O’Neill’s Sportsware ACFL Division 1
All Saints 5-13 Tir na nOg 3-8
Despite conceding two goals in the opening 7 minutes, All Saints produced a performance
of pace and power to sweep aside the challenge of Tir na nOg in glorious sunshine at Quinn Park on Wednesday night.
For the first time this season the Ballymena side had the service of county players, Kavan Keenan and Paddy McAleer while James McDonnell has missed the previous two games but made a welcome return to the side.
It was visitors Tir na nOg who got off to the better start and Darragh Fagan fired to the All Saints net in the opening minute after the home defence got itself in a tangle.
They recovered however as Ronan McKillop, Patrick McAleer and McKillop again fired over to bring matters all square after five minute and Liam Bradley’s side looked to be gaining the upper hand.
Tir na nOg replied however and once again the towering Darragh Fagan was afforded acres of space as he fired past Ryan Stewart for the second time with only 7 minute on the clock.
The Ballymena side picked themselves up of the canvas again and with their defence tightening up considerably they began to take the game to the opposition.
Kavan Keenan pointed for his first score of the evening and his county counterpart, Paddy McAleer added another before Sean McVeigh set up the flying Keenan for a great goal to give the home side a lead they would never again lose.
McAleer added a point before Aaron McNeilly replied with the visitors first score for ten minutes as he converted a free and when the same player added another from play there was only one between the sides.
The Quinn Park side were sitting deep and pulling men behind the ball as they closed down the attacking challenge of their opponents and when they broke forward they broke at a pace that their opponents couldn’t live with.
Paddy McAleer replied with an All Saints point and then Patrick Ferris raced in from the byeline to send an audacious effort past Sean Paul McAtamney in the visitors goal.
Kavan Keenan added a point as Tir na nOg introduced Caoimhin Duffin for youngster Connor Hastings in an effort to plug the gaps that were suddenly appearing in defence.
It was to little avail as full-forward, Sean McVeigh pointed from a ‘Mark’ with Eamon Og McAllister replying with his first of the evening with 27 minutes gone.
Joshua Higgins added another for the Whitehill side to close the gap to five at the halfway point and at this stage the visitors must still have fancied their chances of a comeback in the second half.
Sean McVeigh came within a whisker of a third goal for the Ballymena men when he beat Sean Paul McAtamney in a race for a breaking ball but his first time ground shot came back of a post and was cleared to safety in the opening minute.
That third goal was not long arriving however and it was that man Keenan who again applied the finish in the 9th minute after Darragh Fagan had converted as ‘45’ at the other end.
James McDonnell then raced clear to fist over as the pace and movement of the All Saints side continued to create openings and Paddy McAleer combined with Sean McVeigh to palm the ball to the net for a fourth in the 17th minute.
Michael McCarry pointed with his first touch after replacing Ronan McKillop as both sides rang the changes and even at this stage it looked as good as over but to their credit the visitors kept battling away.
They were rewarded with two more pointed frees by Aaron McNeilly but again it brought a quick and decisive response from the home side with Shaun O’Callaghan getting forward for a point.
Connell Lemon put the game out of sight with the Saints fifth goal with three minutes remaining before Darragh Fagan was on hand to complete his hat-trick for Tir na nOg after Emmet Murray’s shot had been blocked into his path.
A good win for the division 1 new boys and their second in four outings and on this performance they look capable of give most sides a run for their money if they are at full strength.
Tir na nOg: have five points on board from their first three outings and will want to put this performance behind them and get back to winning ways soon and look capable of doing just that if they can get a few of their missing players back on board
All Saints: Ryan Stewart, Eoin Walsh, Michael Rea, James Gillan, Patrick Ferris, Shaun O’Callaghan, James McDonnell, Sean McVeigh, Emmet Killough, Cal O’Brien, Paddy McAleer, Kavan Keenan, Ronan McKillop, Peter McNicholl, Connell Killough.
Subs: Michael McCarry for Ronan McKillop, Joe Rafferty for Cal O’Brien, Charlie Metrustry for Kavan Keenan, Darach Bradley for Sean McVeigh
Tir na nOg: Sean Paul McAtamney, 2 Christy Sheerin, 3 Ciaran McGrellis, 4 Ryan Crilly, 5 Barry Magee, 6 Barry McCormick, 7 Aaron McNeilly, 8 Joshua Higgins 9 Cormac Devlin, 10 Aodhan Toland, 11 Eamon Og McAllister, 12 Oliver McAtamney, 13 Emmet Murray, 14 Darragh Fagan, 15 Connor Hastings
Subs: Caoimhin Duffin for Connor Hastings, Daniel Martin for Ethan Higgins, Kevin Sheerin for Oliver McAtamney,
Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)
