St Marys Aghagallon v St Galls Sun 06. 02.22
Antrim ACL Div One
St Marys Aghagallon 1-10 0-09 St Galls.
Beaten championship finalists, St. Mary’s Aghasgallon opened this year’s league campaign with a win over former All Ireland winners St. Gall’s in Aghagallon on Sunday.
On a lovely spring day and a firm sod St Mays hosted the St Galls side with both teams looking forward to the new season and getting to play competitive football again, both teams introducing a number of younger players. It was St Marys who started on the front foot and a good period of attacking football saw them four points to one up. St Galls then came more into the game and worked hard to even the contest at half time with six points apiece.
Second half was evenly contested throughout and it was nip and tuck, point for point almost to the last ten minutes when St Marys scored a decisive goal which put them in the driving seat. St Galls continued to be dangerous in attack and the St Marys defence held firm to secure victory.
With St Marys hitting the ground running in the opening period Eunan Walsh, Johnny Hannon from play and a free and Jack Lenehan were all on target to get the home team off to a great start. The visitors then found a bit of rhythm and hit a number of scores and Niall Burns hit a number of frees to help St Galls draw level. Points were shared then before half time at six points each.
Early in the second half St Galls took the game to St Marys and they were denied a goal chance saved by keeper Luke Mulholland which could well have put the home side in trouble. At the same time this lifted Aghagallon and they put together some great moves down both wings and tagged on a few points, with Niall Patterson and Eunan Walsh scoring from long range and Johnny Hannon from a free. Whilst St Galls still pressed forward well they hit a number of wides as did St Marys, both teams showing a little ring rust first time out. Michael Pollock led the St Galls attack and was involved in a lot of their forward play. St Marys Ruarai McCann was finding some space in front and some good ball was fed into him and he was able to off load at number of crucial times. In one such play he put in Johnny Harbinson for a major but the St Galls keeper was quickly off his line to smother. In a similar effort, M Cann put in Harbinson again and this time he made no mistake. Ruarai McCann also hit a point from play after a good save from the keeper. The goal put three points in the contest with just over five minutes remaining. The home were able to hold out well and take the first points on the new season. Both teams will be looking forward to some improvements in the coming weeks.