Stalemate at Milltown

U-15 ACFL Division 1

St Galls 1-11 – 2-08 St Pauls

Kevin Herron reports from Milltown

Ciaran Rogers-Duffy landed a late free that secured his side a share of the spoils in a 1-11 – 2-08 draw between St Galls and St Pauls at Milltown on Thursday evening.

The sides went into the encounter tied at the top of the table- with St Pauls superior goal difference seeing them top of the league.

But they went behind early-on when their defence was caught napping from a free that Brendan Hamilton steered low to the net to give St Galls a dream start.

Cormac Austin took his sides first point of the evening from a converted free and that was how the vast majority of the evening scores arrived.

St Pauls were off the mark through a free from Ciaran Rogers-Duffy and both sides traded further scores through their respective free takers.

Brendan Hamilton almost had his second goal of the game after bursting forward and cutting in at the by-line, but Adam Carroll got his foot to the low shot and turned it behind for a 45’ which came to nothing.

Rogers-Duffy swung over a fantastic free and then brought his tally to 0-04 from the same scenario moments later to reduce the deficit to the bare minimum.

**Ciaran Rogers-Duffy readies himself for one of his eight converted frees over the course of the contest**

The Shaws Road side hit the front with their first score from play a few minutes later. A quick free was taken cross-field and arrived at the back post to Patrick Crawford – who kept the ball in play and fisted it across the face of goal and in to give his side a 1-04-1-02 lead.

St Galls hit back with Cormac Austin taking a quick free to Conor McVeigh who landed the score.

However, converted frees from Patrick Crawford and Rogers-Duffy moved St Pauls three-points ahead.

A converted free from Cormac Austin closed the gap at the break- however his side trailed 1-06- 1-04 at the midway point.

St Pauls conjured up the first point of the second period when Crawford slipped the ball inside to Padraig McDonnell who steered the ball between the posts.

On 33 minutes St Galls had the chance to restore parity when Brendan Hamilton was tripped on route to goal and referee Colin Mallon signalled for a penalty.

**Brendan Hamilton is tripped on route to goal and a penalty was subsequently awarded**

Hamilton dusted himself down and thundered high to the net to level proceedings at 2-04-1-07.

**Hamil**ton dusted himself down and powered home the penalty

They then regained the lead through a fantastic Conor McVeigh score- the full forward showed an array of skill to bypass a few challenges before having the composure to send the ball high between the posts.

Their lead was short-lived though as St Pauls went up the other end and drew level, Oisin Casey carried the ball forward and popped it off to Patrick Crawford who swung over the equaliser.

St Pauls edged back in front thanks to back-to-back Ciaran Rogers-Duffy frees with Hamilton replying from the same scenario.

The hosts had the chance to level before the second-half water break when Cormac Austin saw his run halted and referee Mallon felt the offence was worthy of a black-card to Oisin Casey- who departed for 10 minutes.

The resulting free was missed however as St Pauls held a slender advantage going down the home straight.

Upon the games resumption St Galls made use of their numerical advantage and levelled with Liam Lynn kicking a terrific score after nice work from Brendan Hamilton.

Cormac Austin nudged his side ahead for the final time with his fifth converted free of the evening.

But St Pauls were determined to leave Milltown with a share of the spoils and deep into injury-time their chance arrived when they were awarded a free and with almost the last kick of the game.

Though Ciaran Rogers-Duffy showed ice-cool nerves to score the pressure kick- eighth of the evening to ensure that the top-two would split the points after an entertaining encounter.

St Gall’s: L Donnelly, J McKeown, S MacAdhaimh, C Hale, C Parker, A Mackel, L Burns, B Hamilton (2-00, 1-00p), L Lynn (0-01), D Stitt, C Austin (0-05f), C Haughey, E Walsh, C McVeigh (0-02), P Murray. Subs: L Walsh for D Stitt (11), S Kelly for L Walsh (38).

St Pauls: A Carroll, O McCann, P McNulty, C McDonnell, N Carmichael, C McAlea, C McCann, O Casey (0-01), E McGreevy C Rogers-Duffy (0-08f), R Kavanagh, P Crawford (1-02, 0-01f), N O’Neill, S Burns, J Johnston. Subs: P McDonnell (0-01) for E McGreevy (HT), E McGreevy for R Kavanagh (43).

Referee: Colin Mallon (Aghagallon)