ACFL Division 1
St. Mary’s Ahoghill 0-9 St. John’s 0-18
A strong second half performance saw St. John’s collect their first league points when they travelled to Cloney and defeated St. Mary’s by double scores. Conal McGlade, Conal Quinn and Ryan McNulty were in great scoring form for the visitors who still had a bit to do at half time where they led by three.
After the break St. Johns found another gear to add 0-11 to their first half total and had it not been for a couple of point blank saves from Ahoghill keeper, Paddy Dougan the margin of victory would have been even greater.
Ryan McNulty for the visitors and PJ O’Connell for the home side exchanged points in the opening minutes and further points from a Conal McGlade free and Padraig Nugent from play saw the Johnnies move 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after nine minutes.
James O’Connell replied for the home side but Padraig Nugent and Conal McGlade responded for the Whiterock men to move them three in front after 11 minutes play.
James O’Connell replied from a free as the home side fought to get themselves into the game and a PJ O’Connell point in reply to one from Ryan McNulty had the home side trailing by just the minimum with 21 minutes gone.
It was in the period leading up to half time that St. John’s began to get on top as Conal Quinn and Oisin Donnelly tagged on unanswered points to leave the visitors 0-7 to 0-4 ahead at the break.
Points from Conal Quinn, Conal McGlade and Adrian Oliver saw the Corrigan Park men extend their lead to six with only four minutes of the second half gone and Ahoghill looked in need of inspiration, even at this early juncture.
It was not forthcoming however with St. John’s moving the ball around confidently as they continued to find the target. Simon McDonagh got his name on the scoreboard and a couple from Conal Quinn had the visitors 10 in front by the 13th minute with the home side yet to register in the second half.
To their credit St. Mary’s kept battling against the odds and James O’Connell finally got them on their way as he pointed a free and added another from play in the 14th minute but even at this stage it looked a long way back.
O’Connell’s scores brought another sustained period of pressure from the visitors who were now moving the ball around with great confidence and Joseph Garland, Conal McGlade and Conor Hand were on target as the Corrigan Park side moved further ahead.
To their credit the home side were still battling against what had now become the inevitable with James O’Connell and Eamon Brady bringing their total to 0-8 but at this stage these were very much consolation scores as the damage had already been done.
Pearce Donnelly for St. John’s and the excellent James O’Connell for the home side exchanged late scores to bring the scoring to a conclusion as St. John’s recorded their first win of this year’s campaign following an opening day defeat to Portglenone while Ahoghill await their first victory.
Ahoghill: Paddy Dougan Eamon Brady James Magee Bernard Graham Dan O’Neill Finbar O’Neill Thomas McGlone Neill O’Connell Patrick Graham Eoin Graham James O’Connell Owen Neeson’s Connor Crossey PJ O’Connell Colla McDonnell
Subs: Donal Graham for Colla McDonnell half time, Colum Graham.
St. John’s: 1. Eoghan Rua 2. Conor McEvoy 3. Jack Bohill 4. Ciaran Garland 5. Oisin Donnelly 6. Adrian Oliver 7.Joseph Garland 8. Simon McDonagh 9. Ryan McNulty 10. Conor Hand 11. Padraig Nugent 12. Conal McGlade 13. Conal Quinn 14. Laughlin McCurdy 15. CJ Mckenna
Subs: Pearce Donnelly for CJ McKenna Conchur Adams for Laughlin McCurdy Dannan McKeough for Joseph Garland Darragh McCailin for Conal McGlade Louis Boyd for Conor McEvoy
Conal Quinn 0-4 Ryan McNulty 0-4 Conal McGlade 0-4 Padraig Nugent 0-2 Adrian Oliver 0-1 Pearce Donnelly 0-1 Joseph Garland 0-1 Simon McDonagh 0-1
