Northern Switchgear SFC Group 1
St. John’s 3-15 St. Gall’s 1-9
A strong and aggressive St John’s proved too strong for neighbours St. Gall’s in this opening game in group 1 of the Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship at Corrigan Park today. The Corrigan Park side pushed up on the St. Gall’s kick-out and played with an intensity the visitors just could not match.
Goals from Mark Fitzsimmons in the first half and Padraig Nugent and Loughlin McCurdy in the second helped the ‘Johnnies’ to a 12 point victory in the end and served notice to Lamh Dhearg and Kickham’s Creggan, the other two teams in the group, that they will be serious challengers.
Ross Hannigan got the Johnnies on their way with a point after 30 seconds before St. Gall’s replied through Niall Burns and Eoghan McCabe to briefly take the lead with 6 minutes gone. Conall Bohill level matter and Mark Fitzsimmons and Paddy McBride from a long range free had St. John’s 0-4 to 0-2 ahead after 16 minutes.
The opening goal arrived two minutes later when Mark Fitzsimmons punished a mistake by the visitor’s defence to finish to the net and further points from Paddy McBride, Fitzsimmons and Ross Hannigan had the Corrigan Park side eight ahead after 20 minutes.
Substitute Niall Fallon took advantage of a slip by St. John’s keeper, Brian Neeson to fire to the net in the 23d minute and further points from Ruairi Wilson and Niall Burns in response to a Ryan McNulty 50 yard free for the home side left St. John’s 1-8 to 1-4 ahead at the break.
It still looked anyone’s game as the sides took the field for the second half but it was St. John’s who stepped up the intensity on the restart with Paddy McBride from a free and Ross Hannigan moving them six ahead after three minutes play.
Back came St. Gall’s with Niall Burns and Eoghan McCabe on target and Micky Pollock involved in everything good the visitors could muster but the Milltown side were having to work harder for their scores.
Conall McGlade moved St. John’s four ahead with a great point in the 16th minute and the home side were then awarded a penalty which Padraig Nugent tucked away before Paddy McBride followed with a point to put his side in a strong position with ten minutes remaining.
St. Gall’s were still fighting hard to get back into contention and Micky Pollock replied with a point in the 22nd minute but when Locky McCurdy chipped the keeper at the other end, a minute later it was as good as over.
Pearse Donnelly, Conall Bohill and substitute Conor Adams added points for St. John’s in the closing stages with Niall Burns kicking a consolation score for the Milltown Row side and it is the men from the Whiterock who top the group on day one following holders Kickham’s Creggan’s draw with Lamh Dhearg in the other game in group 1
St. John’s: 1 Brian Neeson, 2 Padraig Nugent, 3 Adrian Oliver, 4 Ciaran Garland, 5 Ross Hannigan, 6 Ciaran Kerr, 7 Andy McGowan, 8 Simon McDonagh, 9 Ryan McNulty, 10 Conall McGlade, 11 Paddy McBride, 12 Conor Hand, 13 Conall Bohill, 14 Loughlin McCurdy, 15 Mark Fitzsimmons. Subs: Donal Nugent for Conor Hand, Pearse Donnelly for Andy McGowan, Luke Peden for Conor McGlade, Joseph Garland for Adrian Oliver
St. Gall’s: 1 Niall McCurdy, 2 Cormac Bradley, 3 Cormac Flannery, 4 Eoghan McCurdy, 5 Marcus Donnelly, 6 Eoghan McCabe, 7 Dultach McLiam, 8 Ryan Irvine, 9 Thomas Bunting, 10 Niall O’Neill, 11 Niall Burns, 12 Ruairi Wilson, 13 Brendan Bradley, 14 Michael Pollock, 15 Callum Walsh. 20 Niall Fallon for Brendan Bradley, John McCaffrey for Thomas Bunting
Referee: Fionntan McCotter (Sarsfield’s)
