O’Neill’s Sportswear Divsion 1 Football League
All Saints 3 – 15 v 2 – 11 Casements
All Saints Ballymena recorded a fully deserved victory against 2023 league winners and 2024 beaten county finalists Portglenone at Quinn Park, Ballymena on Sunday. Despite the unavailability of seven regulars, including five county panellists, Bakers Ballymena were more than a match for a lack lustre Casements team that are making hard work of anything put before them at the minute.
On a perfect day for football, Liam Bradley’s charges took the game to Casements from the opening bell, and when Emmet Killough won the throw in and started a move that resulted in a first minute opening score dispatched by imperious Paddy McAleer, the signal of intent was obvious.
A competitive opening half saw little between the teams at the break, with a variety of scores across the pitch, three from Ballymenas impressive Ronan Mc Killop who covered a lot of yardage, and two each from Michael McCarry and Benny Mc Donnell, almost matched by scores from Ronan Kelly (4), Ryan Convery, Sean Byrne and a majestic inswinger from Conor McGhee leaving just the minimum between the teams at the interval.
Most observers anticipated a competitive second half, but within minutes All Saints had extended their lead to five. Paddy McAleer was fouled inside the square and stepped up himself to confidently dispatch a well hit penalty past Portglenone custodian Kevin Mullan.
A minute later the hugely impressive Connell Lemon posted from distance, and it was clear Ballymena were in this to win this.
The subdued Oisin Doherty who was well marshalled throughout by Cal O Brien in their own lively duel did split the posts six minutes into the second half to reduce the margin, and it was Doherty again who won a superb ball out on the wing, carried at pace before playing in Michael Hagan, who in turn fisted across the goalmouth to a waiting Sean Byrne for a palm in goal, reducing the deficit once again to the minimum in the best play of the game.
With the game at its most competitive, and the exchanges lively, it was the town team who found the advantage. Paddy Mc Aleer was using his strength and expertise to run riot in Casement square, fielding numerous deliveries and causing all sorts of mayhem for a Casements defence at sixes and sevens. Finishing off his second goal himself in the twelth minute of the second half, he was winning frees which the accurate “Gooch” Michael McCarry was tapping over for fun, his individual mixture of scores from frees and open play totalling eight, yet another most impressive return from this years Antrim Master debutant who is rolling back the years on current form.
When Charlie Metrusty finished to the net with aplomb to stretch Ballymena’s lead to ten with only a few minutes remaining, stalwarts amongst the home supporters enjoyed a clear reversal on last years contest between the teams. Ballymena were by some distance the deserving winners on the day, although Micheal Hagan did manage to scramble a late green flag with a minute left to play, the contest was already long over.
Baker, and his highly regarded backroom team including Honda Mullan and Gerard OCallaghan have got All Saints into a confident momentum, and playing to a system and style that looks developed as they look to mould a squad that will be most competitive later in the season when they have their full complement available.
Casements management won`t yet be panicking. They have some well known performers still to introduce, but the ease of which they have conceded nine goals in just three opening games will be a worry, and being minus eight points after three games to clubs that were all playing lower division until most recently is not a statistic that looks well.
They can have absolutely no complaints that they were second best in this encounter where it was hard to see anyone who stood out from an individual perspective. Ruairi Hagan, Ronan Delargy and Conor Mc Ghee tried hard, with Ronan Kelly and Michael Hagan looking dangerous at times upfront. Casements need to put this one behind them quickly, as next up for them is a home contest against previous nemesis Dunloy, when John Mckeever and his large extended management team hope to arrest their current decline and attempt to get back to winning ways.
All Saints had numerous players who caught the eye. Led by Paddy McAleer, looking every inch the proven county star from the outset, his man of the match performance was matched only by the impressive Connell Lemon who controlled most of the activity at number six, in or around the pitch middle third. Pizza looked much more like his old self, breaking tackles and being involved in many great passages of play, as was Emmet Killough, Benny McDonnell, and Rhino McKillop who all posted performances they can be pleased with. Their next contest is an away tie to rivals Tir Na Nog and on this display the Middle Town men will quietly fancy their chances.
Scorers
Ballymena. Paddy Mc Aleer, 2 – 01, M Mc Carry 0 – 08, Charlie Metrusty 1 – 00, Ronan McKillop 0 – 03, Benny McDonnell 0 – 02, Connell Lemon 0 – 01.
Casements. Ronan Kelly 0 – 05, Sean Byrne 1 – 00, Michael Hagan 1 – 03, Ryan Convery 0 – 01, Ryan Convery 0 – 01, Conor McGhee 0 – 01.
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