Graham Tarmac JFC – Group 1
Ballycastle 0-7 St Malachy’s 0-9
Friday 28 July
Brendan McTaggart reports from Mac Uilin Park, Ballycastle
An astute second half performance from St Malachy’s ensured the Market Men began their 2023 championship campaign on a winning note against Ballycastle. They had to come from behind as the home side were ahead by the minimum at the short whistle after a first half that saw St Malachy’s reduced to 14 men after a black card was given to James McGivern. In a peculiar turn of events however, it was this moment that seemed to galvanise the city side as they began to find their feet in the game.
From the first whistle the McQuillan’s had the Mal’s hemmed in their own half and recorded the opening three scores of the game. A point from Ciaran McAuley followed two frees from roaming midfielder Eoin Magee to give the home side a deserving three point lead.
With McGivern seeing black, St Malachy’s reorganised their shape and through a free from Paul Devine they finally recorded their opening score of the championship in this years championship.
Ballycastle continued to make the most of the wind advantage they enjoyed in the first half with Magee splitting the posts once more, this time with the outside of his right foot from distance before McAuley followed suit to leave four between the sides with 10 minutes of the half remaining.
It would be their last score of the half however as St Malachy’s began to find their footing in the game with Ciaran Vernon and Anthony Dobbin particularly influential for the visitors.
Vernon fired over a free from distance, striking left footed off the ground from placed ball and judging the elements to perfection before doubling his tally for the match with a tremendous score. Holding off the challenge of two Ballycastle defenders before splitting the uprights with his right foot this time.
Having just returned to the pitch, James McGivern got the last score of the half to leave the home side ahead 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval.
Ballycastle made two changes at half time with the introduction of Seamus McElroy and Brian McLernon into attack and it was McLernon who would fire over the opening score of the half shortly after the restart. It would be the last score for the home side for 15 minutes however as St Malachy’s began to dictate proceedings.
Playing that small bit deeper and allowing Ballycastle to have possession in the middle third, they suffocated the space in their defence for ball to be played into the forward line and when Ballycastle tried to break the line, they tackled tenaciously to turnover ball and counter with precision.
St Malachy’s scored three points in as many minutes through a mark from Ronan Maneely a Shea Lynch point and a gargantuan free from Vernon in the 38th minute, fully 65 yards out from goal and while he did have the wind at his back, it was hardly gale force and his strike had plenty to spare. A quite brilliant score that would give the Mal’s the lead for the first time in the match and while Eoin Magee took advantage of a rare second half slip in the St Malachy’s defence to equalise in the 46th minute, St Malachy’s found another level with their experience telling in how they controlled the contest.
Further scores came from Jack McGivern and Maneely in the time that remained to give the Mal’s a winning start to the 2023 junior championship.
TEAMS
Ballycastle: Thomas McElroy; Patrick McAllister, Eoin Boylan, Patrick McAlonan; Ciaran McAuley, Darren McKillion, Conall McGlynn; Shane Farrelly, Eoin Magee; Darragh Kelly, Conor Donnelly, Stephen McGill; Rian McElroy, Feargal McKiernan, Niall McDermott
Subs: Seamus McElroy for R McEvoy (HT); Brian McLernon for N McDermott (HT)
Scorers: E Magee 0-4 (2fs); C McAuley 0-2; B McLernon 0-1
St Malachy’s: Fintan McBride; Colin Connolly, Caoimhin Corr, Sean O’Neill; Daniel Quinn, Stephen Carson, Ben McCaughey; Ciaran Vernon, Anthony Dobbin; Jack McGivern, Shea Lynch, James McGivern; Paul Devine, Jason McGrady, Ronan Maneely
Subs: Patrick Turley for J McGrady
Scorers: C Vernon 0-3 (2fs); R Maneely 0-2 (1 mark); Jack McGivern 0-1; S Lynch 0-1; James McGivern 0-1; P Devine 0-1 (free)
Referee: Ryan O’Reilly (Con Magees, Glenravel)
