Reserve Football Shield semi-final
Glenavy 2-11 Dunloy 1-13
St. Joseph’s Glenavy and Cuchullain’s Dunloy served up a real thriller in the first of the Reserve Football Shield semi-finals at Dunsilly last night. In game played with real championship fervour play swung from end to end with both sides enjoying periods of supremacy and referee Joe McCavana was kept buy keeping a lid on matters as things heated up in the second half.
It was Glenavy who opened the scoring with Fergus Cunningham splitting the posts after 30 seconds but Dunloy were soon back on terms as Karl Fitzpatrick pointed and the same player edged them ahead with another with only two minutes on the clock.
Cuchullain’s were now dominating the opening exchanges with Eoghan McGrath, Ryan mcFarlaine and Anthony Smith 0-2 moving them 0-6 to 0-1 ahead after 10 minutes and at this early juncture they were threatening to run away with it.
Glenavy were struggling to get back into contention and it took 12 minutes for them to raise a second flag when Sean Magill split the posts for their second score but as the referee blew for the first water break the momentum was still very much with Dunloy.
The Cuchullain’s immediately increased their advantage on the resumption of play as Oisin Elliott fired over a good point and the Chapel Hill side were in need of inspiration at this stage and it duly arrived when David Nelson got in for the game’s opening goal with 17 minutes on the clock.
This score seemed to galvanise St. Joseph’s as they hit three unanswered points through Fergus Cunningham (f), Pearse O’Neill (f) and another from play by Stephen Eastwood to take the lead after 25 minutes and at this stage the momentum had swung very much in their favour.
Michael Smith replied with a point for Dunloy, their first score for 13 minutes to level matters for the second time but the final score fell to St. Joseph’s Stephen Eastwood and it left the Chapel Hill side one in front at the change of ends on a score-line of 1-6 to 0-8 and all still to play for in the second half.
When play got underway again it was St. Joseph’s who continued where they had left off with Fergus Cunningham increasing their lead with a point in the 5th minute and as things got a bit heated Adrian Scullion for Dunloy and Dominic Gallagher for Glenavy were shown Red.
The early second half momentum was still with Glenavy and Michael Fox moved them three in front with a point in the 11th minute but they had to thank their keeper, Gareth Collins who brought off an excellent save to deny the opposition at the expense of a ‘45’.
Karl Fitzpatrick pointed the resulting ‘45’ award to open Dunloy’s second half account in the 14th minute and Kevin McAllister followed with another from play in the 17th minute as the Cuchullain’s started toenjoy a bit of success.
The final score before the second water break fell to Glenavy’s David Nelson who replied with a point to leave the score 1-9 to 0-10 going into the final quarter and the momentum was still very much with the Chapel Hill side but they still had plenty of work to do.
Glenavy looked to have taken command when substitute Fergal Green pointed on the restart and when Pearse O’Neill got on the end of a sweet flowing move from deep in their own half to fire to the net in the 21st minute they looked to have taken command.
Tempers were becoming frayed as Oliver Brankin for Glenavy and Eoghan McGrath and Kevin McQuillan for Dunloy were shown yellow following an altercation and on the restart Dunloy came back strongly with unanswered points from Karl Fitzpatrick 0-2 and Michael Smith to leave a goal between the sides as the game moved into time added on.
Darragh Doherty looked to have fired over the insurance point for the Chapel Hill side but in a dramatic finish Cuchullain’s were awarded a penalty with Stephen Doone for Glenavy seeing Red and Karl Fitzpatrick stepped up to fire past Gareth Collins and leave just one between the sides.
It was to prove to be the game’s final score however with referee Joe McCavana sounding the full time whistle amidst scenes of celebration from the Chapel Hill side who now await the outcome of the other semi-final between St. James’ Aldergrove and Con Magee’s Glenravel next Wednesday night.
Glenavy: 1 Gareth Collins, 2 Conor Mulholland, 3 Tim Honeyford, 4 Oliver Brankin, 5 Matthew Magee, 6 Francis McMullan, 7 Michael Fox, 8 Michael Kane, 9 Francis Corr, 10 Pearse O’Neill, 11 Dominic Gallagher, 12 Sean Magill, 13 Fergus Cunningham, 14 Stephen Eastwood, 15 David Nelson Subs: 19 Darragh Doherty, 17 Fergal Green 18 Stephen Doone
Dunloy: Conor McGilligan, 2 Cathair McCloskey, 3 Adrian Scullion, 4 Oran Corrigan, 5 Oisin Mc Erlane, 6 Callum Scullion 7 Ciaran McIlfatrick, 8 Peter McQuillan, 9 Ryan McFarline, 10 Anthony Smith, 11 Karl Fitzpatrick, 12 Oisin Elliott, 13 Eoghan McGrath, 14 Michael Smith, 15 Kevin McAllister, 17 Anthony Doran, 18 Sean McErlain, 19 Francis Cochrane, 20 Daithi Cree, 22 Chris Logan, 23 Daithi McGuigan
Referee: Joe McCavana (St. Comgall’s)
