Northern Switchgear SFC Group 2
St. Ergnat’s 3-9 St. Mary’s 1-13
A Dermot ‘Bugsy’ McErlain double in the 16th and 21st minutes of the second half proved the decisive scores as St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass got their Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship Group 2 campaign up and running with a two point win over neighbours, St. Mary’s Ahoghill at Marian Hill last night.
The home side enjoyed the better of the opening half exchanges and led 1-8 to 0-6 at the break thanks to a goal from Shea Madden after 23 minutes but the Cloney side came back strongly in the second half and looked at one stage to be on their way to overturning that half time lead.
Conleth McCann and Shay Madden shot St. Ergnat’s into an early lead before Thomas McGlone replied for the visitors to make it 0-2 to 0-1 with five minutes gone. Colm Duffin extended that lead with a point in the 7th minute but a couple of pointed frees from James O’Connell had matters level by the 9th minute.
It was typical championship fare with St. Ergnat’s moving ahead once more through Colm Duffin but Thomas McGlone levelled the contest for the third time as he sent over in the 12th minute.
The hosts then struck two on the bounce through Conall Prenter and Shea Madden before James O’Connell replied with his third converted free of the evening to leave just one in it with 17 minutes gone.
St. Ergnat’s began to gain the upper hand in the second quarter as Peter McCormick came forward to split the posts and Madden’s goal in the 23d minute moved them into a five point lead and that was how it stood at half time with Colm Duffin for the hosts and Ronan Graham exchanging late points.
Dermot McErlain increased that lead to six with a point in the second minute of the second half but a PJ O’Connell goal in the 4th minute heralded a St. Mary’s comeback as they began to get on top for the first time.
Points from Neill O’Connell, Ronan Graham, Michael O’Connell and James O’Connell saw the Ahoghill side hit the front for the first time by the 14th minute and they looked to be taking control at this stage.
Dermot McErlain stopped the Ahoghill onslaught when he struck two goals, very much against the run of play in quick succession to completely change the complex of the game and move a youthful St. Ergnat’s five in front after 21 minutes and at that stage they looked to have done enough.
The visitors threw everything at them during the closing stages with Daniel O’Neill, James O’Connell and Ronan Graham all on target to close the gap to two with only minutes remaining but that was as close as they got and it is Moneyglass who join Portglenone at the top of group 2 after one round of games.
Portglenone defeated St. Brigid’s in the other game in the group yesterday and they now meet Ahoghill on the 14th of August while Moneyglass travel to St. Brigid’s on the same day so there is still plenty for all four sides to play for.
Moneyglass: 1 Gary Murray, 2 Callum McStocker, 3 Peter McCormick, 4 James McCormick, 5 Jack McCoy, 6 Conor Boyd, 7 Patrick McCormick, 8 Tiernan Duffin, 9 Colum Duffin, 10 Seanchann Duffin, 11 Dermot McErlain, 12 Fearghal Duffin, 13 Shay Madden, 14 Conall Prenter, 15 Conleth McCann.
Ahoghill: 1 Noel Crossey, 2 Francis Neeson, 3 James Magee, 4 Bernard Graham, 5 Eoin Graham, 6 Thomas McGlone, 7 Eamonn Brady, 8 Neill O’Connor, 9 Patrick Graham, 24 Fionnbar O’Neill, 11 Ronan Graham, 12 Daniel O’Neill, 23 James O’Connell, 17 Michael O’Connell, 15 PJ O’Connell, 16 Colla McDonnell, 21 Owen Neeson, 20 Donal Graham, 22 Patrick Dougan, 26 Martin Graham, 18 Conor Paul Crossey, 25 Stephen O’Connell
Referee: Colm McDonnell (St. Gall’s)
