ACFL Division 1
Casements 1 – 15 v 0 – 14 St Galls.
A decent sized crowd turned up at pristine O Kelly Park to watch joint league leaders St Galls go toe to toe with a Casements team that has been a bit inconsistent so far this season. Both teams set out to play fast flowing football and the exchanges were end to end throughout, but in the end the hosts produced their best display of their season to date to take both league points on offer.
Despite a fine long range point from Portglenone’s Ciaran McAleese to open the scoring, lively St Gall’s corner forward Barra McCaffrey responded with a duo of his own to settle St Galls into the contest.
Scores from Ronan Donnelly and Brendan Bradley kept the scoreboard ticking over for the men in blue, but a spell of excellent football by the home side saw them take control. Enda Lynn and Niall Delargy controlled a lot of exchanges around the middle third, their return to the fold after being out with injuries becoming more prominent with every game.
The highlight of the first half was a well worked move that resulted in a green flag, expertly dispatched by Ciaran McAleese to the net to put some daylight between the sides as half time approached.
The visitors, with a youthful look, needed a good start to second half proceedings and did exactly that with three quick fire points leaving just a score between the sides. The contest was now set up for a competitive final quarter and two orange flags for long range 2 points in quick succession by the excellent Barra McCaffrey kept the visitors in touch.
However the game changed with about twelve minutes left on the clock with the introduction of big Paddy Kelly for his first taste of senior football activity for many months. Just on the pitch a mere twenty seconds Paddy demanded the ball and dispatched a free from around fifty metres. Repeating this feat a few minutes later, and then heading off on a fine solo run from which he also pointed signalled his wellbeing, and was rewarded by easily the loudest cheer of the night. All of a sudden Casements were back to five up with a similar amount of minutes remaining.
St Galls didn’t give up, the illustrious Aodhan Gallagher fetched one of his four clean catches upon his introduction to set up a motion that was goal-bound, demanding an excellent save by Portglenone custodian Kevin Mullan to ease the last minute worries of the home supporters.
St Galls, Ronan Donnelly, Brendan Bradley, Barra McCaffrey and Conall McGirr were a quartet that posted good displays, big Aoghan Gallagher looking like his old proven self, giving St Galls a foothold around the middle that had been lacking before his introduction.
St Galls were missing a few regulars but despite that can be happy that some of their younger generation are starting to step up.
The return to Portglenone colours of Paddy Kelly will offer Casements management more options, and along with Enda Lynn and Niall Delargy, Fergal O’Kane Ryan Convery and Aidan McAleese are all also getting game time and fitter by the week.
Casements will be happy to bank two good league points, and for their supporters a glimpse of form that augers well for the rest of the season as the clock ticks into May.