ACFL Division 3
Naomh Comhghall 2-8 Naomh Padraig 0-9
A Ryan McAuley goal midway through the opening half and another from James McCabe late in the game proved to be the defining scores as Naomh Comhghall Antrim came out on top in a sometimes feisty encounter at Dunsilly on Sunday.
The Lisburn men were the better side for long stages of this game and dominated the early exchanges with Conor Dixon, Jack McMullan, Ben McMullan and Dixon again firing them into an early 0-4 to 0-00 lead.
A goal from Ryan McAuley saw Naomh Comhghall close the gap to the minimum but failed to lift the home side as the visitors continued to dictate matters and a Francis McMeel pointed free and another from play by the same player moved St. Patrick’s 0-6 to 1-0 ahead at the interval though they had keeper Ruadhan McKenna to thank for a superb save to deny Niall Ward late in the half.
After the break and with the wind in their favour, Naomh Comhghall began to get to grips and Miles Devine got them off the mark with an early point with Francis McMeel replying from a free to keep Naomh Padraig three in front.
The Antrim side were starting to gain a foothold however with Miles Devine and Kian Walker firing over and slowly they started to eat into the Lisburn lead, holding them to 0-3 in the second half.
Miles Devine led the way with a number of great points with Conor Dixon keeping the score board ticking for the visitors and it was still in the balance going down the home straight but an excellent build up from the home side saw James McCabe fire to the net to clinch the points.
This could prove an important win for St. Comgall’s as they attempt to get themselves out of division 3 and come the end of the season I would expect Naomh Padraig to be one of the sides challenging them for honours.
Naomh Comhghall: 1 Anthony Watson, 2 Eoin Lynot, 3 Ryan McAuley, 4 Caolan McKeown, 5 Dylan Murdock, 6 Peter McAuley, 17 Michael McCabe, 8 Dannan O’Hara, 9 Oisin Crilly, 10 Niall Ward, 11 James McCabe, 12 Kain Walker, 14 Louis Higgins, 15 Patrick O’Connor, 16 Ben Johnston, 18 Colm Griffin, 19 Colm Logue, 20 Liam McKernan, 21 aaron McGaw, 22 Jarlath McKeating, 23 Miles Devine, 23 Aaron Murray,
Naomh Padraig: 1 Ruadhan McKenna, 2 Paddy Craig, 3 Thomas Burns, 4 Jack McMullan, 5 Oisin Gorman, 6 Tighearman O’Meallaigh, 7 Shane McEvoy, 8 Che Smyth, 9 Colm Burns, 10 Josh McMullan, 11 Francis McMeel, 12 Ben McMullan, 13 Jude McMullan, 14 Eoin Dixon, 15 Paul Law, 17 Sean Burns, 18 Conor Ewing, 19 Luca Mulholland, 20 Rory Kennedy, 21 Pewter Casey, 23 Miles Devine 25 Kevin Gallagher, 26 Aaron Thompson, 27 Sionan O’Suilleabhain, 28 Dan Cartland, 29 Conor Dixon.
Referee: Danny O’Neill
