North section of the Allianz National Football League with a slender 2-17-1-19 win over Leitrim – but were perhaps fortunate after seeing an eleven-point second half lead wilt on a blazing hot day afternoon in Corrigan Park.
The Saffrons were in control through Conor Stewart’s first half goal and Conor Murray added a second after the break.
But Leitrim substitute Evan Sweeney landed three points on the spin and then found the net to give his side renewed hope.
Terry Hyland’s side would restore parity twice late-on and it took the trusted boots of veterans Paddy Cunningham and Tomas McCann to seal a late win for the hosts, and in the process protect their winning League run.
Antrim debuatant Luke Mulholland goes high to challenge a Leitrim forward for the dropping ball during Sunday’s National Football League game at Corrigan Park.
Antrim boss Enda McGinley made a couple of alterations to his side following last weekend’s dramatic victory over Sligo.
Luke Mulholland occupied the goalkeeping position and James McAuley and Patrick McBride also came into the starting fifteen.
Leitrim were off the mark first through a Keith Beirne free inside the opening sixty seconds, though Antrim responded through Odhran Eastwood who took a defensive mark and pointed.
Beirne and Mark Plunkett would give the visitors a two-point lead, but Ryan Murray hit back with a fine point from play.
Scores were traded between Plunkett and Ryan Murray (free) before Keith Beirne steered over his third free inside of ten minutes.
Odhran Eastwood cut the lead to one with his second placed ball of the half and the sides would trade further scores through Dean McGovern and Patrick McBride- whose goal bound effort was turned over for a point.
Antrim hit the front just before the first half water break, Patrick McBride and Odhran Eastwood switched the play and they slipped Conor Stewart through on goal with the All-Saint’s midfielder powerfully guiding his shot to the net past Brendan Flynn to give his side a 1-05-0-06 lead.
Conor Stewart punches the air in celebration after scoring his team’s opening goal in Sunday’s win over Leitrim.
Antrim were firmly in their flow and further scores followed through Ruairi McCann and Patrick McBride- who combined excellently with Marc Jordan.
Odhran Eastwood then slipped Conor Murray in for a point before Eastwood himself conjured up the next after claiming an attacking mark and popping the ball between the posts.
The St Enda’s forward was hard to keep tabs on and took his tally for four with a fine point that was his sides sixth without reply.
Keith Beirne would break that momentum- kicking his fourth free of the afternoon, but Paddy McBride would reply before the break for the Saffrons who were 1-11-0-07 to the good- despite losing Dermot McAleese to a black card in first half injury time.
Leitrim were first off the mark in the second half through a Keith Beirne free but Antrim responded through the same scenario after Conor Murray was felled and Odhran Eastwood converted.
Odhran Eastwood gets his shot despited the close attentions of Leitrims’ Gilheaney and Reynolds.
Six minutes after the restart the Saffrons stretched their advantage with their second goal of the afternoon.
Conor Murray was slipped through and bore down on goal- his initial shot was saved by Brendan Flynn however Murray rose to palm the rebound to the net and give the hosts a 2-12-0-08 lead.
Tom Prior steered over a reply for Leitrim, but Antrim would pull eleven points clear with twenty minutes remaining thanks to Odhran Eastwood’s sixth of the afternoon and a point from substitute Conor Small, after Conor Stewart broke a hop ball.
It would appear as though Antrim had sown things up and that was the felling throughout the Whiterock Road venue- but Terry Hyland’s charges weren’t about to go out with a whimper.
Evan Sweeney’s 51st minute introduction sparked a revival with the corner-forward slotting over three points on the bounce before coming up with a 57th minute goal.
Conor Dwyer slipped in Sweeney who swept a low shot beyond the reach of Luke Mulholland and into the net to make it a five-point game (2-14-1-12).
Frustration was beginning to creep into the Saffrons play and they were reduced to 14-men for the second time in proceedings when Marc Jordan was black carded for dissent towards whistler Kevin Faloon.
Keith Beirne kicked his sixth of the afternoon before Antrim would break their 13 minute scoreless period.
Substitute Paddy Cunningham switched a side-line ball to Conor Small who was felled and Odhran Eastwood was on hand to send the resulting free between the posts.
A second point of the half from Tom Prior kept Leitrim in touch and the visitors would storm back onto level terms with four quick points in a row as regulation time was about to elapse.
Beirne would score his seventh free of the afternoon and that was quickly followed by a Mark Plunkett score after Faloon had hoped the ball.
Antrim’s Conor Murray rises highest to palm the ball to the Leitrim net for his team’s seond goal early in the second half
Under extreme pressure Luke Mulholland was adjudged to have wasted too much time over a kick out and the ball was hopped again with Leitrim winning the break and Evan Sweeney was on hand to turn the ball over.
A minute into injury time and Leitrim had pulled level through a terrific point from Niall McGovern.
Antrim appeared to have given themselves the winning chance when the won a free out on the left and Paddy Cunningham dully converted to edge his side back into the lead, but talisman Keith Beirne struck for the eighth time to restore parity once again.
It looked as though the sides would share the spoils, but the last attack of the game yielded the winner, and it was one that was scripted in Toomebridge.
Justin Crozier guided the ball into the path of Tomas McCann who steered his shot between the posts to claim a third successive one-point win for the Saffrons after another afternoon of high drama involving Enda McGinley’s troops.
A two-week break lies in store for the Division Four North table toppers- who face Waterford in the League semi-final in two weeks’ time.
Tómas ‘Mossy’ McCann is congratualted by sub goalkeeper Michael Byrne after the final whistle
Antrim: L Mulholland, J McAuley, R Johnston, P Healy, M Jordan, J Laverty, E Walsh, C Stewart (1-00), N McKeever, D McAleese, C Murray (1-01), P McBride (0-03), O Eastwood (0-07, 0-06f), R McCann (0-01), R Murray (0-02, 0-01f). Subs: K Small for R Murray (13), J Crozier for R Johnston (HT), D Lynch for J Laverty (HT), C Small (0-01) for C Murray (43), T McCann (0-01) for D McAleese (43), P Cunningham (0-01f) for N McKeever (47), N Delgary for E Walsh (53).
Leitrim: B Flynn, C Reynolds, P Maguire, S Moran, O Madden, J Gilheaney, A Flynn, D McGovern (0-01), D Wrynn, S Quinn, M Plunkett (0-03), P Dolan, J Mitchell, K Beirne (0-08, 0-07f), T Prior (0-02). Subs: M Diffley for A Flynn (HT), K Keegan for S Moran (HT), N McGovern (0-01) for D Wrynn (51), E Sweeney (1-04) form D McGovern (51), D Bruen for S Quinn (55), N Brady for P Dolan (58).
Aghagallon’s Luke Mulholland comes in to make this senior inter county debut today on the Antrim team to play Leitrim at Corrigan Park at 3pm. There were rumours that Enda McGinley and his backroom team may make wholesale changes for this game, now that the Saffrons had already secured top spot in their section, but McGinley has stuck mainly with the team who lined out again Louth and Leitrim in the two previous rounds.
There are a few positional swithes in the six defenders, but only one personel change with Eunan Walsh, who has been a used sub in the previous two games, coming in for Declan Lynch, though not in the same position.
The midfield pairing of Conor Stewart and Niall McKeever stays the same while up from Dermot McAleese and Paddy McBride start on the half-forward line, McBride starting for the first time and McAleese moving up from the half back line.
Ruairi McCann is employed on the edge of the square this time, instead of his normal half forward position, with Kevin Small dropping down to the bench with Odhran Eastwood and Ryan Murray in the corners.
THE Antrim management team of Paul McKillen, Jim McKernan and Elaine Dowds wore broad smiles long before the final whistle of Saturday’s 2-15 to 2-7 victory over Derry in Owenbeg.
“It was the best performance since we took over last year,” McKillen told me after the game and it was even more emphatic than the score-line suggests.
Antrim’s Niamh Donnelly in action in the Saffrons win over Derry at Owenbeg
The Saffrons were the sharper team throughout and could have won by much more. They created five goal chances in the first half alone and only took two of them; the other three chances looked just as easy to put away. Maeve Kelly brought a brilliant save from goalie Niamh Gribbin, while Caitrín Dobbin fired inches wide after 14 minutes and then pinged another shot off the base of the upright and out to safety.
Derry also had hard luck when Dervla O’Kane shot narrowly wide just before the break while there were periods of the game, especially in that opening half when the home side showed glimpses of potential.
But Antrim played with more intensity and their movement and team-play has improved significantly since last season, with a stream of ball played into space in front of Caitrín Dobbin and Róisín McCormick in particular. That wasn’t as obvious against Down a fortnight ago, but it caused Derry huge problems.
Antrim’s Caoimhe Conlon who was superb at centre-back
Paul McKillen also pointed to the strength and conditioning programme that the team had undertaken during lockdown:
“I think you can see a huge difference in the players from last year. We are holding our ground a lot better in tackles. We are a young fast team and I am really pleased with how we have done in the two games.
“You look at the fixtures and you hope you can win both games. But to go out and do that against two strong teams is great for us.”
Derry took an early lead through Jackie Donnelly and were level at 0-3 each after 13 minutes. At that point the teams were contesting every ball and the game was swinging from end to end. However just before the break Antrim began to string the movements together to threaten goals.
Caitrín Dobbin hit her first opening shot wide, but within a minute or two Maeve Kelly had sent Róisín McCormick through for the first goal and then McCormick turned provider, profiting from a defensive error to put Dobbin in the open for the second goal.
Maeve Kelly who again gave a great display in the Antrim shirt
Those scores meant that it was 2-3 to 0-3 at the water-break and Nicole O’Neill pointed a huge free on the re-start. But it was Antrim’s only score of the second quarter although the Saffrons continued to create plenty of chances.
Derry saw an opening and Aoife Shaw and Dervla O’Kane narrowed the gap with points before O’Kane in the next attack hit the side netting when a goal looked certain. So it was 2-4 to 0-5 at the break.
Antrim really stepped up a gear on the re-start and fired over six of the first seven points after half-time. Áine McAllister’s free was the only response to two each from Nicole O’Neill (including a free from right on the side-line), Maeve Kelly and Róisín McCormick.
Just when it seemed that Antrim were on a roll, Dervla O’Kane grabbed a goal in the 42nd minute and a couple of minutes later robbed Niamh Donnelly in the corner. She found Máiréad McNicholl racing through and the Swatragh forward did well to find the space for a shot to the net. Suddenly the gap was down to 2-10 to 2-6 at the second water break.
However Antrim again pressed on after the re-start with points from Maeve Kelly (2), Anna Connolly, Caitrín Dobbin and Róisín McCormick (3) to top the qualification group and confirm a spot in next weekend’s quarter-finals.
Subs : Ciara Laverty for N O’Neill (43), Claire McKillop for M Connolly (48), Christine Laverty for A Boyle (53), Niamh Anne Donnelly for M Lynn (56), Róisín Kelly for K McKillop (57).
Loughgiel came back from five points down at the the first water break to beat Ballycastle by nine in Saturday afternoon Under 20 League game at Fr Healy Park. Ballycastle had started really well and with the breeze at their back they went six points clear after seven minutes, the goal coming from Declan McCooke and the points from Seamus McAuley (2) and Jack Egan.
Shane O’Boyle got Loughgiel on the scoreboard in the ninth minute, and though Jack Egan put Ballycastle six ahead again a minute later, two pointed free from top scorer Rian Bubbles McMullan. The home side were much in the game at this stage but Ballycastle came back with another point just before the first half water break to give them a five point cushion. (0-3 to 1-5)
My ball! Loughgiel midfielder grabs a high ball during his team’s win over Ballycastle.
Things changed after the restart when Loughgiel full forward Odhan McGrath got a goal and a point in quick succession to leave just a point between the sides, and though Fergal McKiernan replied for visitors to puts two between them again, Rian McMullan turned the game on his head with six points in a row, three from frees and two from play to put his team two ahead at half time (1-10 to 1-08)
Ballycastle drew level early in the second half as Seamus McAuley and Caolan O’Connor sent over points and it was all square again when McMullan and McAuley exchanged points. Loughgiel started their run for home in the 42nd minute and with Rian McMullan at the heart of every move, the scores came thick and fast.
Ballycastle’s Seamus McAuley in action against Loughgiel’s Declan McCloskey
The corner forward his six more points, full forward Odhran McGrath grabbed a goal and a point while Cathal Hargan also chipped in with one. But it was McMullan’s class that shone through during this spell, and two of points he scored were right out of the top drawer.
Ballycastle kept battling however and they got some consolation when substitute Joe McToal grabbed a late consolation goal with a fines strike off the left side when flew into the Loughgiel net.
Loughgiel’s Enda Og McGarry in action against Ballycastle’s Patrick McAlonan
Loughgiel
Kevin McAuley, Conor Henry, Ruairi McCloskey, Conal McCloskey, Enda Og McGarry, Declan McCloskey, Tiernan McAlonan, Shane O’Boyle, Cathal Hargan, Ryan Hill, Michael McGarry, Damian Quinn, Rian McMullan, Odhran McGrath, Frank Boyle.
Ballycastle
Christai McAuley, Jack McGowan, Sean Brogan, Patrick McAllister, Eoin Boylan, Ronan Laverty, Mark McClean, Rueben McClean, Eoin Magee, Feargal McKiernan, Caolan O’Connor, Seamus McAuley, Tiernan Smyth, Declan McCook, Jack Egan
