ACFL Division 3
St. Comgall’s 2-12 O’Donnell’s 2-7
A fast start and a strong finish paved the way for a St. Comgall’s win over visitors O’Donnell’s in this top of the table clash at Dunsilly tonight. The Antrim town men came racing out of the starting blocks and led by 2-1 to 0-1 at the first water break.
Indeed it could have been worse for the Whiterock men at this stage but their keeper Conor Murphy pulling off a couple of great blocking saves to deny a rampant St. Comgall’s attack. Centre half, Dylan Murdock was the man who got the opening goal and Paddy Quinn rose to get his fist to an Anthony Watson free as the home side threatened to over-run the opposition.
O’Donnell’s only reply at this stage came from a Padraig McKissock point and as the pace and direct running of Patrick O’Connor, Tom Patchett and Caolan O’Loan continued to open up the opposition the Antrim town side moved into a 2-4 to 0-1 lead after 22 minutes despite playing against the wind.
Murdock blotted his copy book when he was shown Red in the 25th minute and O’Donnell’s hit the last two points of the half through Patrick Meenan and Richard McAvoy but still trailed 2-6 to 0-3 at the short whistle.
The Whiterock side introduced Gearoid McKiernan and Luke Doyle at the start of the second half and McKiernan got in for his side’s first goal with only a minute of the new half gone. O’Donnell’s were using the extra man to good effect, running at the opposition and drawing fouls from the opposition defence.
Tom Patchett races through to fist over a St. Comgall’s point
Team captain, Patrick Meenan punished these indiscretions as he fired over three in succession and Padraig McKissock adding another with Tom Patchett keeping his side ahead with a couple at the other end but when the visitors were awarded a penalty with six minutes of normal time remaining an O’Donnell’s comeback looked on the cards.
Anthony Watson in the St. Comgall’s goals was the man penalised for throwing the ball and Padraig McKissock stepped up to send him the wrong way from the spot and suddenly there was just three between the sides.
St. Comgall’s looked in trouble but to their credit they regrouped to produce a strong finish with Caolan O’Loan getting on the end of a good move to send over and Miles Devine made victory secure as he converted a couple of pressure frees to see his side home with five points to spare.
St. Comgall’s: Anthony Watson, Ruairi Griffin, Stephen Webb, Conor McAuley, Patrick O’Connor, Dylan Murdock, Danaan O’Hara, James McCabe, Aaron McGaw, Caolan McKeown, Joseph Webb, Tom Patchett, Caolan O’Loan, Miles Devine, Paddy Quinn,
O’Donnell’s: Conor Murphy, Stephen O’Donnell, Nathan Garland O’Neill, Jonathan McKenna, Stephen Seawright, Kevin Kennedy, Keelan Loughran, Conor Walsh, Scott Thompson, Ciaran McKissock, Patrick Meenan, Fergal McNerney, Padraig McKissock, Darragh Walsh, Richard McAvoy, Subs: Gearoid McKiernan, Daniel Walsh, Ciaran Seacroft, Michael Dorrian, Luke Doyle,
Referee: Karol Doherty (Rasharkin)
