Antrim Football League – Division 2
St Gall’s 2-7 Aghagallon 2-9
A goal eight seconds after the throw-in by Aghagallon full forward Gareth Magee turned out to be the score that separated the St Mary’s men and St Gall’s at the end of Wednesday evening’s league game at the Bog Meadows. A second goal six minutes later by right half forward Johnny Hannon looked to have set the visitors up for a handy win, but it didn’t work out that way and they were left holding on in the final minutes to keep the St Gall’s at bay.
After a minute’s silence in memory of St Gall’s legend Liam Stewart the ball was won by Aghagallon from the throw in and they burst through to set up Gareth Magee for a well taken goal. Niall O’Neill pulled a point back for the home team inside a minute, but Pauric Maginnis hit back with one for Aghagallon to restore that three point cushion before another minute had passed. Two points from centre forward Niall Burns got St Gall’s back to within a point, and they appeared to be close to an equaliser when their move upfield was broken down by the visitors and Johnny Hannon was put clear to fire home Agahagallon’s second goal on six minutes
To their credit St Gall’s stuck to their task and Calum Walsh and Dubaltach Mac Liam added points on either side of one by Jack Lenahan for the visitors. Hugh Hannon pointed a great free for Aghagallon midway through the half to put his team 2-3 to 0-ahead, but St Gall’s hit back again and after sending over a point Niall Burns picked up a ball near the Aghagallon goal, after a great run by teammate Niall Fallon, and blasted it the net.
That score in the eighteenth minute closed the gap to a single point, but they never scored again for the remainder of the first half, while Agahagallon added three to their total through Mark Magee, Eunan Walsh (a superb score after soling from inside his own twenty metre line) and Magee again to give the visitors a four point cushion at the break. (1-5 to 2-6)
Just as they had done at the start of the opening half , Aghagallon were quick out of the traps and Johnny Hannon called a mark and sent the ball between the posts to stretch the gap to five. Things looked very positive for Pete McGrath’s men, but the scoring dried up and incredibley they only added two more points in the 29 minutes which were left for play.
St Gall’s weren’t exactly proficient either but a great point from full-back Tiernan Keenan after a length of the field move, got things going again. A free by Niall Burns was fisted over the bar by Niall Fallon soon afterwards to leave just a goal between the sides, but a great point on the turn by Gareth Magee for Aghagallon put the gap to four.
When a great run by St Gall’s right half back Dubalatch Mac Liam was halted as he bore down on the Aghagallon goal, referee Sean Laverty had no hesitation to blow for a penalty which Niall Burns fired home, despite a great effort by the visitor’s goalkeeper Damian O’Hagan and with fifteen minutes still to play the gap was down to a single point.
The ball was now back in St Gall’s court, but despite creating a few good chances they could not add to their tally and a point at the other end by corner forward Hugh Hannon five minutes from time sealed the win.
ST GALL’S
Louis McCormick, Cormac Flannery, Tiernan Keenan, Connail Murray, Dubalatch Mac Liam, Ryan Irvine, Connall McGirr, Manus McCrossan, Niall O’Neill, Calum Walsh, Niall Burns, Niall Fallon, Ruairi Wilson, Brendan Bradley, Jack Hopkins.
AGHAGALLON
Damian O’Hagan, Ciaran Maginnis, Aiden Mulholland, Patrick Branagan, Daniel Donnely, Darryl McAlernon, Padraig Downey, Jack Lenahan, David McAlernon, Jonathan Hannon, Eunan Walsh, Pauric Maginnis, Enda McCartan, Gareth Magee, Hugh Hannon
Referee – Sean Laverty (Moneyglass)
