Aghagallon 2-13 Ahoghill 1-17
Antrim SFC (Group 4)
By Brian Hamill at Pairc na nGael
In a pulsating encounter that ebbed and flowed from start to finish, Ahoghill emerged victorious by the narrowest of margins, edging past Aghagallon with a final scoreline of 2-13 to 1-17.
The match opened with high intensity, and it was Aghagallon who struck first, Jonny Hannon pointing early to give his side the lead. However, Ahoghill responded swiftly, with their corner-forward James O’Connell proving clinical from placed balls, converting multiple frees to keep the scoreboard ticking.
The first half saw both sides trading blows throughout, but halfway through the first half, Aghagallon’s Adam Loughran finished off a fantastic team move, with a well taken goal.
It was Ahoghill who took a slender advantage into the break, leading by four points thanks to a well-taken goal from their right corner-forward Colla McDonnell and a flurry of scores from frees.
Aghagallon came out firing in the second half, with Eunan Walsh finding the net to swing momentum back in their favour and Jonny Hannon’s accuracy from frees helped the visitors build a three-point cushion midway through the half.
A turning point in the game occurred 10 minutes into the second half, when Aghagallon’s McCann received a second yellow, shifting momentum in Ahoghill’s favour.
James O’Connell, was instrumental in the comeback, notching crucial points from play and frees to level the game. With the clock ticking down, both sides found themselves deadlocked multiple times, but it was Ahoghill who held their nerve in the dying moments.
A late point from play, once again from James O’Connell, sealed the win for the visitors, who showed grit and determination to claw back the deficit and snatch victory at the death. This result will sting for Aghagallon, who hit the woodwork several times and led for large spells, but Ahoghill’s resilience and sharp shooting under pressure proved decisive.
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