ACFL Division 1
Cuchullian’s Dunloy 1-7 St. Mary’s Aghagallon 0-13
St. Mary’s Aghagallon got their 2025 league campaign off to a winning start when they defeated newly promoted Cuchullian’s Dunloy to take the points at Pearse Park on Saturday afternoon.
Both sides started cagily, with each side probing for openings but it was Dunloy who were first to score through a Charlie Cunning point in the 3rd minute.
They went 2 in front when Barry McCloskey fired over on the 6-minute mark, before Aghagallon got on the scoreboard with a long-range point from Pauric Maginnis.
Dunloy were quickly to reply as Oisin McCamphill converted a two-pointer from a free before Aghagallon replied through Maginnis, Thomas Mallon, and Johnny Hannon to level matters at 0-4 to 0-4 after 25 minutes.
Barry McCloskey’s second point of the evening put Dunloy in front with three minutes remaining to half-time, but a long delivery from mid-field broke to Johnny Hannon who fired over the equaliser from close range to make it 0-5 apiece at the break.
The second half began with Aghagallon taking advantage of the wind in their favour, as they made the early running but Johnny Hannon hit three wides before finally finding the target and Luke Mulholland came forward from goals to convert a 45-meter free to put St. Mary’s two ahead.
The visitors were enjoying the better of the exchanges and Adam Loughran added another to increase that lead to three, and it was 22 minutes before Tom McFerran finally opened Dunloy’s second-half account with a point to leave two between the sides.
Aghagallon keeper Luke Mulholland stroked a 40-meter free between the sticks for the second two-pointer of the game to make it 0-10 to 0-6 before Barry McCloskey replied at the other end, but when Hannon and Mulholland, from another free, split the posts, it looked all over.
Cuchullian’s never gave up, and Anton McGrath finished a good move with a superb goal in the 33rd minute to close the gap to three again however, Adam Shanks had the final say with a point at the other end to conclude the scoring.
A fiercely contested game with both defences on top and Christopher Brogan, Adrian Scullion, James Scally, Declan Smith, Barry McCloskey, Anton McGrath and Oisin McCamphill best for Dunloy, while Luke Mulholland, Aidan Mulholland, Ciaran Maginnis, Pauric Maginnis, Johnny Hannon, Adam Loughran, and Pat Brannigan were in excellent form for the winners.
Referee: Cathal McDermott (Tir na nOg)
TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW