Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship – Group 2 – Round 1
Saturday 2nd August
Report by Niall Kelly from Naomh Séamas
Naomh Séamas 1-06 O’Donovan Rossa 3-14
Rossa opened the chapter of their 2025 Senior Football Championship quest in style with an impressive fourteen points to spare. Three first half goals from Eoin Fleming, Gerard Walsh and shot stopper Mick Byrne, proved to inflict irreparable damage to a battling Aldergrove’s chances of victory. Truth be told, for the majority of proceedings, the men from the Shaws Road exerted a measure of control and their dynamism and pace of attack was just too much for the hosts to deal with. With a few key players back in contention and their county men wreaking havoc, they were very easy on the eye and played some flowing and fluid football.
During the opening quarter though, they didn’t have it all their own way as it was the hosts who started the brighter with Declan Gough pointing after powering through on the second minute. The hosts then hijacked possession immediately from the Rossa kick-out and Ferghal Burke was on hand to guide over a beautifully caressed effort from the outside of his boot to double the lead.
Rossa, though, were now beginning to stir and the midfield pairing of Gerard Walsh and Oisin McVicker would prove to be pivotal in their change of fortune as they assumed command of the battle in the engine room. They responded in the best possible fashion as a flowing move, which stemmed from their midfield, was finished superbly to the net by Eoin Fleming on the fifth minute.
Aldergrove reacted positively though as Ronan Hanna latched onto a high ball in from Brian McQuillan before throwing his man a nonchalant dummy and blasting over from close range to level matters. But again, Rossa would flex their muscles in the middle third and from the resulting kickout, Gerard Walsh was the first to the breaking ball before rampaging forward with only one thing in his mind. The domineering number eight bided his time before blasting high to the net as the hosts were left shellshocked.
In response to this, the men in red opted to bring Hanna out into midfield perhaps to regain some level of control. In his stead, Seamus McGarry occupied the centre of the inside forward line and this change reaped rewards when a clever move involving Ferghal Burke and Oisin Graham was finished off by their captain McGarry who reduced arrears to two midway through the first period.
However, this would be as good as it got for St James’ for the remainder of the half, and it was perhaps the subsequent fifteen minutes were the game eluded them as Rossa hit free scoring mode. A two pointed free from Mick Byrne was followed in quick succession by an excellent Rory Grant score after some slick build up play. Dominic McEnhill, who was intrinsically involved in all positive aspects of Rossa’s attacks, opened his account minutes later from close range as his goal bound effort just had too much elevation and had to settle for a white flag instead of green.
Nevertheless, the signs were ominous, and the green flag was soon to be brandished for the third time. With five remaining until the short whistle, yet another sweeping and rapid attack resulted in a Rossa major and this time it came from a very unorthodox source. Those familiar with Michael Byrne’s goalkeeping style would be well aware that he likes to make himself known outfield but on this occasion, the Rossa number one was very well advanced up the field and proved to be in prime position to strike on goal with a finish that a full-forward would be proud of. He then followed this up with a perfectly executed forty five.
Aldergrove needed the reprieve of Cathal McDermott’s half-time whistle at this point, but there was just enough time for the visitors to further consolidate their lead as Dominic McEnhill slotted over from a free with the scoreboard reading 0-04 to 3-06 in favour of the men in blue at the interval.
Naomh Seamás faced a daunting task in trying to overcome a sizable eleven-point margin but started the second half with a spring in their step, as Seamus McGarry doubled his tally from the placed ball. The hosts knew that it might take a major of their own to claw this game back into contention and when Declan Gough fed his namesake Eoin, it appeared their wishes could come true. The fleet-footed number seven evaded tackles left and right before drilling a goal-bound shot low to the keeper’s right but was denied by a sea of Rossa defenders who blocked bravely to keep their handsome lead intact.
Just as events unfolded in the first, this seemed to kick Rossa into action as they began transitioning through the gears as scores came in the form of the formidable McEnhill and Fleming again. The Shaws Road men had once again established a stranglehold in the middle third and this would provide the foundation for further scores.
Richard Gowdy fisted over from close range on the forty second minute in what was arguably the move of the match with Rory Grant and Daire Murphy heavily involved. McEnhill would then add to his ever-growing tally before turning provider after winning an excellent fetch in midfield to set up Tiernan Murphy who fired over from range.
Despite the game well from their reach, the men in red continued to battle and managed to raise a white flag of their own through the tireless Eoin Gough. Spurred on by this, Aldergrove sought to push men higher up the field to garner greater reward, but it just wouldn’t stick for them as their opponents always seemed to have an answer.
With the game reaching its climax, their misery was compounded further as they were down to fourteen men for the remainder as one of their defenders received a black card. Rossa then emptied the subs bench and with many keen to make an impression, they continued to advance on a scoring front as Corey Walsh and Conor O’Neill imparted their respective stamps on the game with well taken scores.
To their credit, the Crumlin side’s resilience never faltered, and it was perhaps just rewards that they managed to find the net themselves, albeit a consolation, thanks to substitute Glen Dunham with the last kick of the game.
Teams:
St James’:
O McGarry; A Irvine, E Irvine, C Lagan; C Fogerty, C McVeigh, E Gough (0-01;) B McQuillan, O Graham; M Burns, S McGarry (0-02,) D Gough (0-01;) F Burke (0-01,) R Hanna (0-01,) S Fay
Substitute Scorer:
G Dunham (1-00)
Rossa:
M Byrne (1-03) (0-01 & 1 t.p;) C Orchin, G McGrath, F McDonnell; T Murphy (0-01,) N Crossan, R Gowdy (0-01;) G Walsh (1-00,) O McVicker, R Grant (0-01,) C McDonald, D Rogan; D Murphy, D McEnhill (0-05,) E Fleming (1-01,)
Substitute Scorer:
C Walsh (0-01)
C O’Neill (0-01)
TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
https://myalbum.com/album/SUtVDU5KneyeNV/?invite=6c80e511-d6fe-424b-b7c5-dd83f75eb23f