ACFL Division 1
Erin’s Own Cargin 1-05 St Gall’s 1-04 (abandoned due to injury)
An accidental injury to young wing half forward Marcus Donnelly just a few minutes into the second half caused the Cargin v St Gall’s division one league game in Toome on Sunday to be abandoned.
The home side led by the bare minimum when the injury occurred but as the teams waited for the arrival of an ambulance the match official called a halt to proceedings.
St. Gall’s were first to give employment to the score board attendant when the ill-fated Marcus Donnelly made ground out on the right hand side to collect a clearance from Thomas Bunting and fire to the back of the Cargin net.
The Milltown men increased their advantage a few minutes later when a foul on Niall O’Neill opened the door for Sean Burns to plant the resultant award firmly between the posts to give the visitors a good start.
After a sluggish start to proceedings the home side began to get a foothold with Sean Og Quinn and Ronan Gribbin taking control in defence and net-minder John McNabb came forward to send a lofted delivery which ended in the net before Paudie Mc Laughlin added a point to bring the sides level.
St Gall’s regained the lead at the start of the second quarter through another Sean Burns pointed free but John Carron was quick to reply with a superb score before a foul on the advancing Eunan Quinn was punished by Tom Shivers to put the home side in front 1-04 to 1-02.
St Gall’s reduced the deficit to the minimum when Sean Burns added a 27th minute point but the home side had the final say of the half when a late Tom Shivers point gave them a 1-05 to 1-03 interval advantage.
St Gall’s opened the second half with an early point from Niall O’ Neill following a Cormac Flannery clearance but that was to end the action as wing forward Marcus Donnelly fell awkwardly in pursuit of a loose ball to suffer what looked like a serious leg injury, forcing referee Karol Doherty to abandon the game.
The stricken Marcus Donnelly was taken to hospital by ambulance after an early halt was called to proceedings and the Saffron Gael and Erin’s Own Cargin wish a speedy recovery to the young St Gall’s man and look forward to his return to the ranks of the Milltown Blues in the near future.
Cargin: John McNabb (1-00), Sean Og Quinn, Cahir Donnelly, Gerard Mc Corley, Justin Crozier, Ronan Gribbin, Brendan Laverty, Gerard Mc Cann, John Carron (0-01), Ciaran Bradley, Sean Og O’ Neill, Eunan Quinn, Paudie Mc Laughlin (0-01), Tom Shivers (0-02), Kieran Close (0-1)
St Gall’s: Niall McCurdy, Tiarnan Keenan, Cormac Flannery, Eoghan Mc Curdy, Gaireach Mac Adaimh, Thomas Bunting, Jack Hopkins, Ryan Irvine, Manus McCrossan Marcus Donnelly (1-00), Sean Burns (0-03), Ruairi Wilson, Conn Doherty, Niall O’ Neill (0-01), Brendan Bradley.
Referee: K Doherty (Rasharkin)
