U20B Football Championship
Naomh Padraig 4-8 Casement’s 6-13
Photographs: Bert Trowlen
Casement’s Portglenone advanced to the semi-final of the U20B football championship when they defeated Naomh Padraig Lisburn in a high scoring and thoroughly entertaining game at Kirkwood Park on Sunday.
Not a sweeper in sight or if there was one then his contract might well be under review as both sides went for the jugular right from the throw in to produce an hour’s attacking football that was a good advert for Gaelic football.
It was visitors Portglenone who got off to a great start and Ciaran McAleese, who was to have a major influence on proceedings, fired to the net early in the contest to give the Casement’s the best possible start.
Eoin Dixon, who played an equally impressive role for the Lisburn men, replied with a point before Sean Byrne got his first point for the visitors and then a good move involving several players saw mid-fielder, Ruairi Hagan fire to the Naomh Padraig net to put Casement’s 6 ahead.
Eoin Dixon responded from a long range free and another from closer to goal to keep the Kirkwood Park side in touch but back came the visitors with points from Aidan McAleese and Ciaran McAleese but they had keeper Ruairi O’Hagan to thank as he pulled off a good save at the other end as Naomh Padraig replied.
That attack seemed to lift the home side and they hit three on the trot through the impressive Eoin Dixon, all coming from frees and when the big centre-half-forward volleyed a dropping ball to the Casement’s net just before the break, in response to points from McAleese and Byrne, the home side were right back in contention.
Ciaran McAleese and Oisin Gorman exchanged late points and with just two point s separating the protagonists at the break a good start to the second half was important to both sides and it was Ciaran McAleese who again stepped up to the mark.
The number 13 hit the opening three points of the second period to move his side five ahead after 8 minutes and when Owen Brady replied with a point for Naomh Padraig it was that man McAleese who again responded with two converted frees.
It was Casement’s who were now getting firmly on top and Sean Byrne drilled home from the penalty spot to move his side nine ahead going into the final quarter and it looked a long way back for the Lisburn side.
Naomh Padraig continued to fight however with Adam Patterson rising to fist the ball to the Casement’s net and hand his side a glimmer of hope but when Aidan McAleese dived to punch the ball past Ruadhan McKenna at the other end it was as good as over.
The home side were not yet finished however as Oisin Gorman came back with a well worked goal and then Eoin Dixon converted from the penalty spot and suddenly the game was still there for the winning but it would be Naomh Padraig’s final score.
Portglenone finished strongly with the superb Sean Byrne scoring two goals and Aidan McAleese weighing in with a couple of points to put a slightly flattering look on the score-line and the Casement’s now look forward to a home semi-final against Sarsfield’s on the 5th November.
The ‘Paddies’ looked very impressive in their 3-11 to 0-7 win over Glenavy at Colaiste Feirste on Sunday and are sure to provide Portglenone with a stiff test and I’m sure it is a game that both sides are looking forward to.
Neighbours Tir na nOg and Kickham’s Creggan meet in the other semi-final on the same day and with the Whitehill pitch currently closed it is unclear at the time of writing where this one will be played.
Naomh Padraig: 1 Ruadhan McKenna, 2 Jude McMullan, 3 Jack Broderick, 4 Liam McCutcheon, 5 Oisin Gorman, 6 Luca Mulholland, 7 Anton Beattie, 8 Adam Patterson, 9 Che Smyth, 10 Joseph Mulholland, 11 Eoin Dixon, 12 James Morgan, 13 Owen Brady, 14 Rudi Smyth, 15 Conor Ewing,
Portglenone: 1 Ruairi O’Hagan, 2 Michael McGarry, 3 Kevin O’Kane, 17 Paddy McCann, 5 Fintan O’Connell, 6 Ruairi McGuigan, 7 Connal McAtamney, 8 Ruairi O’Hagan, 9 Daniel McNicholl, 10 Patrick Murray, 11 Aidan McAleese, 12 Oliver Keenan, 13, Ciaran McAleese, 14 Charlie McAleese, 15 Sean Byrne
Referee: Gregory Walsh (Aghagallon)
