Senior Football Championship
Dunloy 2-11 Aldergrove 1-7
Friday 2 August
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
Second half goals from Seaan Elliott and substitute Michael Smith ensured last years beaten finalists, Dunloy made a winning start to 2024 championship. This turned out to be an open affair with both teams playing an attacking brand of football and leaving plenty up the pitch when defending and despite Aldergrove going into the lead early in the second half having overturned a three point half time deficit, the Cuchullains reaction to that proved to be the winning of this game.
The home side scored 2-3 without reply and defensively held the Crumlin side to just one shot in the last 20 minutes as defensively they remained organised and turned over ball, making the most of the spaces left in the Aldergrove defence as they pushed forward.
Aldergrove will look at the first half and three missed goal chances. Twice Dunloy ‘keeper Sean Doherty denied Seamus McGarry and Patrick Burns while Cormac McGarry was crowded out by some last gasp Dunloy defending with the goal at his mercy.
The Cuchullains had their own goal chances and were guilty of missing chances throughout the 60 plus minutes but their ability to create chances and the number of different dangermen shone. Seven different scorers for the Cuchullains will please Dunloy manager, Anthony McQuillan and his backroom team while the concession of just 1-5 from open play was a testament to the defensive work put in.
Aldergrove were always a threat on the break with Ronan Hanna a handful on the edge of the square. They had willing runners from deep in the form of Eoin and Declan Gough who’s pace gave them a serious option while Brian McQuillan and Patrick Burns also impressed.
The Crumlin men had their purple patch at the start of the second half but when Dunloy got to grips with their attacking threat, they couldn’t make any inwards into the Dunloy defence.
Declan Gough opened the scoring with barely 15 seconds on the clock. Attacking at pace from the throw in, it was an early warning for the Dunloy defence. The Cuchullains retaliated with Aodhan McGarry splitting the uprights with an instant reply.
Hanna fired over from a mark in the third minute but the home side looked to turn the screw with three points unanswered in the space of two minutes. Seaan Elliott, Caolan Gillan and Kevin McQuillan (free) taking Dunloy into a two point lead.
The visitors to Pearse Park were guilty of spurning chances with a couple of wides before a quick counter saw Patrick Burns fire over his first of two points in the 14th minute to leave the minimum between the sides.
Aldergrove were playing with a slight wind at their back but it was a super move through the Dunloy defence that saw Seamus McGarry through on goal. Doherty in the Dunloy goals came out bravely and denied the Aldergrove marksman with a super save. The Cuchullains temporarily cleared their lines but with the next attack and similar move, Aldergove had another chance. Cormac McGarry looked destined to find the back of the net but the Dunloy defence scrambled to clear.
As if to compound the Aldergrove frustration at missing those chances, Dunloy went up the pitch with the next attack and Keelan Molloy slotted over his first of three frees and five points overall to double the Dunloy lead.
It was Dunloy’s turn to see a goal chance go a begging in the 23rd minute with Aldergrove ‘keeper Conor Totten coming to their rescue. Keelan Molloy found space in the heart of the Aldergrove defence and riffled his shot high only for Totten to get a hand to the ball and deflect it onto the crossbar. The rebound fell to Seaan Elliott but his effort skewed wide.
Molloy would put the Cuchullains three clear in the 24th minute only for the visitors to hit a brace of points from Cormac and Seamus McGarry (free) in the space of a minute. That would be their last score of the half however with Dunloy responding with a brace of points of their own – another Molloy free and a sumptuous score from the outside of the right boot from Chrissy McMahon to give the home side a three point lead.
With time running out in the opening 30, Aldergrove created one more goal chance. Hanna collecting a long ball and he rounded his man instantly before firing on goal. Doherty was the hero for Dunloy once more and kept the Cuchullains lead intact at the half time whistle.
Aldergrove started the second half on the front foot but a couple of wides threatened to derail any momentum they might have before they scored the opening goal of the game. The clock ticked into the fifth minute of the second half when Declan Gough sent a high ball into Hanna on the edge of the square. Doherty didn’t deal with the dropping ball and Hanna gathered the rebound before slotting into the net with an instinctive finish.
Points followed from Brian McQuillan and Patrick Burns – either side of missed chances from Gillan at the other end of the pitch for Dunloy. That would be as good as it got for the Crumlin side however as Dunloy controlled the game from then on.
A brace of points from Molloy (one free) and another from substitute Michael Smith edged Dunloy into the lead once more and only for a couple of chances dropping short, that one point lead could have been more.
With eight minutes of the game remaining, the home side hit the game defining score through Seaan Elliott. A break from deep by Molloy had Aldergrove on the back foot and he played the ball into space for Elliott to break into. Cutting in from the right and faced with Totten, Elliott shaped to hit with his right before sending the Aldergrove ‘keeper the wrong way by using his left. A clever finish that had the Dunloy support purring.
Barely two minutes had passed when the Cuchullains put the game to bed with their second major. Molloy turning provider once again by delivering a long ball into Michael Smith. He evaded his marker and expertly finished to give the home side a seven point lead in the 54th minute.
It would turn out to be the last score of the game as Dunloy looked keep the ball and retain possession. Both sides had further goal chances with Seamus McGarry dragging his effort wide and Seaan Elliott’s left foot letting him down when presented with the chance but it’s the Cuchullains who get their campaign off to a winning start. They travel to Naomh Eanna in two weeks time while Aldergrove will welcome Lamh Dhearg to their turf.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Sean Doherty; Conor Kinsella, Eoin McFerran, Oran Quinn; Chrissy McMahon, Deaglan Smith, Seaan Elliott; Eoin O’Neill, Ryan McGarry; Nigel Elliott, Caolan Gillan, Aodhan McGarry; Anthony Smith, Kevin McQuillan, Keelan Molloy
Subs: Tom McFerran for A McGarry (45); Michael Smith for K McQuillan (45); Karl Fitzpatrick for C Gillan (60)
Scorers: K Molloy 0-5 (3fs); S Elliott 1-1; M Smith 1-1; C McMahon 0-1; C Gillan 0-1; A McGarry 0-1; K McQuillan 0-1 (1f)
Aldergrove: Conor Totten; Aidan Irvine, Emmett Irvine, Malachy Burns; Eoin Gough, Chris McVeigh, Declan Gough; Oisin Graham, Brian McQuillan; Andrew Flood, Cormac McGarry, Gerald Mallon; Patrick Burns, Ronan Hanna, Seamus McGarry
Subs: Eoin Hamill for A Flood (36); Conleth O’Toole for C McGarry (55); Glenn Dunham for M Burns (55)
Scorers: R Hanna 1-1 (1 mark); P Burns 0-2; D Gough 0-1; B McQuillan 0-1; C McGarry 0-1; S McGarry 0-1 (1f)
Referee: Richie Leahy (St Comgalls)
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