Antrim Football League Div 3

St Malachy’s 4-06  Eire Og 2-12

A last gasp strike on goal by Ciaran Vernon earned St Malachy’s a share of the spoils when he directed the last minute free to the back of the net to ensure the men from the Markets earned a share of the spoils with the front running   Eire Og under the Cherryvale lights.

This meeting of old rivals was to fit into the old adage of a ‘game of two halves’ with Eire Og dominant in the opening period and the South Belfast side had raced away to raise four white flags before Mals’ Ciaran Vernon opened their account with a point.

Eire Og having wintered well with a view to strengthen their squad proved dominant for the remainder of the opening period and adding a further 1-03 to their account, with St Malachy’s restricted to single white flag raised by Gerard Mc Gleenan they took the break with a 1-07 to 0-02 lead and looked secure.

Having struggled to get it together for much of the opening period the Mals started the second period in a more positive mode and an early white flag raised by Karl Mc Cavanagh was added to when Ciaran Vernon despatched back to back frees between the posts and they looked on the way.

Eire Og having been on the back foot for the early minutes of the second soon regained their composure and when the added a goal and a couple of points to ensure a healthy advantage, but when St Malachy’s returned fire with goals apiece from Karl Mc Kavanagh and Paul Millar they were right back in contention.

Eire Og were far from finished however with the clock ticking away and the end in sight but back came the Mals again with an Anto Dobbin point before the hard grafting Ciaran Vernon added a goal to reduce the deficit to a couple of points, 2-11 to 3-06 to  and seemingly gaining in momentum.

Eire Og came again however and when they raced away to add a white flag at the other end the points seemed secure.

The men from the Markets were not about to give up though and a late free close to the target in added time threw them a lifeline, which Ciaran Vernon delivered in style, as he sent a ‘rasper’ to the roof of the net to ensure a share of the spoils,

St Malachy’s

S Turley, C Connolly, M Connolly, C Corr, D Quinn, D Quinn, A Dobbin (0-01), D Casey, C Vernon (2-03), S Glennon, P Carlisle, R Maneely, G Mc Glennan (0-01), p Millar (1-00), K Mc Kavanagh (1-01), G Mc Manus