ACFL DIVISION 2-3
Promotion-Relegation Play-off
Glenavy 1-10 Naomh Comhghall 0-9
Photographs: Bert Trowlen
When St. Joseph’s Glenavy turned around leading 1-8 to 0-3 at Half time in this division 2-3 promotion-relegation playoff against St. Comgall’s Antrim in Ahoghill on Friday night they could have been forgiven for thinking the game was already over.
After falling behind to a Dylan Murdock point in the 3d minute and surviving a bit of early pressure from the Antrim town side, St. Joseph’s took the lead in the 6th minute when a slick build up saw Fergal Henry’s hand pass across goal finished to the net by Charles Gallagher to put his side in control.
Naomh Comhghall had an opportunity to retake the lead when a Dylan Murdock free dropped short and in the scramble that followed Paddy O’Connor looked set to score but his attempt was blocked on the line and cleared to safety.
Glenavy replied and youngster Fiontan O’Boyle sent over a good long range point to move them three ahead before Fergal Henry pointed a close range free after 11 minutes to increase that lead to four.
Fiontan O’Boyle scored his second of the night to move his side further ahead and at this stage of the game Glenavy were well on top with Anto Watson’s long kick-outs for the ‘Town’ too often ending in the hands of a St. Joseph’s player.
The Chapel Hill side continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges as the impressive Fergal Henry added a couple more by the 17th minute and as the men in orange continued to press the number 14 looked set to goal but was tripped as he pulled the trigger with a penalty the award.
Up stepped Malachi Doherty but his shot sailed over instead of under for a point but it didn’t seem to matter as it moved his side 1-6 to 0-1 ahead with 11 minutes remaining to the break.
Miles Devine replied with Naomh Comhghall’s second point of the game from a free in the 22nd minute and Oisin Hamill responded from a 40 meter free but the final score of the half fell to Darragh Doherty to leave Glenavy leading 1-8 to 0-3 as Cathal McDermott sounded his half time whistle.
It looked as good as over at this stage and when wing half Doherty added another on the restart it seemed only a matter of time until the Chapel Hill side would add to their total but it would be their last score for 25 minutes as a rejuvenated St. Comgall’s took control.
Kian Walker missed a scoreable chance before making amends with a point in the fourth minute and Dylan Murdock punished a foul on the raiding Ruairi Griffin as Naomh Comhghall began to believe and take control and Walker was just off target again as the Antrim town side started to dominate proceedings.
Murdock from another free closed the gap to six by the 15th minute and substitute Kian Devine saw his well struck effort come back of an upright and the ability to finish was letting the division 3 runners up down as they continued to press.
St. Joseph’s were struggling to contain their opponents and their task became even more difficult when Darragh Doherty received a second yellow card and when Miles Devine pointed another free in the 26th minute the Antrim town men must have fancied their chances.
Glenavy hadn’t scored since the first minute of the second half though they had created opportunities but substitute Darragh Armstrong settled their nerves with an excellent point in the 27th minute and it seemed to take the sting out of the Naomh Comhghall challenge.
They did reply with the last two points of the game from Ruairi Griffin but the goal they needed never looked like materialising and it is St. Joseph’s Glenavy who will ply their trade in division 2 again next season.
The Chapel Hill side would probably have been happy to hear the full time whistle but in the proverbial game of two halves they did more than enough to get them over the line in the end.
Naomh Comhghall, while feeling disappointed can take heart from their second half performance and I would expect them to be serious challengers again in division 3 next season with Michael McCabe, James McCabe, Dylan Murdock and Paddy O’Connor excellent for the Antrim men.
Glenavy too had some fine performers on the night with Darragh Doherty, Paddy Gallagher, Fiontan O’Boyle and Fergal Henry all to the fore.
St. Joseph’s: 1 Gareth Collins, 2 Stephen Doone, 3 Liam Henry, 4 Timmy Honeyford, 5 Darragh Doherty, 6 Paddy Gallagher, 7 Malachi Doherty, 8 Oisin Hamill, 9 Fiontan O’Boyle, 10 Pearse O’Neill, 11 Ciaran Loney, 12 Fergal Green, 13 Fergus Cunningham, 14 Fergal Henry, 15 Charles Gallagher. Subs used: Michael McCourt, Darragh Armstrong, Fergal Cunningham, Conor Hamill
Naomh Comhghall: 1 Anto Watson, 2 Dannan O’Hara, 3 Michael McCabe, 4 Ryan McAuley, 5 Caolan McKeown, 6 Ruairi Griffin, 17 Kian Walker, 8 James McCabe, 9 Louis Higgins, 10 Oisin Crilly, 11 Dylan Murdock, 12 Niall Ward, 13 Miles Devine, 14 Paddy O’Connor, 15 Rory Mclarnon. Subs used: Kian Devine, Conor McAuley, Eoghan Lynett
Referee: Cathal McDermott (Tir na nOg)
