ACFL Division 1
Ahoghill 3-18 Aldergrove 1-9
St. James Aldergrove were forced to turn their jersey’s inside out to avoid a clash of colours on their visit to Clooney to play Ahoghgill on Sunday and by the time Cathal McDermott blew his full-time whistle they had been comprehensively beaten by a fluent St. Mary’s.
The visitors opened well and led 0-4 to 0-3 after 17 minutes but would only add one more before the break as the Clooney side came strong in the second quarter.
Chris McGlone’s side came back with five points of their own and when Ronan Graham got in for their opening goal just before the half time whistle in looked a long way back for the Crumlin side.
Ahoghill pushed on to add two further second half goals through James O’Connell and Colla McDonnell when the visitors lost a player to a second Yellow with 7 minutes remaining it was all over.
To their credit they battled to the end and a goal from Ronan Hanna gave them a glimmer of hope but St. Mary’s replied with four points on the bounce to put the contest out of reach.
Conor Crossey and Dan O’Neill for Ahoghill and Brian McQuillan and Ronan Hanna for the visitors exchanged early points to leave it 0-2 apiece after 8 minutes before James O’Connell kicked two for the Clooney side to move them two in front by the 12th minute.
The visitors were giving as good as they got at this stage and came back with three unanswered points through Ronan Hanna, Corey Fogarty and Conleith O’Toole to take the lead by the 24th minute.
It was the home side who found another gear in the minutes leading up to half time however as James O’Connell, ‘Bobby’ Magee, Donal Graham and O’Connell again moved them three in front by the 29th minute.
A strong run from Dan O’Neill down the right wing saw him find Ronan Graham with an inch perfect pass over the top and Graham took it in his stride as he broke clear on goal.
The Ahoghill mid-fielder’s initial shot was well saved by Ryan McCarthy in the St. James’ goal but it broke favourably for the Ahoghill number 9 and he followed up to fire to the net from close range to give his side a six point lead at the short whistle.
HT: Ahoghill 1-8 Aldergrove 0-5
St. Mary’s started the second half as they had finished the first with Diarmaid Graham pointing in the opening minute before Ryan McCarthy pulled off a great save to deny James O’Connell what looked a certain goal.
McCarthy’s save provided only temporary respite as Ronan Graham and James O’Connell 0-2 (1f) moved the Clooney side 1-12 to 0-5 ahead after 8 minutes and when James O’Connell took a fine pass from Dan O’Neill to finish to the net in the 15th minute it was as good as over.
Cormac McGarry from a free and another from play pulled two back for the Crumlin side but when Colla McDonnell palmed home his side’s third goal with 13 minutes remaining there would be no way back for the visitors.
Malachy Burns responded with a point after a ‘Mark’ and Connell Hanna finished to the net with 6 minutes remaining but Ahoghill responded with points from James O’Connell 0-2, Ronan Graham 0-2 and Fionnbar O’Neill with Ronan Hanna kicking with a consolation point for the Crumlin side.
This win moves Ahoghill onto 7 points, four ahead of today’s opponents and sees them climb above the bottom six while Aldergrove showed enough in the early exchanges to suggest they can climb up the table in the coming weeks.
Ahoghill: Aiden Graham, Seamus McKeever, James Magee, Bernard Graham, Patrick Dougan, Fionnbar O’Neill, Diarmaid Graham, Thomas McGlone, Ronan Graham, Eamonn Brady, Conor Crossey, Dan O’Neill, James O’Connell, Neil O’Connell, Colla McDonnell.
Subs: Donal Graham for Tom McGlone, Conor McGarry for Neil O’Connell, Noah Friel for James O’Connell, Ryan McPeake for Ronan Graham
Aldergrove: 1 Ryan McCarthy, 2 Aiden Irvine, 3 Emmet Irvine, 4 Ronan Wilkinson, 5 Malachy Burns, 6 Chris McVeigh, 7 Eoin Hamill, 8 Brian McQuillan, 9 Corey Fogarty, 10 Gerald Mallon, 11 Conleith O’Toole, 12 Andy Flood, 13 Cormac McGarry, 14 Ronan Hamill, 15 Oisin Graham
Subs: David Aiken for Aiden Irvine, Connell Hanna for Gerad Mallon, Sean Fay for Malachy Burns
