All Saints 4-10 Cloughmills 1-19
When Damien Gillan pointed a free, a minute into the second half to put All Saints 2-9 to 0-7 ahead it looked that we were in for a shock at Slemish Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Ballymena side hadn’t won a game in division 3 this year while their visitors, St. Brigid’s Cloughmills were sitting joint top of the division and were expected to collect another brace of points.
It didn’t quite work out that way however and 2 first half goals from Liam Cassley put the home side in a fairly strong position but there was always a feeling that the ‘Biddies’ would come strong in the second half.
And so they did with Eoin Dobbin leading the way with a series of excellent point, both from play and frees and the visitors looked to have turned it on its head when they led by four with time almost up.
The Ballymena side quite simply refused to go away however and an Eoin McGuigan goal and a pointed free from Damien Gillan had it all square with time almost up.
Indeed Chris Dornan’s side looked to have grabbed both points at the end when Sean McDermott fired over but his point was ruled out and so it finished all square.
GOOD START
A Sean McDermott point and three more from Damien Gillan (2f’s) in reply to 2 from Eoin Dobbin had the Ballymena side two in front early in the contest before Reece Watt closed the gap to one with his first of the evening.
Former St. Brigid’s player, Liam Cassley set the contest on fire as he fired home two goals while Eoin Dobbin replied with a couple of points for the ‘Village’.
Darach Bradley and Damien Gillan responded again with points for a sharp All Saints side with Eoin Dobbin and Callum McKendry replying from frees to leave it 2-8 to 0-7 for the Slemish Park side at the interval.
Damien Gillan moved the home side eight ahead from a pointed free on the restart but All Saints lost their way for a time as an Eoin Dobbin inspired St. Brigid’s slowly closed the gap.
A goal from substitute Conor O’Hara in the 15th minute eased the pressure for a time and moved the Ballymena side three in front but it brought a quick response from the visitors.
Dobbin struck three frees and further points from, Stephen Smith and Liam Kearns and a goal from Reece Watt had it back to one by the 18th minute.
The sweet striking Dobbin brought it all square from a ‘65’ following a good save from Ciaran Cassley in the All Saints goal and the momentum was now very much with the visitors.
Further points from Dobbin and Ryan Watson looked to have secured another two points for the Cloughmill’s side but that goal from McGuigan and a Damien Gillan pointed free left it all square at the final whistle
All Saints: 1 Ciaran Cassley, 2 Dwayne McKee, 3 Padraig Magill, 4 Kevin Brady, 5 Archie McGreevey, 6 Jack Magill, 7 Daniel Gray, 8 Harry Connon, 9 Vinny Esler, 10 Cormac Magill, 11 Eoin McGuigan, 12 Sean McDermott, 13 Damian Gillan, 14 Liam Cassley, 15 Darach Bradley
Subs: Conor O’Hara for Jack Magill, Fintan Brady for Dwayne McKee, Daniel Kelly for Cormac Magill
St. Brigid’s: 1 Gary McCollum, 2 Rian Dobbin, 3 Corey Blair, 4 Johnny Duffin, 5 Kevin O’Boyle, 6 Martin Dobbin, 7 Geoffery Og Laverty, 8 Odhran McCurdy, 9 Seosamh MacGabhann, 10 Reece Watt, 11 Callum McKendry, 12 Eoin Dobbin, 13 Liam Kearns, 14 James Doherty, 15 Stephen Smith
Subs: Ryan Watson,
Referee: Paul McSparran (Cushendun)