OB ConstructionIntermediate Football Championship semi-final
All Saints 0-12 Dunloy 0-6
All Saints qualified for the final of the Intermediate Football Championship when they beat Dunloy in Sunday’s semi-final at Fr Maginn Park, Glenravel. Over the past number of years the Ballymena side have had great difficulty against the Cuchullains in championship football but they got it right this time to win by double scores and secure a final place against Tir na nÓg next weekend.
Conor Stewart, who was one of the heroes of Antrim’s promotion bid at the start of the year, got All Saints off to a good start with a point from play on three minutes and full forward Paddy McAleer put them two ahead on five minutes with a well taken point. Keelan Molloy, who was Dunloy’s best player on the day, got his team on the scoresheet on seven minute, but a great solo effort from Kavan Keenan and another excellent score from Paddy McAleer put the Ballymena side 0-4 to 0-1 and in control.
However a Shane Dooey point just before the water break and one immediately afterwards from a Karl Fitizpatrick free cut the gap back to a single point by the seventeenth minute. Michael McCarry stretched the All Saints lead to two with a pointed free on 22 minutes, but Dunloy were now having more of the play at this stage and a great point from Keelan Molloy and one from Chrissty McMahon brought them level by the 27th minute. To their credit All Saints reacted well when challenged and a great long range point from Conor Stewart and another from Michael McCarry gave them a 0-7 to 0-5 advantage at the break.
A point from a 45 four minutes into the second half by Peter McReynolds and another from midfield stalwart Sean McVeigh stretched the All Saints lead to four but it was to be their only scores during a lack lustre third quarter, though Dunloy’s Keelan Molloy came close for the Cuchullains when his shot for goal zipped across the face of the goal and went narrowly wide.
Dunloy got their only score of the second half one 52 minutes when Molloy raced through and fisted over from close range, but All Saints finished strongly and injury time points from Ciaran McGarry and Conor Stewart sealed the win by double scores to set up a final meeting with Randalstown on Saturday next.
ALL SAINTS
Conor Brennan, Mathew Downey, Peter McNicholl, James McDonnell, Conal Lennon, Emmet Killough, Kiearn McGarry, Sean McVeigh, Conor Stewart, Kavan Keenan, Michael McCarry, Peter McReynolds, Ronan McKillop, Paddy McAleer, Brendan McDonnell.
DUNLOY
Conor McGilligan, Oran Quinn, Conor Kinsella, Eoin McFerran, Aaron Crawford, Callum Scullion, Kevin McQuillan, Ryan McGarry, Deaglan Smith, Keelan Molloy, Karl Fitzpatrick, Ryan McFarline, Chrissy McMahon, Shane Dooey, Seaan Elliott
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
St Mary’s Rasharkin stood tall in the face of a determined comeback by Pearses to claim a place in the final of the Junior football championship against St Comgall’s in a lively semi-final encounter in Toome on today.
The Dreen side, with the division three league title already tucked away will be striving to make it a double as they meet up with last year’s runners up Naomh Comhghall in this year’s decider.
The St Mary’s men were forced into last minute change before throw in as net minder Ryan Doherty was forced to withdraw after injuring his knee in the warm up but in the even his late replacement Tiernan O’ Boyle never put a foot wrong between the posts.
Rasharkin started well but the North Belfast men were first to register but the South West side responded with a trio of points and a Conor McFerran goal to ensure a healthy advantage.
That lead was not to last however as back came Pearses to dominate and only a goal separated them at the short whistle with the Dreen men just a single score clear at 1-07 to 0-07.
That trend continued in the second half with Rasharkin making the early running before easing off the accelerator and indeed a 1-11 to 0-08 lead established at the three quarter mark suggested the St Mary’s men were in the comfort zone.
Pearses looked a beaten docket but they responded poitively and a flurry of scores, five whites raised without response, saw them reduce the lead to the minimum and Rasharkin looked in trouble.
Question were now being asked about their character but the South West side responded positively and a late point from the excellent Andrew Hasson ensured their place in the final.
Today’s game was a repeat of the division three final with league winners Rasharkin and runners-up Pearses meeting to decide a place in the junior championship final.
The North Belfast lads started the better with corner man Finn Grew hoisting white a couple of minutes into proceedings.
Rasharkin did not take long to reply and with their mid field pairing of Jack Quinn and the Ruairi O’ Boyle prominent they opened account in the 4th minute as Liam Quigg raced up the right hand side to raise white and Conor Mc Ferran followed suit.
The South West side were ahead and when Gerard O’ Hagan took advantage of a long delivery and a mixup in he Pearses defence to finish to the net they were four ahead and Liam Quigg followed with another to increase that lead to five.
At this stage Rasharkin were looking comfortable and in control but things were about to change as Pearses came back strongly.
Towering full forward Declan Hackett was causing problems for the Rasharkin defence from the outset and he took advantage of a high delivery by Ethan Devine to forward between the posts in the 12th minute.
Mid fielder Devine started to assert his considerable influence on the game and he was involved in the next couple of scores as Stephen Fitzsimons punished an indiscretions on the former by sending 13th and 14th minute frees between the posts
Pearse had taken a grip on proceedings and a 15th minute score from the excellent Devine saw the gap reduced to the minimum at the first water break.
Rasharkin had been very much on the back foot for a spell but they started the second quarter on the offensive with a Liam Quigg point and although Pearses replied through Finn Carew, a further trio of points ensured a 1-06 to 0-06 lead.
Rasharkin increased that advantage nearing half time but Pearses had the last score of the opening period and an injury time point from Piaras Donaghy ensured only a score separated the sides at the break with the St Mary’s men holding a 1-07 to 0-07 lead at the interval.
It was still all to play for at the start of the second half and it was Rasharkin who nipped away from the start traps the quicker and early scores from Darragh Quigg, Liam Quigg and the hard working Shane Hasson saw them six ahead and looking comfortable again.
Another well directed free kick from ace marksman Stephen Fitzsimons opened the Pearses account but this brought an immediate reply at the other end with a Gerard O’ Hagan score restoring Rasharkin’s six point advantage at the end of the third quarter.
A place in the decider looked secure for the South West team but if such was indeed the case nobody had informed the North Belfast men as they staged another strong come-back.
Piaras Donaghy claimed a 47th minute point and when Aodhan Bannon came forward to add another Pearses were on the move.
Rasharkin seemed to have lost their way and Pearses seized advantage with Liam Deggan splitting the posts and when Ethan Devine and replacement Naoishe Cuilin followed suit only a point separated the sides and the momentum was very much with the beaten league finalists.
Rasharkin looked in trouble having seen a hard earned lead reduced to a couple of points and the scent of a victory was in the air for the Pearses men. They pushed forward in the closing stages and an indiscretion by the opposition defence was punished by the accurate Stiophan Fitzsimons who stroked the resultant free firmly between the posts and reduced the Rasharkin lead to the bare minimum with just a couple of minutes remaining.
A place in the final looked up for grabs but in the event it was Rasharkin who mounted one last attack and a foul on the excellent Shane Hasson was firmly punished when Andrew Hasson calmly stroked the resultant award between the posts and St Marys had secured a place in the final at 1-12 to 0-13.
Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship Quarter-final
Creggan 1-8 St John’s 0-8
Paul McIntyre reports from Páric Eánna.
Oisin Kerr’s save from Conor Johnston’s goal bound shot in the 59th minute helped Creggan Kickhams set up a semi-final meeting with holders and neighbours Cargin next weekend.
Kerr got down to his right to keep out Johnston’s powerful drive as the Johnnies threw their lot at the Creggan goal as time ticked away, and from the rebound, the Kickhams manged to clear the ball to safety and hold on to fight another day.
Goal chances were at a premium throughout the contest and the game was ultimately decided by Jamie McCann’s effort in the 42nd minute.
Kevin Rice’s powerful run attracted the attention of several defenders and his pass picked out McCann who shot to the net to give his side a four-point lead.
Padraig McNulty’s outfit just about deserved to go through but the West Belfast side made them work for the win and the result hung in the balance until Colm McDonald’s final whistle.
Creggan’s Kevin Rice goes high to win possession during the second half
After the first quarter it looked like the Creggan were going to run away with the tie.
Leading 0-4 to 0-1 and dominating the St John’s kick out, the pre-game favourites seemed to be home and hosed.
However, the Johnnies fought their way back into the contest and they finished the half strong, but three wides in the closing stages of the first half were to prove costly.
It only took 20 seconds for Creggan to take the lead.
From the throw in Kevin Small went quick and direct into Ruairi McCann. The ball was then played back to captain Conor McCann to claim the opening score from the right.
Patrick McBride kicked the first of six frees on seven minutes but Creggan continued to enjoy a spell of sustained pressure and possession.
The St John’s decision to go long with their kick outs was back firing. Conor McCann and Kevin Small were dominating the middle sector, and on 11 minutes Small kicked his side back into the lead.
Matthew Rodgers and Jamie McCann from a free helped to extend the lead and at the first half waterbreak, St John’s were lucky to be only three in arrears.
The waterbreak seem to disrupt Creggan’s momentum and another free from McBride on 24 minutes cut the gap to two points.
St John’s then began to enjoy a spell of pressure but as the game ticked towards half-time, the Corrigan Park side kicked three wides to leave the half-time score, Creggan 0-4, St John’s 0-2.
After being unable to get any ball in the first-half, Matt Fitzpatrick showed his class in the opening exchanges of the second half.
After kicking a point in the first minute, the former Antrim ace then drew a foul two minutes later after being body checked after running directly at the Creggan defence.
Again, McBride kicked the free over the bar and the game was tied at 0-4, but in a blink of an eye, the Johnnies hard work to get on level terms was undone as Creggan rediscovered their attacking instinct to kick three points in as many minutes.
Firstly, Conor McCann kicked his second of the game before Jamie McCann found time and space to also claim his second point of the contest.
Eunan McAteer’s effort a minute later restored Creggan’s three-point lead but Padraig Nugent clawed one back as the Johnnies refused to go down without a fight.
McBride kicked another free over the bar after Ross Hannigan was fouled to leave one between them before Jamie McCann struck for Creggan’s goal on 42 minutes.
Jamie McCann (7) slots in Creggan’s goal early in the second half
Seconds later Jamie McCann popped up again to kick a great point on the run in the 43rd minute for a five-point lead, but remarkably, this turned out to be the Kickhams final score.
Two more McBride frees by the 48th minute meant that only a goal separated the sides but try as they did, the West Belfast side just couldn’t find a way through the Creggan defence.
Minutes before Kerr’s save from Johnston, Michael Bradley’s high ball into the goalmouth was met by Conor Hand’s fist, but the second half replacement couldn’t direct his effort on target.
While Sunday’s performance may not see them reverse last years loss, Creggan can take heart that they restricted the Johnnies to just two scores from play over the sixty plus minutes of championship football.
Teams & scorers:
Creggan: Oisin Kerr, Ethan Carey Small, Richard Johnston, Eunan McAteer (0-1), Aidan Maguire, Martin Johnston, Jamie McCann (1-3 1f), Kevin Small (0-1), Conor McCann, Tiarnan McAteer, Paddy Coey, Conor McCann (0-2), Matthew Rodgers (0-1), Ruairi McCann, Odhran McLarnon.
Substitutes: Kevin Rice for Coey (38), Sean Duffin for Rodgers (44), Tommy McCann for Conor McCann (57), Sam Maguire (60+1).
St Johns: Pearse Donnelly, Conor McEvoy, Ciaran Garland, Michial Dudley, Ross Hannigan, Andrew McGowan, Michael Bradley, Simon McDonagh, Domhnall Nugent, Padraig Nugent (0-1), Conor Johnston, Patrick McBride (0-6f), Conal Bohill, Matt Fitzpatrick (0-1), Ronan McCafferty.
Substitutes: Ryan McNulty for McDonagh (29), Peter McCallin for Bohill (HT), Conor Hand for McGowan (49).
Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final
Lámh Dhearg 3-08-5-08 Portglenone
Kevin Herron reports from Dunsilly
Portglenone overturned a four-point deficit at half-time to claim a place in the semi-final of the Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship with a 5-08-3-08 win over Lámh Dhearg at Dunsilly this afternoon.
Michael Hagan’s second goal of the game had levelled for the Bannsiders midway through the second half and they kicked on with further strikes through Paddy Kelly and Aidan McAleese to return to the county semi-final for a third year running.
Today’s game was arguably the pick of the last eight ties in a repeat of the 2019 semi-final that took three games to decide.
There would be no prospect of that trilogy though with the game needing to be decided on the day.
Ronan Kelly nudged his side ahead early-on and the Ports built on that when Michael Hagan’s free dropped over Mark McIlvenny and over the line according to the umpires and the Bannsiders were 1-01-0-00 to the good.
Lámh Dhearg replied through a nice Paddy Cunningham point and Cunningham played the providers role in Kevin Quinn dropping another one over the bar to split the deficit.
On 11 minutes the Hannahstown men hit the front, Marc McGarry fisted the ball forward to Paddy Cunningham who held the ball up and slipped it into the path of Conor Murray, Murray showed determination and burst towards the target before arrowing a shot off the underside of the bar and past Ryan O’Neill to give his side a 1-02-1-01 lead.
Two minutes later and things got better for the Lámhs, winning a free in their defensive third- Ross Murray got things moving quickly with a pass to Declan Lynch who picked out Ryan Murray with a superb through ball. Like his brother, Murray tore towards goal but unselfishly slipped it across to Terry McCrudden – who palmed it in for a quickfire second.
Portglenone then lost Ronan Kelly for 10 minutes after chopping down Terry McCrudden off the ball.
A foul on Conor Murray a few minutes after the first-half water-break allowed Paddy Cunningham to convert his first free of the afternoon at the second time of asking.
Michael Hagan added to his early goal with a point in front of the posts in response and on 21 minutes his side came right back into proceedings.
Moving the ball through the hands at pace, Oisin Doherty found Niall Delargy and he moved the ball across before contact with Conal Delargy awaiting a defensive splitting pass and rounding Mark McIlvenny to slid home and make it 2-03-2-02.
Pearse Fitzsimons departed in the aftermath of the goal to make matters worse for the Lámhs, but they regrouped as Conor Murray won a long ball and converted the advanced mark.
Murray then provided his sides third goal of the half, controlling Kevin Quinn’s fist-pass; the full-forward slipped the ball across to Terry McCrudden who palmed in his second and made it 3-04-2-02 and re-establish his sides five-point lead.
Portglenone would reply before the break after Ronan Kelly marked his introduction with a second score, following a nice lay-off from namesake Stephen to ensure that their side trailed 3-04-2-03 at the interval.
Ronan Kelly began the second half as he started the first- clipping the ball between the posts to further reduce his sides arrears.
Another point followed courtesy of Ruairi Hagan before a quickly taken Paddy Cunningham free to Ryan Murray resulted in an impressive, angled point.
Conal Delargy converted a free- though Ryan Murray guided over his second point of the afternoon to make it a three-point game once again (3-06-2-06).
Casements sensed that Lámh Dhearg were to be got at and approaching the midway point of the second half they restored parity.
Again, the emphasis of the attack was through the hands as Niall McKeever picked out Michael Donnelly in the area, Donnelly tried to pull the trigger but his shot was blocked, and he simply steered a sidewards pass to Michael Hagan to blast to the net and level at 3-06 apiece.
Both sides were reduced to 14-men a few minutes later, Kevin Quinn was given his second yellow-card of the contest and was followed to the line by Niall Delargy- who was issued with a straight red-card.
Delargy’s side were in the ascendancy though fluffed two opportunities to take the lead, at the third time of asking they did hit the front through Dermot McAleese.
Lámh Dhearg levelled proceedings thanks to a Paddy Cunningham free, but they fell behind again to a converted Michael Hagan free.
Hagan played a big role in his side extending their lead and surely claiming a place in the last four when he floated a ball over the top for Paddy Kelly to get on the end of ahead of Aaron McAufield and Kelly took aim and shot low to the net to give his side a 4-08-3-07 lead with less than two minutes of normal time remaining.
Portglenone were reduced to 13-men as Ronan Delargy was dismissed for an off the ball incident a few minutes after Kelly’s goal.
The Lámhs were unable to make the most of their numerical advantage with Marc Jordan hitting a solitary point to put a goal between the sides with little time remaining.
In that time that was left Portglenone picked the Hannahstown side off and Aidan McAleese showed fantastic skill and composure to flick back a long pass and with Mark McIlvenny leaving his net unattended it was left to Ryan Diamond to try and keep McAleese at bay, despite Diamond’s best attempts McAleese blasted home the clincher and McIlvenny was black carded for an off the ball challenge to end a miserable half for his men.
The final whistle blew shortly after as Portglenone deservedly secured a semi-final meeting with Aghagallon next weekend.
Lámh Dhearg: M McIlvenny, R Murray, A McAufield, M McGarry, E Matassa, D Lynch, P Mervyn, M Jordan (0-01), P Fitzsimons, D Smyth, R Murray (0-02), K Quinn (0-01), P Cunningham (0-03, 0-02f), C Murray (1-01), T McCrudden (2-00). Subs: D Smith for P Fitzsimons (21), A Byrne for M Jordan (Blood sub) (43-46), R Diamond for D Smyth (55).
Portglenone: R O’Neill, J Convery, C McLaughlin, R Delargy, R Convery, R Hagan (0-01), D McAleese (0-01), N McKeever, M Donnelly, R Kelly (0-03), N Delargy, C Delargy (1-01, 0-01f), M Hagan (2-02, 1-01f), S Kelly, O Doherty. Subs: A McAleese (1-00) for O Doherty (42), P Kelly (1-00) for S Kelly (52), F O’Kane for C McLaughlin (58).
