O’Neill’s Sportswear ACFL Division 1 Relegation Play-Off
Saturday 13th July
Report by Niall Kelly
Con Magee’s Glenravel 1-12 St James’ Aldergrove 3-09
A chance to dine once more at the top table of Antrim football was the incentive for both Glenravel and Aldergrove in Ballymena on Saturday evening. In what was a thoroughly absorbing and entertaining encounter, it was Naomh Seamus who emerged victorious in dramatic style. Despite being in arrears for 55 minutes of football, the Crumlin side took the lead when it mattered most as marksman in chief, Seamus McGarry, netted the all-important goal in the dying minutes of the game to ensure another year of topflight football for the men in red.
Glenravel came flying out of the traps in the opening exchanges and fired themselves into an early five-point lead. The potent pair of Eoin Hynds and Eamon Fyfe both split the posts before the latter put the finishing touches to an intricate move, unleashing one of his signature piledrivers to the Aldergrove net in the process and the Con Magee’s seemingly had their tails up.
Perhaps this shocked their opponents to life as they sought about finding a foothold in proceedings, step forward Seamus McGarry. The Aldergrove number 15 hit the next four unanswered points demonstrating his predatorial instincts in front of the posts, foraging for any spillages or breaks in possession. His brother Cormac made it a family affair and levelled matters after twenty minutes with a well-taken score ably assisted by Brian McQuillan.
Glenravel then finished the half the same way they started it; with a flourish and vigour to their play. County man Callum Higgins sent over two superb points in reply to yet another McGarry free before Eoin Hynds closed out the half with a free from close range leaving the score 1-06 to 0-06 in favour of the men in green and white.
The second period was the epitome of an end-to-end game with both teams pushing forward to gain the ascendancy. It was however, Glenravel who got the scoreboard ticking over again. A pinpoint pass from Rian Lennon was despatched with aplomb by Eamon Fyfe before his partner in crime, Eoin Hynds came to the fore again curling over an outstanding effort from an extremely acute angle to extend their lead.
Aldergrove needed a response as it appeared Glenravel were cantering to the finish line. Adrian Dougan’s half-time instructions must have been ringing in his charges’ ears and most certainly may have centred around driving the high ball into substitute Ronan Hanna in full forward as the dominating number 25 gave the Aldergrove attack a different dynamic and commanding aerial presence. Midway through the half, they executed this ploy to perfection as Hanna rose highest to claim Declan Gough’s lobbed ball in, before offloading to Cormac McGarry who finished to the net tidily to raise his side’s first green flag.
McGarry’s major, however, only paved the way for yet another Glenravel onslaught who were in no mood to relinquish their lead. Yet again it was Hynds who was at the forefront of their attacks and the Con Magees number 11 reinvigorated his team with a well-taken free. From the resulting kick-out, Conleth O’Loan commandeered possession of the size five before offloading to that man Hynds, who unleashed a monster effort from range over the bar.
In what was a recurrent theme of the game, just when Glenravel looked to be inching closer to the win, Aldergrove sparked into life. Yet again, it was Hanna who spearheaded their revival as he latched onto Gerald Mallon’s pass before thundering an effort on the turn from close range to the Glenravel net and with merely a point separating them with ten minutes to go, it was all to play for.
With both teams displaying such resiliency and character, the game was now being played at such a frantic and frenetic pace. The men from the tenth glen again asserted their authority through the familiar prowess of Fyfe and Hynds with inspired points from play and it really did look as though this time, they would hang on.
Their counterparts had other ideas and with Glenravel going down to 14 men for a second-bookable offence, they capitalised immediately. Substitute Fergal Burke announced his arrival in style with an excellent point before top-scorer Seamus McGarry dealt the hammer blow four minutes before the final whistle. With Aldergrove pressing high on the Glenravel kickout they managed to steal possession as Hanna reassumed his role as provider paving the way through on goal for his partner in crime, who blasted home his side’s third and game-clinching goal.
Glenravel desperately sought for penetrative avenues of attack and peppered the Aldergrove defence with an endless barrage of high ball in. Unfortunately, it just wouldn’t stick and when it eventually did, Eamon Fyfe was exceptionally unlucky to see his shot flash wide of the post in the dying embers as their opponents held out for the win.
Credit to both sides for a great game. St James’ will be delighted in securing their Division One status for next year. Their never say die attitude stood them well and they can take great heart from this performance and perhaps carry some of this momentum into their Championship campaign.
For Glenravel, they will be wondering how this one got away. Their performance perhaps didn’t warrant coming out on the losing side but such is the cruel nature of sport. They will no doubt dust themselves down and ready themselves for the challenge of Moneyglass to see which side will make the drop to Division Two in what should be a thrilling game.
Teams:
Con Magee’s Glenravel:
S O’Boyle; E Ward, E McCusker, D Carey; N Swann, C Henry, D McQuillan; C Higgins, (0-02) D Higgins; R Lennon, E Hynds (0-07,) C O’Loan; A O’Donnell, E Fyfe, (1-03,) S McKay
St James’ Aldergrove
C Totten; M Burns, E Irvine, A Irvine; C O’Toole, C McVeigh, E Gough; B McQuillan, O Graham; D Gough, A Flood, G Mallon; C McGarry (1-01,) K Toner, S McGarry (1-07)
Substitute scorers:
R Hanna (1-00) F Burke (0-01)