HomeFit ACFL Div.1

Casement’s Portglenone 0-12 St. Enda’s 2-8

St Enda’s came to O Caillagh Park very much the underdogs for this round 8 league encounter, the hosts on the back of three successive victory’s that hoisted them into the top four.

Someone forgot to tell the visitors that though and it was all the city men in yellow and black for the opening quarter, with Donal Walsh and Cormac Scott putting two majors past the defenceless Ryan O Neill to give St Enda’s a commanding lead at the first water break. 

The gap extended to seven by the time Eamon Mc Auley blew the half time whistle, with pacey Kristian Healy involved in every move, no doubt astounded by the fact he was left as a free agent for most of the hour. 

Casements management made four changes at the break, the impressive Corey Mc Laughlin seizing his opportunity to remind home supporters of his undoubted talent leading from the front.

The gap began to shrink as Casements started to control the exchanges but another Cormac Scott point from distance left a bit of breathing space in favour of a very determined and well drilled St Enda’s.

Try as they may, Casements could only narrow the deficit to two, despite several opportunities to restore parity, but it was the Glengormley side who held firm to take two very worthy points back up the M2.

For Casements only Corey Mc Laughlin in the second period caught the eye and man of the match was indisputably Kristian Healy who made the three hundred mile round trip from Dublin worth every yard.

Portglenone: Ryan O Neill, Jonny Convery, Shane Delargy, Ronan Delargy, Ryan Convery, Michael Kelly, Conor Mc Ghee, Fergal O Kane, Calum Lynch, Aidan Mc Aleese, Gerard Mc Aleese, Caolan Tierney, Michael Hagan, Paddy Kelly, Oisin Doherty.

Subs used Corey McLaughlin, Ruairi Hagan, Ronan Kelly, Ciaran McKenna, Colin Lordan and Stephen Kelly.

Homefit Antrim Football League Division One
O’Donovan Rossa 0-11 St Gall’s 0-11

A late point from Niall Burns gave visitors St Gall’s a share of the spoils in Wednesday evening’s Homefit Antrim Football League Division 1 tie at Rossa Park.

The home team appeared to have done enough to gain the win in this well contested game, but few could have any complaints that things ended all square in the end as there was little or nothing to choose between two well matched teams.

An early exchange of points between Rossa’s Eoghan McMenamin and St Gall’s Brendan Bradley set the tone for the pattern of the game. With top scorers on each side, Bradley and Dominic McEnhill it was level at 0-2 and 0-3 apiece, but the visitors made a bit of a break nearing the first half water break when Bradley and Niall O’Neill fired over to give them a 0-5 to 0-3 advantage.

That scoring promise faded for the visitors and during the second quarter they failed to raise another flag, while the home side grabbed two from Donal Armstrong and Dominic McEnhill to bring their team level at the short whistle.

The visitors barren spell continued after the break as Rossa added points through Colm Fleming and Dominic McEnhill but with some of the old guard starting to pull the strings at the back the me from Milltown got themselves back on terms  with points from Michael Pollock and Kevin Niblock.

It was score for score for the rest of the third quarter and when it was tied at 0-9 apiece at the second half water break it was clear there was going to be little between these two well matched sides. They were still tied going into the final minutes, but when McMenamin pointed Rossa ahead late in the game it appeared the Shaw’s Road men had done enough to add another win. It was not to be however as Burns finished off a good move for St Gall’s by sending over the equalising point to earn his team a draw.

ROSSA: M Byrne; P Moyes, J Cooley, B McCauley; C McDonald, R Gowdy, M Mallon; C McGettigan (0-1), E McMenamin (0-2); SP Donnelly, C Fleming (0-1 free), A Devlin; D Armstrong (0-1), D McEnhill (0-6, 0-2 frees, 0-1 mark), P Shortt. Subs: R Currie for P Shortt (47), C McGowan for A Devlin (49).

ST GALL’S: N McCurdy; J Hopkins, C Brady, S O’Hagan; C Chada, F Donnelly, C Stinton; C O’Kane, A Gallagher; N Burns (0-1), T O’Neill, N O’Neill (0-1); M Pollock (0-2), B Bradley (0-6, 4 frees), S Kelly. Subs: T O’Ciarain for C O’Kane (HT), K Niblock (0-1) for C Chada (41), B McCaffrey for T O’Neill (47), M Cummings for M Pollock (58)

REFEREE: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg)

ACFL Div.3

Naomh Comhghall 0-12 Ballycastle 0-4

St. Comgall’s Antrim continued their relentless pursuit of the division 3 title when they proved too good for McQuillan’s Ballycastle in Antrim on Wednesday night. Tom Patchett was the man who again led the way in attack and weighed in with three points over the hour, providing problems for the visitors defence throughout.

The visitors hung in there during the opening half and made life difficult for the hosts who led 0-3 to 0-1 at the first water break. Despite enjoying plenty of possession the home side were only able to add a further point before half time and at the change of ends the score was 0-4 to 0-1 in favour of the Antrim town side.

The visitors didn’t offer much in attack but continued to defend resolutely and at half time a come-back still looked possible if a little unlikely. St. Comgall’s continued to call the shots with Dannan O’Hara and Lewis Higgins dictating matters at midfield but still had a bit of work to do at the second water break where they led by four.

It was only in the final quarter that the league leaders finally found top gear with Patchett, Joe Webb and Miles Devine finding space and their shooting boots and they went on to add six points without reply to provide the total that their overall superiority deserved.

St. Comgall’s: Anto Watson, Peter McAuley, Aaron McGaw, Ruairi Griffin, Kain Walker, Dylan Murdock, Paddy O’Connor, Lewis Higgins, Dannan O’Hara, Caolan McKeown, Miles Devine, Tom Patchett, Caolan O’Loan, Joe Webb, Paddy Quinn.

Scorers: Tom Patchett 0-3, Paddy Quinn 0-2, Miles Devine 0-2, Joe Webb 0-2, Ruairi Griffin 0-1, Dylan Murdock 0-1, Caolan O’Loan 0-1