Moneyglass 1-11 All Saints 2-8
An All Saints side who have enjoyed a good start in division 1 this season travelled to Marian Hill on Wednesday night to face a Moneyglass team who have been displaying signs of recovery over recent weeks and who always prove a difficult hurdle for the Ballymena men.
This one proved no different and a point from Colm Duffin in injury time would earn Moneyglass a share of the spoils and on reflection a draw was probably a fair result.
it was St. Ergnat’s who were first to register as Aidan McErlain fired to the Saint’s net after 30 seconds to give them the perfect start.
Michael McCarry replied with a point for the visitors but Sean Boyd restored the home side’s three point advantage before Connor O’Kane extended that lead to four with a point in the 9th minute.
The visitors were struggling to get their own game together but Ronan McKillop provided them with a major boost when he got in for his side’s opening goal in the 10th minute to close the gap to the minimum.
Aidan McErlain for Moneyglass and Shaun O’Callaghan for the Ballymena side exchanged further points as matters began to liven up but it would be the Marian Hill side who would go on to edge the second quarter.
Colm Duffin and Connlaodh McCann moved them three ahead before All Saints reduced the lead to two once more through Michael McCarry with a good point in the 25th minute.
The final score of the half fell to St. Ergnat’s as Dermott McErlain stroked a ‘45’ between the uprights to leave the Marian Hill men leading 1-7 to 1-3 at the interval and good value for that lead.
The All Saints success this season has been built on a strong resolve and determination and they would set about closing the visitors lead at the start of the second half.
Ronan McKillop got them off the mark with a point in the opening minute and when Connell Lemon finished a good move to the net in the 6th minute the momentum seemed to be very much with the visitors.
Benny Marron’s side had other ideas however and they responded positively with points from Connlaodh McCann, Dermott McErlain and Colm Duffin to move three clear by the 18th minute.
At this stage the smart money would have been on St. Ergnat’s to collect their second brace of points of the season but All Saints again showed the character that has been their hallmark this season.
Despite losing Patrick Ferris to a Black card, Liam Bradley’s side began to wrestle back control and Emmet Killough, Connell Lemon, Ciaran Campbell and substitute Conor Brennan edged them ahead with four unanswered points by the 25th minute.
The visitors failed to push on however but looked to have done enough but St. Ergnat’s came back with a late Colm Duffin point in injury time to secure a share of the spoils and climb out of the bottom three.
St. Ergtnat’s: 1 Daniel McErlain, 2 James McCormick, 3 Diarmuid Scullin, 4 Matthew Mullen, 5 6 Paul Duffin, 7 Sean Boyd, 8 Connor O’Kane, 9 Dermott McErlain, 10 Jimmy McMeel, 11 Seanchan Duffin, 12 Connlaodh McCann, 13 Fearghal Duffin, 14 Colm Duffin, 15 Aidan McErlain, 16 Rory Griffin, 17 Callum McStocker
All Saints: 1 Ryan Stewart, 2 Eoin Walsh, 3 Michael Read, 4 Conall Killough, 5 Patrick Ferris, 6 Shaun O Callaghan, 7 Cal O’Brien, 8 Sean McVeigh, 9 Emmet Killough, 10 Joe Rafferty, 11 Michael McCarry, 12 Connell Lemon, 13 Ciaran Campbell, 14 Peter McNicholl, 15 Ronan McKillop. 16 Conor Brennan
Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)
Pics by Elaine Kelly Photos