ACFL Division 2
St. Gall’s 3-13 Creggan 1-15
St. Gall’s withstood a late rally from Kickham’s Creggan to maintain their 100% record in division 1 and with Erin’s own Cargin, remain the only two unbeaten sides in the division after five rounds of games.
A young and superbly fit St. Gall’s held the upper hand for long periods of the game and with 11 minutes of normal time remaining led 3-11 to 1-8 and were good value for their lead.
The visitors had been slow and predictable in their build-up play and were being turned over too easily but suddenly they came to life with the returning Kevin Small leading the way.
Small raised a couple of orange flags to close the gap to two with five minutes remaining and the momentum was very much with the Staffordstown Road side at this stage of the contest.
St. Gall’s weathered the storm however with mid-fielder Niall Burns responding with a good point from play and the same player ensured that there would be no way back for the visitors as he converted a late free to give them a deserved victory.
It was visitors, Kickham’s Creggan who were first on board with Sean Duffin pointing in the 4th minute and they might have had a goal in their next attack but Matthew Rodgers was closed down after a strong run and the danger cleared.
Barra McCaffrey brought the sides level from a free before Rodgers briefly pointed the visitors ahead in the 9th minute but St Gall’s replied with a goal from Eoghan McCabe to take a lead they would not relinquish again.
Kevin Small, returning to the Creggan side after a lengthy layoff due to injury, closed the gap to the minimum with a good point but Burns replied at the other end before Niall O’Neill moved his side three in front.
The pace and direct running of a young St. Gall’s was beginning to cause the visitors problems and Daniel Quinn moved them four ahead with a good individual point and Shea McCann for the visitors and another exchange between Jamie McCann and Niall Burns left the home side four ahead.
The Milltown Row men were edging the exchanges as they played with great intensity and pace and Barra McCaffrey and Eoghan McCabe exchanged points with Conor McCann and Dominic McAteer to leave four between the sides at the break.
St. Gall’s opened the second half on the front foot and Oisin Kerr came off his line to deny Niall O’Neill when a goal looked on before Shea McCann responded with a goal from close range at the other end to close the gap to the minimum with four minutes of the new half gone.
Matters got a little heated and Paul Burns showed Red to a player from both sides following an off the ball incident and when play resumed the home side struck for a second goal when substitute Con Doherty fired to the net with virtually his first touch after being set up by Niall Burns.
Burns followed with a point and might have had a goal but blasted over and points from a Barra McCaffery free and another from play by Niall O’Neill had St. Gall’s six in front after 14 minutes.
It looked all over when McCaffrey set up Daniel Quinn for St. Gall’s third goal with 11 minutes of time remaining but it finally brought a response from the visitors.
Kevin Small, Conor Johnston and Matthew Rodgers replied with unanswered points and a couple of 2 pointers from the excellent Small had it back in the melting pot to leave just two between the sides.
It would be as close as the visitors got however with Niall Burns pointing from play and adding another from a free to conclude the scoring and give the Milltown side the win that their overall performance deserved.
St. Gall’s: 1 Kevin Niblock, 2 Sean McCaffrey, 3 Gairech Mac Adhaimh, 4 Christopher hale, 5 Ruairi Wilson, 6 Dubhaltach MacLiam, 7 Conall McGirr, 8 Niall Burns, 9 Conor Stinton, 10 Callum Walsh, 11 Brendan Bradley, 12 Eoghan McCabe, 13 Barra McCaffrey, 14 Niall O’Neill, 15 Daniel Quinn
Subs: 18 Con Doherty
Creggan: 1 Oisin Kerr, 2 Aidan Maguire, 3 Ricky Johnston, 4 Liam McLarnon, 5 Ethan Carey-Small, 6 Sam Maguire, 7 Fintan Close, 8 Jamie McCann, 9 Conor McCann, 10 Sean Duffin, 11 Kevin Small, 12 Joe McAteer, 13 Dominic McAteer, 14 Matthew Rodgers, 15 Shea McCann
Subs: 21 Conor Johnston
Referee: Paul Burns: Naomh Comhgall
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