Senior Reserve Football Shield Final
Glenavy 0-14 Dunloy 1-10
Thursday 8 September
Brendan McTaggart reports from Slemish Park, Ballymena
It was the ‘Late Late Show’ for Glenavy on Thurday evening as they sealed the Reserve Shield titlewith the last kick of the game with darkness falling at Slemish Park in Ballymena. Coming from three points down with just over 10 minutes remaining, Glenavy turned to Michael McCourt for inspiration and ‘Cupper’ delivered for the St Joseph’s men. While they were camped in the Dunloy half for much of the last quarter, they kept the pressure on the Cuchullains and there was an air of inevitability about their winning score. McCourt with the accolade, converting a free to round off his cameo off the bench, his third point cameo with what was the last kick of the final.
The Cuchullains will look back on those closing stages and rue their inability to see the time out. They had chances to run down the clock, winning possession deep but Glenavy were relentless in those closing stages.
Anthony Smith finished top scorer for Dunloy, he ended with 1-4 for his hours work. The major a piece of attacking brilliance in the 47th minute. Rising highest to claiming a long ball from Daithi McGuigan, he showed composure to beat Glenavy ‘keeper Lorcan Murphy. It put the Cuchullains in the driving seat but it was the last score they could muster as Glenavy found something extra down the stretch. Led superbly by Man of The Match, Pearse O’Neill, Glenavy and McCourt had the final say.
The Cuchullains started this final superbly and in the opening exchanges, it was all one way traffic. Smith and Ryan McFarlane split the posts in the opening two minute before Smith and midfielder Anthony Doran doubled that lead to four points after just seven minutes.
Dunloy’s challenge was hurt with Captain Peter McQuillan having to go off injured and they lost his aerial presence in the middle third. Glenavy took full advantage with Ben McCambridge and Stephen Doone dominant in the middle third and the Chapel Hill side fired over six points unanswered. Darragh Armstrong causing the Dunloy defence plenty of problems while Charles and Anthony Gallagher combined well to create chances. Armstrong (two), Charles Gallagher (two), McCambridge and Doone with the scores and all from open play as Glenavy took control.
The Cuchullains briefly stopped the rot with Tom McFerran leaving the minimum between the sides but a Luke Dereveux ’45 got Glenavy firing again before Charles Gallagher’s third white flag of the half opened a three point lead for the St Jospeh’s men. It could have been more with Gallagher’s punched effort seemingly hanging in the air for an eternity but they had to settle for a single score.
Dunloy recovered to score the last two points of the half, Smith and Barry McCloskey splitting the uprights from frees but at half time it was Glenavy who held a one point lead with the score line 0-8 to 0-7 in their favour.
With night falling and rain drizzling, the second half began with Luke Devereux scoring Glenavy’s first point from a free. He fired another in the 41st minute in what was a reply to a pair of frees from McCloskey and Smith at the other end of the pitch but it was Dunloy who looked to play with more intent and vigour with the introduction of Kevin and Ciaran McQuillan off the bench.
Parity was restored to the sides once again with Anthony Doran scoring the point of the match. Wide on the right and with the outside of his boot, Doran judged the elements to perfection and brought about the biggest roar of the night from the sizeable Dunloy contingent in Slemish Park.
From the resulting kick out, Dunloy struck the only goal of the final. Glenavy ‘keeper Murphy went long and Daithi McGuigan caught the ball in a crowd of giants. A remarkable fetch that was only matched by his delivery into Smith on the inside forward line. Direct, instant and Smith was waiting. Leaping highest behind his marker, Smith claimed the ball and showed super composure to find the back of the net and give the Cuchullains the advantage going in to the final 13 minutes.
Incredibly however, it would be the last score Dunloy would register. Their accuracy let them down in the closing stages with lamentable decisions while holding possession. With each surrender of possession, Glenavy gained in confidence and while they were camped in the Dunloy half for much of the time that remained, the Cuchullains brought a lot of the pressure on themselves with their inability to play out from the back.
A patient build up saw Armstrong score his third point of the match and give Glenavy hope with eight minutes remaining. McCourt’s first free of the night followed but the game was still Dunloy’s to lose. On a number of occasions they looked to have rode out the Glenavy storm but Glenavy were unrelenting. Punishing any indiscretion in the Dunloy defence and when McCourt fired over in the final minute of the hour, there was only going to be one winner, such was the dominance of the Chapel Hill side.
With the clock ticking into the second minute of injury time and darkness all around the pitch, Dunloy conceded a free barely 25 yards from goal. ‘Cupper’ McCourt took responsibility and made no mistake from the free as referee Ryan O’Reilly called time as the ball sailed over the bar to earn Glenavy the reserve title.
TEAMS
Glenavy: Lorcan Murphy; Niall McLaughlin, Conor Hamill, Timmy Honeyford; Michael Fox, Pearse O’Neill, Matthew Lawlor; Stephen Doone, Ben McCambridge; Shay O’Neill, Anthony Gallagher, Darragh Armstrong; Luke Devereux, Charles Gallagher, David Nelson
Scorers: C Gallagher 0-3; D Armstrong 0-3; L Devereux 0-3 (2fs 1’45); Michael McCourt 0-3 (2fs); S Doone 0-1; B McCambridge 0-1
Dunloy: Conor McGilligan; Karl O’Kane, Aidy Scullion, Cathair McCloskey; Daithi McGuigan, Sean Scullion, Oisin McErlane; Peter McQuillan, Anthony Doran; Ryan McFarlane, Kevin McAllister, Tom McFerran; Barry McCloskey, Anthony Smith, Daire Crawley
Scorers: A Smith 1-4 (3fs); A Doran 0-2; B McCloskey 0-2 (2fs); R McFarlane 0-1; T McFerran 0-1
Referee: Ryan O’Reilly (Con Magees)
