ACFL Division 1

St Johns 2 – 12    Roger Casements 4 – 14

A large and youthful St Johns panel assembled at sunny Corrigan Park to ask questions of visiting Portglenone, who had huffed and puffed in earlier stages of this league, but who had been on a decent run of late. Both clubs were missing their county men, and on top of that Casements were without half a dozen of their team who started last year’s county final, so for St Johns, this represented an opportunity to claim two highly desired points.

The opening quarter though dispelled any notion that an upset was imminent. Casements took control from the fist whistle, Michael Hagan and Ronan Kelly pointing to ease them into the game, before racing into an early ten point lead playing fast cohesive football and a couple of well worked goals from returning Michael Hagan and Enda Lynn.  The hosts were restricted to a single Conchuir Adams free, the writing written large that this game as a contest was already as good as over.

The Johnnies though had other ideas. A long ball sent into the Portglenone goalmouth to bustling Conall Bohill resulted in tangled feet in the square, Mark ONeill having no hesitation in stretching both arms wide for a penalty which was expertly dispatched by young Conor McAvoy in the process offering St Johns a way back into the game.

Although Ronan Kelly tapped over a free immediately after, one of five on the night, it was the famous blue and white jerseys that pressed hardest in the closing minutes of the opening half, scores from Oran Quinn, Conall McGlade and John Wilson reducing the deficit to a much more respectable margin as the whistle went for the interval.

Stalwart Adrian Oliver secured the first white flag upon resumption, their fourth score on the trot, and for a brief moment, this game looked like it could go to the wire.

To their credit, Casements acknowledged the danger, and regained the initiative. Needing a response and quickly, a mazy phase of possession ended up with Oisin Doherty finalising some cohesive team play, a green flag the outcome.

Another Ronan Kelly free kick extended the gap to eight, and to many in the sizeable crowd, it looked like any hopes of a home town comeback had been averted.

Assume nothing though as six of the next eight scores came from a determined Johnnies team. Playing into their favoured goals, Conall Bohill and Ryan McNulty led a revival of sorts, both pointing from distance. Even though these were cancelled out by Oisin Doherty and Ryan McKeever, the hosts managed to find their best spell, and keep the contest honest and the lively crowd engaged. Bustling John Wilson managed to finish to the net and when Adams, Quinn and Bohill posted three points on the bounce, all of a sudden the lead was back down to just two points, and once again, it was game on.

Goals win games they say, and Portglenone’s fourth of the evening, a cool finish from Michael Hagan after a fast break out of defence, catching out the St Johns keeper and helpless defence, to put some daylight between the teams once again, with just five minutes left.

Although hardworking Ryan McNulty and Oran Quinn kept the scoreboard ticking over for the hosts, it was their visitors who finished on the stronger foot. A Ronan Kelly free was followed by a masterclass in kicking the ball off the ground – Big Paddy Kelly tapping over a sixty yard free like it was as easy as tying his shoelace. The pacy and elusive Niall Delargy and Ryan McKeever raised the last couple of white flags to run out fairly comfortable eight point winners in the end.

St Johns played well in spells, their competitive attitude never making it easy, but they can only hope to get their county men back as soon as possible, and in particular their scorer in chief Patrick McBride. Nevertheless Ryan Mc Nulty, Conor McGlade, Oran Quinn showed well, as did Conall McGlade, whilst robust full forward Conall Bohill was one of the most impressive players on display.

Casements will be happy to know their recent resurgence from bottom four to a top four placing in intact, and will feel that they are back pointing in the right direction. Some of their football was excellent and looked well in control for most of the match. Captain Niall Delargy led from the front, assisted by Paddy Kelly who worked tirelessly in midfield, with Oisin Doherty and the classy Enda Lynn looking on top of their game.