OB Construction IFC Group Two
St Teresa’s 2-9 Ardoyne 2-5
Photographs: Brian McKee
St Teresa’s produced a strong third quarter to overcome the challenge of Kickham’s Ardoyne and put one foot in the quarter-final after this Intermediate Football Championship Group 2 opener on the Glen Road on Friday night.
It took the game a long time to come to life with the early exchanges easily forgettable but things livened considerably after the break with St. Teresa’s pushing on to win by four points.
Ardoyne were first to strike as Oisin McVicker provided the finish after a turnover and a slow build up to fire between the posts.
Despite the wind advantage, St Teresa’s were happy to sit in and hit on the break with Liam Gault’s early effort easily dealt with by Ardoyne keeper Ciaran Murtagh.
McVicker’s point was to be the only score of the opening quarter but eventually things began to improve a little with Gault placing Anton Taylor who levelled on the spin after 16 minutes and then John Mallon kicked the hosts into the lead from a free.
Things began to get a bit physical with a brief flare-up seeming to take the sting out of matters and the hosts extended their lead from a Niall McCann free with Eoghan Corrigan pulling one back from a mark, but a fine score from Conor O’Rawe late in the half from range saw St Teresa’s lead 0-4 to 0-2 at the break.
St. Teresa’s continued to press on the restart as Mallon pointed a free and then a long ball from the same player dropped invitingly and Taylor rose above Tiernan Hughes to palm home.
Ardoyne were in real bother and despite Padraig McGreevy kicking a free, three points on the spin saw the home side in a strong position with
Ardoyne’s troubles compounded by a Black card to Declan McCormick.
It looked over at this stage but the visitors were not yet finished and they came back strongly as Kevin Lynch kicked a free and then slotted a penalty to the net on 49 minutes after a defender was adjudged to have touched the ball on the ground.
St Teresa’s had chances to put this game to bed in the meantime but Conor O’Rawe saw a shot sail just outside the post and then Hughes made a great save from Luke Cassin who had pointed with his first touch before a Paul Kennedy’s injury-time goal for the home side settled the issue.
Kickham’s Ardoyne now play Naomh Padraig Lisburn at Fennell Park on 12th August while St. Teresa’s must wait until the 27th August before they travel to Kirkwood Park to face the same opposition.
St. Teresa’s: C Murtagh; A Dugan, P Johnston, R Mallon; L Gault, C O’Rawe (0-1), S Maguire; L Cassin, A Varndell; J Mallon (0-4, all frees), N McCann (0-2, 1 free), P Maguire; M Small, A Taylor (1-1), P McGoldrick.
Subs: P Kennedy (1-1) for M Small (43)
Ardoyne: T Hughes; C Curran, SJ Rooney, C McLoughlin; D McCormick, K McCAllin, P Marley; K Lynch (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free), O McVicker (0-1); D Moore, P McGreevy (0-1 free), M McGreevy; C McDowell, E Corrigan (0-2, 1 mark), A Davison.
Subs: G McKernan for C McDowell (25), K McLoughlin for A Davison (HT), F Marley for D Moore (39), C Keown (1-0) for P McGreevy (44), G McFarland for K McCallin (56)
Referee: Fionntan McCotter (Sarsfield’s)
