ACFL Division 2
St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass 1-10 All Saints Ballymena 0-11
St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass got their division 2 campaign up and running when they had two points to spare over visitors, All Saints at Marian Hill today. The home side held a four point lead at the interval but the visitors were left to rue a missed penalty in the 24th minute which was to cost them dear in the end.
Rory McVeigh opened the scoring for the visitors with a point in the 1st minute but it was the home side who responded positively as Colm Duffin Dermot McErlean and Conal Prenter replied with points to leave the home side 0-3 to 0-1 ahead with 12 minutes gone.
Things got worse for the Ballymena men when the excellent Colm Duffin got in for the game’s opening goal and when his brother Seanahan added a point in the 14th minute the home side were in total control and lead 1-4 to 0-1.
All Saints looked stunned but they replied with points from Michael McCarry and Cormac Lemmon to close the gap to four by the 18th minute but that was as close as they got with both sides adding two points in the run into half time with Conal Prenter hitting two for the home side and McCarry and Lemon replying for the visitors to leave it 1-6 to 0-5 for Moneyglass at the half way stage.
All Saints upped their game in the second half with Michael McCarry pointing after two minutes and Colm Duffin replying for the home side and when Cormac Lemon added an All Saints point in the 34th minute it was the excellent Duffin who responded with a similar score at the other end.
The visitors fought hard to get back into contention and Michael McCarry and Cormac Lemon split the posts to leave just two between the sides at the end of the third quarter but that was as close as they got despite a sustained late effort.
Niall Boyd for Moneyglass and James McDonnell for All Saints exchanged further points as the visitors pushed forward in search of the goal that might snatch victory from the jaws of defeat but the St. Ergnat’s defence were giving nothing away.
McCormick for the Marian Hill men and full-back James McDonnell, now up in attack for All Saints exchanged points in the run in to the final whistle, the All Saints score coming in injury time but it was St. Ergnat’s who held on for an opening day win that should set them up for a strong league campaign.
