GYMCO JFC Semi-Final
Naomh Comhghall 2-12 Naomh Una 1-9
Pics: Bert Trowlen
Naomh Comhghall advanced to another Junior Football championship final when they overcame the challenge of Naomh Una at Glenavy on Sunday. The ‘Town’ led by 2-10 to 1-3 at half time before pushing on to secure victory in the second half.
It was St. Agnes who made the first opening and Brian Crossan gave them the perfect start with a goal in the 4th minute with Naomh Comhghall replying with a point from Ruairi Higgins with five minutes on the clock.
This score seemed to settle the Antrim town side and Caolan O’Loan got on the end of an excellent build up to fire to the net and put his side ahead in the 8th minute with Paddy Quinn following with a point as Naomh Comhghall began to settle.
The Dunsilly men were starting to get on top and Caolan O’Loan added another point and James McCabe followed with another as the traffic towards the Naomh Una goal began to flow. Dylan Murdock followed from a pointed free as St. Comgall’s began to pull away.
Tom Patchett opened his own personal accout with another point just before the water break to leave St. Comgall’s 1-6 to 1-0 ahead and even at this stage it was hard to see a way back for a Naomh Una side who had played second fiddle during the opening quarter.
Ronan Carrol gave the Aggies renewed hope when he pointed on the restart but Naomh Comhghall replied in devastating fashion with a real peach of a goal from Patrick O’Connor to reassert their dominance on proceedings.
Naomh Una were still battling hard to get their own game going and Ronan Carroll sent over his second point of the game in the 25th minute and the same player added another, a minute later before Tom Patchett replied with a pointed free in the 28th minute.
The Antrim town side continued to enjoy the majority of the play and James McCabe added his second point of the afternoon to extend their lead with Ruairi Griffin adding another and Tom patchett concluding the first half scoring to leave Naomh Comhghall in a strong position when they led by 10 points at the break.
Naomh Una needed a good start to the second half if they had any ambitions of hauling in ther Naomh Comhghall lead but it was the Antrim town side who were first on the second half scoreboard when Tom Patchett pointed after 30 seconds.
Conall Turley replied with a point to get Naomh Una off the mark in the second half and after Conor McAuley was shown Yellow, Turley added another for the Aggies in the 15th minute to conclude the scoring in a rather uneventful third quarter.
Naomh Una battled hard to get back into contention in the final quarter and pushed the opposition hard but some last ditch defending by the Naomh Comhghall defence and a third goal for the Antrim town side saw them run out winners by six points as they finished strongly but they had keeper Anto Watson to thank for an excellent save just at the death.
Naomh Comhghall: 1 Anto Watson, 2 Caolan O’Loan, 3 Ryan McAuley, 4 Conor McAuley, 5 Dylan Murdock, 6 Danaan O’Hara, 7 Michael McCabe, 8 James McCabe, 9 Louis Higgins, 10 Ruairi Griffin, 11 Tom Patchett, 12 Patrick O’Connor, 13 Oisin Crilly, 14 Joseph Webb, 15 Paddy Quinn (jnr), 17 Johnny Brady, 18 Eoin Lynott, 19 Peter McAuley, 20 Aaron McGaw, 21 Niall Taggart, 22 Kian Walker, 23 Rory McLarnon, 25 Aaron Murray
St. Agnes: 1 Colum Carroll, 2 James Grieve, 3 Ryan Reilly, 4 Briondan McLarnon, 5 James Halleron, 6 Cormac Flannery, 7 Fintan McBride, 8 Shane Moran, 9 Patrtick Mulgrew, 10 Conall Turley, 11 Colin Clarke, 12 Cormac McBride, 13 Ronan Carroll, 14 Brian Crossan, 15 Declan McLarnon
