ACFL Division 1
All Saints 2-11 Aghagallon 1-4
When All Saints corner-back, Rian Tom finished to the net from close range with 31 minutes and thirty one seconds of the second half showing on the clock it merely confirmed what had been inevitable since the 8th minute.
It was then that a Johnny Hannon shot dipped to the All Saints net to close the gap to a point to put visitors St. Mary’s Aghagallon back into a contest that they had been second best in for the greater part of the game and a score the Lough Shore visitors were unable to respond to.
Instead it was All Saints who found a positive response, driven on by the desire to qualify for a place in the top-four play-offs and they went on to add 1-6 without reply.
Antrim county player, Ruairi McCann gave the visitors the lead at Quinn Park with a point in the third minute but it would be the only time Aghagallon would lead as Paddy McAleer, Michael McCarry (f), Sean McVeigh from a converted ‘Mark’ and Joe Rafferty put Liam Bradley’s side 0-4 to 0-1 ahead by the 20th minute.
Gareth Magee pulled one back from a 24th minute free but when Sean McVeigh climbed to palm home a Connell Lemon delivery the momentum was very much with the Ballymena side.
Ruairi McCann fisted over St. Mary’s third point and final score of the half in the 31st minute to leave All Saints 1-4 to 0-3 ahead at the break and good value for their lead.
The second half was only 20 seconds old when the impressive Joe Rafferty raced through to increase the home sides lead with a point and Kavan Keenan, who was involved in an arm wrestle with his county colleague McCann for a good part of the second half, added another with four minutes gone.
The visitors were struggling with the pace of the home side but Padraig Gowdy replied with a point in the 6th minute and when Hannon found the net in the 8th minute the gap had been cut to one and we looked to have a game on our hands.
Baker Bradley’s side responded to the challenge with Connell Lemon and Kavan Keenan moving them three in front before Conor Stewart made a welcome return to the side following an absence of over a year with a serious injury.
Stewart marked his return with an excellent point with virtually his first touch to move his side six in front with Michael McCarry adding another before Rian Tom got forward from defence to finish from close range with time almost up.
This win sees the Ballymena men finish the league in third place, a remarkable achievement after only finishing third in division 2 last year.
They are now into bonus territory with a place in the league semi-finals with high riding St. Brigid’s to come where they will be joined by firm favourites Cargin and Tir na nOg who will meet in the other semi-final.
All Saints: 1 Connor Brennan, 2 Rian Tom, 3 Peter McNicholl, 4 Michael Read, 5 Patrick Ferris, 6 Shaun O’Callaghan, 7 James McDonnell, , 8 Kavan Keenan, 9 Sean McVeigh10 Connell Lemon, 11 Michael McCarry, 12 Joe Rafferty, 13 Ciaran Campbell, 14 Patrick McAleer, 15 Emmet Killough.
Subs: Conor Stewart for Patrick Ferris, Charlie Metrustry for Ciaran Campbell, Matthew Downey for Paddy McAleer.
Aghagallon: 1 Gabhan Baine, 2 Jack Hannon, 3 Aidan Mulholland, 4 Stephen Devlin, 5 Ciaran Maginnis, 6 Jamie Lamont, 7 Padraig Gowdy, 8 Jack Lenehan, 9 Pauric Maginnis, 10 Eunan Walsh, 11 Hugh Hannon, 12 Jonathan Hannon, 13 Niall McShane, 14 Ruairi McCann, 15 Gareth Magee.
Subs: Pat Brannigan for Jack Lenehan, Mark McAffee for Hugh Hannon
Referee: Mark O’Neill
For more pics from this game click on the link below
https://myalbum.com/album/osRNuNgKEbAMYP/?invite=7b0179d3-d9b6-41a5-8ce7-f0da6fdef145