SFC Group 1
St. John’s 0-16 Tir na nOg 1-9
St. John’s gained revenge for their double league defeat to Tir na nOg when they produced a strong second half performance to beat Friday night’s opponents in the opening Group 1 game of the Senior Football Championship.
The Corrigan Park side made a raft of changes to the side that fell heavily to the Whitehill men in a game that Tir na nOg needed something from to ensure their division 1 survival and the home side got off to a great start.
Paddy McBride, one of the changes raced through to open with a point after 30 seconds and Stephen Tierney, Conchur Adams and McBride again had St. John’s 0-4 ahead after five minutes.
Aaron McNeilly got the visitors off the mark from a 7th minute free and a minute later they were back on terms when Eamon Og McAllister fired home from the penalty spot after Sean Duffin was brought down.
McBride restored the Corrigan Park side’s lead with a point in the 10th minute but Tir na nOg were beginning to grow into the contest and Caoimhin Duffin screwed over a good point from out near the left hand touchline.
The momentum was now with the visitors as Fagan pointed a free to put them ahead for the first time and the big full-forward was proving quite a handful for Jack Bohill and the Johnnies defence.
The Johnnies replied from a great point from Conall Gough to square matters once more but Tir na nOg responded through a Darragh Fagan free to edge ahead once more with 7 minutes remaining to the break.
Back came the city side and Conchur Adams pointed a free and then sent over a good point from play to restore their lead but the visitors came storming back and had claims for a penalty waved away when Eamon Og McAllister went down in the area.
The Whiterock Road men came back with another fine point from the sweet striking Adams with the final score of the half falling to Darragh Fagan who’s converted free left just one in it at the break.
It looked once again to be swinging in favour of Tir na nOg when Darragh Fagan pointed in the opening minute of the second half to level matters once more but they wouldn’t raise another flag for 25 minutes as the home side began to assert themselves on the game.
The introduction of Conor McEvoy, Ronan McCafferty and Conall Quinn certainly added impetus to their cause as Paddy McBride pointed a 9th minute free to give them a lead they would not again lose.
The visitors came close to getting a second goal at this stage when Aodhan Toland made a great interception to set up Emmet Murray but the corner forward shot wide from close range.
Ryan McNulty increased the gap to two for the home side and Conchur Adams moved them three in front with another sweet effort at the end of the third quarter and the Tir na nOg fluency that had been so prominent in the first half was now deserting them as pass after pass went astray.
Young Adams was giving an exhibition of point taking as he added another sublime score before the Johnnies lost McNulty to a straight Red but they failed to panic.
Keeper Padraig Nugent came forward to strike a 40 meter free between the uprights in the 24th minute and Paddy McBride followed with another from play to put the Corrigan side six in front with four minutes of normal time remaining.
It looked all over at this stage but Emmet Murray finally kicked the visitor’s second point of the half with the clock ticking down and two more from Aaron McNeilly closed the gap to three but it came too late to affect the result.
Indeed the final score of the game would fall to St. Johns as Conor Johnston fisted over and with Paddy McBride pulling the strings the home side ran down the clock for a deserved opening day win.
A good win for St. John’s who, at least for now, top a group that includes Cargin and Rossa who meet on Saturday in Belfast with last year’s champions, Erin’s Own hoping to get off to a good start after losing in the group stages at the same venue last year.
