JFC Final 1-30pm Hightown
Naomh Comhghall v St. Agnes
Naomh Comhghall, Antrim will go into Saturday’s Junior Football Championship final as firm favourites, and rightly so but they should be weary of their opponents, St. Agnes.
The Antrim town side went through their 13 league games programme without dropping a point and under the guidance of former St. Paul’s player, Barry Burns they have been out ahead of the chasing pack all season.
On their way to the league title a free scoring St. Comgall’s scored 289 points for with 102 against to record a score difference of 187 points with 3-13 against Pearses and 3-10 against Eire Og in their opening two games.
They added 3-20 on day three and 2-19 on day four while their opponents on Saturday, St. Agnes were struggling in the early stages of the league, suffering some bad defeats including home and away defeats to the Antrim town side.
And so it was on to the championship with Naomh Comhghall continuing where they had left off in the league, winning all three group 2 games to top the group and qualify for a place in the semi-final where they defeated Pearses 2-7 to 0-5 at Dunsilly.
Naomh Una meanwhile, under the guidance of Tyrone man Martin Shortt began to gain a bit of momentum in the latter stages of the league and carried that good form into the championship.
They made a few sit up and take notice with a 1-15 to 0-12 win over Pearses in the opening game in Group 1 and followed with wins over Laochra Loch Lao and O’Donnell’s to top the group.
The ‘Aggies’ had eight points to spare over St. Malachy’s in the semi-final and have grown in confidence with their well organised brand of football making them an opponent that deserves the respect of the Antrim town side on Saturday.
Naomh Comhghall, as they have shown throughout the league and championship carry a serious scoring threat and it is a threat that the Woodlands side will have to contain if they are to cause an upset at St. Enda’s.
Ryan Clarke, Joseph Webb, James McCabe, Tom Patchett, Patrick O’Connor, Louis Higgins Miles Devine and Aaron McGraw are all capable finishers on their day for ‘the town’ while Eoin Lynett, Danaan O’Hara and Michael McCabe give little away in defence.
St. Agnes are a different animal to the one that Naomh Comhghall comfortably dealt with in the league and Martin Shortt has turned them into a side that deserves respect and are in the final on merit.
Ronan Carroll, Colin Clarke, Conal Turley and Cormac McBride have all scored freely throughout the championship in a side that has tightened up considerably at the back and Naomh Una will go into Saturday’s decider with confidence.
Naomh Comhghall will start this final as firm favourites and have earned the favourites tag following a consistent and impressive season but they should be weary of the ‘Aggie’s.