Reserve Football Shield semi-final
Glenavy 1-13 Moneyglass 1-8
Mickey McCourt pulled the strings as St. Joseph’s Glenavy advanced to the final of the Reserve Football Shield following a good win over St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass at Chapel Hill on Wednesday night.
The home side flew out of the start traps and raced into a nine point lead by the 14th minute as the visitors struggled to get their game together and at this stage it seemed just a matter of how many Glenavy would score.
Tyler Cassidy finally got the visitors off the mark with a point in the 16th minute and with Antrim Over 40’s star, Ryan Boyd leading the charge the Marian Hill side had it back to six at the interval.
Boyd first timed to the net in the 7th minute of the second half to give his side hope but while they were always able to stay in touch they never really looked like overturning the St. Joseph’s lead.
Malachi Doherty who would have a big influence on proceedings, got Glenavy off the mark from a third minute free and further points from Fergus Cunningham, James Monaghan, Finn Shannon and Doherty again had the men in white five in front by the 12th minute.
The home side were flying and an excellent move opened up the St. Ergnat’s defence and David Nelson fired to the net to move them eight ahead with Fergus Cunningham following with a point and it wasn’t looking good for the men in blue.
Cassidy’s opening point in the 16th minute seemed to waken them from their slumber however and the same player followed with another but Cunningham, Shay O’Neill and sharp shooter Doherty kept the Glenavy score-board ticking with points at the other end.
Veteran forward Ryan Boyd began to have an impact for the visitors however and the big man added three late points for St. Ergnat’s to keep their hopes alive going into the second half.
Malachi Doherty extended the Glenavy lead to 7 from a 4th minute free but Ryan Boyd gave his side a massive boost when he finished soccer style to the net in the 7th minute to cut the gap to four points.
Shay O’Neill for Glenavy and Conor O’Kane for the visitors exchanged points before Finn Shannon extended the Glenavy lead with a well struck long range free in the 19th minute.
Back came the Marian Hill men with a good point from Ben Hamill but they had to thank keeper Rory Gribbon for a couple of excellent saves at the other end as St. Joseph’s attempted to put the game to bed.
Shannon from another free and Ben McCambridge ensured there would be no way back for a battling Moneyglass with Mickey McCourt directing operations for the home side and a late point for St. Ergnat’s star man, Ryan Boyd was all the visitors could manage.
Glenavy go forward to meet Con Magee’s in the Reserve Shield final in a fortnight’s time, the Glenravel men recording a good victory over Naomh Padraig Lisburn at Fr. Maginn Park in the other semi-final.
Glenavy: 1 Gareth Collins, 2 Rian Phillips, 3 Timmy Honeyford, 4 Michael Fox, 5 Shay O’Neill, 6 Matthew Lawlor, 7 Paul McKevitt, 8 Ben McCambridge, 9 Odhran Arthurs, 10 Malachy Doherty, 12 David Nelson, 13 James Monaghan, 14 Finn Shannon, 15 Fergus Cunningham, 26 Michael McCourt
Moneyglass: 1 Rory Gribbon, 2 Ruairi Duffin, 3 Nate Dixon, 4 Brian Magee, 5 Zach Hamill, 6 Michael McLaughlin, 7 Ben Hamill, 8 Francis Duffin, 9 Declan Neeson, 10 Charlie McCloskey, 11 Tyler Cassidy, 12 Ronan Neeson, 14 Joe Carey, 22 Ryan Boyd, 18 Rory Taggart, 20 Jamie McLaughlin, 23 Conor O’Kane
Referee: Martin Quinn
To view more of bert trowlen’s pics click on the link below