St Pauls, St Endas and Sarsfields taste Fr Mullan success

By Kevin Herron

St Pauls, St Enda’s and Sarsfields all tasted Fr Mullan success at the weekend as South Antrim nears an end to the 2022 calendar.

The Falls Park hosted Sundays finals and St Pauls were the days first winners, seeing off O’Donnells in the Plate 2 decider.

Darragh Casey opened with a couple of early points for the Shaws Road outside, with Aidan McLaughlin replying for O’Ds.

The goals began to rein for St Pauls with Cael Carmichael, Matthew Armstrong and Nathan Coulter on target to put them in a strong position at the midway stage.

Coulter added a further goal after the break and team-mates Jude Toal and Eoghan Coyle also hit the net in a dominant display.

O’Donnell’s fought gallantly with McLaughlin adding to his sides scores over the course of the morning, but in the end St Pauls ran out the first winners of the morning.

In the Plate 1 decider between St Enda’s and St Teresa’s early points were traded between Cahir McKenna and Conor Magoran (free).

St Enda’s took control of proceedings when Daragh Rooney was pulled back and his quickly taken free was dropped to the net.

McKenna doubled his account from the placed ball and then the Hightown outfit found their second goal when Daragh Rooney played a superb pass into the path of Donal Maguire to finish to the net.

Cahir McKenna kicked his third point of the half and third goal followed for his side courtesy of Aaron Connolly.

St Teresa’s replied through back-to-back Tiernan Headley points. but goalscorer Connolly registered his first point of proceedings and Cahir McKenna added another to his increasing tally.

Just before the break St Teresa’s were handed a lifeline when a long ball was intercepted by Conor Magoran and he finished to the net to make it 3-05-1-03 at the break.

Their comeback gathered further momentum after the break when Kevin McAllister’s attempted point dipped underneath the bar and into the net to give his side a further shot in the arm.

Daragh Rooney pointed at the other end and substitute Colm Kane added a fourth for St Enda’s as they regained control and led 4-06-2-03.

A fifth goal followed when Cahir McKenna’s free came off the bar and Charlie McLarnon followed the loose ball and bundled it to the net.

Donal Maguire added successive points before Cahir McKenna got back on the scoring trail in the aftermath.

To their credit, St Teresa’s continued to battle and Kevin McAllister landed his second goal of the contest- though it was scant consolation in the grand scheme of things.

A late goal from Donal Maguire was followed by a point from substitute Charlie Joe O’Rawe as St Enda’s ran out winners in the end.