O’Neill’s Sportswear Antrim Football League Division Two
St Teresa’s 0-12 St Paul’s 3-15
Pics by Martin Brunty
St. Teresa’s suffered their first defeat of the season when they lost to an impressive St. Paul’s at MhicDhomnaill/UiDhoctairtigh Park on Wednesday night.
The home side went into this encounter with a six game unbeaten run under their belts but had no answer to a slick moving St. Paul’s side who now climb to third place following this win.
The Hoops found the net three times over the hour that exemplified their attacking display as they kicked some excellent points throughout and had that cutting edge to find the goals.
Lorcan Phillips was in superb form with three points, while Caoimhin Duffy netted in each half and Ruairi Hamill got the third as they narrowed the gap on St Teresa’s who still command top spot despite this, their first loss of the campaign.
The visitors were on the front foot right from the throw in with Ruairi Hamill kicking them into the lead within 30 seconds but they had to thank their keeper Jonathan Rodgers who pulled of a point-blank save to deny Eoghan Hamill as St. Teresa’s tried to respond.
The Shaw’s Road side attacked again and doubled their lead when Conall Duffy kicked an excellent point and at this stage the majority of the traffic was towards the St. Teresa’s goal.
St Teresa’s finally opened their account after seven minutes through Mark Small following a slow build-up, before Darren McCann fired over the equaliser from the right.
Just when it looked like the home side were getting a foothold in the game St Paul’s produced a decisive response with the game’s opening goasl in the 9th minute.
Miceál Duffy collected the ball in midfield and he found Caoimhin Duffy whose initial effort was saved by Ciaran Murtagh, but Duffy was on hand to finish to the net from close range.
Lorcan Phillips then opened his account from a free, but St Teresa’s rallied with points from Niall McCann (free) and an excellent John Mallon effort to bring them back into contention.
Phillips was beginning to stamp his influence on the game and he kicked the next three points to move the visitors five ahead, but St Teresa’s would respond again and John Mallon and Eoghan Hamill replied from frees.
Caoimhin Duffy for St. Teresa’s and Mark Munce for the visitors exchanged points after Mallon kicked a free, but a Hamill 45 in added time left a goal between them at the end of a top-quality half with St Paul’s leading 1-8 to 0-8.
St Paul’s extended their lead at the start of the second half as Phillips kicked a free and then Caoimhin Duffy finished soccer style on the ground for their second goal to put the visitors seven ahead.
Conor O’Rawe replied with a point for the hosts, but the game was effectively wrapped up after 40 minutes as Phillps kicked another free, before turning provider for Ruairi Hamill to fire home.
The league leaders tried to respond and they would kick three of the next four points through Mallon and McCann and another from O’Rawe but it was not enough as Hamill replied with a superb point from out on the right.
The hosts were then reduced to 14 with McCann shown a second yellow, but both would finish with 14 as Caoimhin Duffy was shown red after an altercation between both sets of players.
That came after Ciaran Murtagh pulled off a superb save to deny Niall McStravick at the expense of a point while a late Phillips point brought his personal contribution to 0-8 for the evening.
St. Teresa’s: C Murtagh; E Connolly, P Johnston, A Dugan; C McGoldrick, S Carey, C Mallon; D McCann (0-1), C O’Rawe (0-2); E Hamill (0-2, 1f, 1 45), J Mallon (0-4, 3f), P McGoldrick; M Small (0-1), N McCann (0-2f), A Taylor
Subs: P Fagan for M Small (39), L Cassin for S Carey (42), R Mallon for A Dugan (47), F Duggan for P McGoldrick (55).
St. Paul’s: J Rodgers; A Kavanagh, G McGroarty, D O’Sullivan; M Duffy, J Farrell, N Ward; M Munce (0-1), S Mac Corraidh; R Hamill (1-2), P Magee, Caoimhin Duffy (2-1); N McStravick (0-2), L Phillips (0-8, 6f), Conall Duffy (0-1).
Subs: N McKenna for M Duffy (50), B Burns for R Hamill (50), C Finnegan for Conall Duffy (55), D Magee for N Ward (60).
Referee: Colin Thompson (St John’s)