Homefit Football League Division 2
Ardoyne 1-07 Glenravel 0-07
Ardoyne collected their first win in Division 2 with a three point victory over Glenravel in a tight fought encounter at the Cricky on Sunday. If Antrim GAA ever publish a series of “Great Games of the 21st Century” I seriously doubt this one will make it off the cutting room floor. Both teams suffered numerous injuries throughout the game and the compact nature of Fennel Park meant that the thirty on field players were about four too many to foster free flowing football for the crowd’s entertainment. That won’t bother Ardoyne though as they deservedly secured their first league points.
The home side got off to a good start with a pointed free inside the first minute, Joseph Gibson the provider. They doubled that lead three minutes later when Declan McCormick popped up from midfield to raise a white flag. His midfield opponent, David Higgins opened for Con Magees but Ardoyne would add two more from Gibson again and Cahal Keown to end the opening quarter leading 0-04 to 0-01. That was followed by eleven minutes of defensive dominance at both ends, the deadlock being broken by Glenravel’s Conor McNeill with five minutes left in the opening half. Joseph Gibson would restore the local’s three point lead but McNeill put over a couple of fine scores, one from play, and one from a placed ball, to bring the opening half to conclusion with only a single point separating the teams. Ardoyne would probably have felt they should have been further ahead given the level of possession they had.
Four minutes into the second half, Conor McNeill was on mark to level the game and when David Higgins pointed eight minutes later it meant the visitors were now in the lead having scored the previous four points without reply. Going into the final quarter the game was in the balance. Ardoyne’s chief marksman, Joseph Gibson, levelled the game and with just ten minutes remaining he was heavily involved in the game’s defining score. Gibson collected a long kick out and delivered a speculative ball into his forwards. The bounce deceived a few players much to the delight of Ardoyne’s Eoghan Corrigan who pounced on the mistake and passed the ball across goal where Cahal Keown scrambled it into the net for the game’s only goal. Ardoyne were now in the driving seat leading 1-06 to 0-06 and ten minutes normal time remaining. Naturally Ardoyne shut up shop and parked the proverbial bus starving the opposition of easy chances. The catalogue of injuries led referee Ray Matthews to award seven minutes extra time during which either side could only muster a single point each so Ardoyne were crowned winners 1-07 to 0-07.
This game may not have been free flowing but that didn’t inhibit the North Belfast side, who celebrated with joy at the final whistle as they recorded their first victory in this season’s league campaign.
