Northern Switchgear Antrim SFC – Round 2 – Fr Maginn Park
Glenravel 3-14 Aldergrove 2-11.
As both of these teams had failed to register round robin league points in their opening games and both face challenging final round matches, the stakes were high in this Northern Switchgear Senior football championship game played in bright sunshine at Fr Maginn park on Sunday. Given the significance of the outcome the game was feisty in nature with referee Colin Thompson deploying every colour of card available to him as individual battles crossed the line on several occasions requiring Thompson and his team of officials to take disciplinary action – but in truth, this was just the cut and thrust of championship football with two teams intent on winning. In the end it was the home side who finished six points to the good at the final whistle but they were six points adrift playing with wind assistance and only ten minutes of the first half remaining. They rallied well in those final minutes to go in two points ahead of the opposition leaving the home supporters a lot happier.
Ryan McQuillan and Seamas McGarry opened for both teams before Corey Fogarty and Ronan Hanna nudged the visitors ahead. Sean McKay pegged one back for Con Magees but Aldergrove stretched their lead to six points with twenty one minutes played as Seamas McGarry and Ronan Hanna pointed and in between Declan Gough found the net as the airport men proved a lot more efficient in the scoring zone. Glenravel had probably more of the possession but squandered several chances at this stage through wayward shooting. That six point gap playing with the wind at their backs was starting to look ominous for the home side. But then the first real period of domination kicked in and Glenravel would put over six unanswered points from Sean McKay (0-03 1tp), Fergus Donaghy, Ryan McQuillan and Eamon Ward to put the teams level. And when Niall Hynds netted in first half injury time Glenravel had moved from six points down to three ahead – a pivotal move in a closely fought game. Corey Fogarty pointed for Aldergrove in the final move off the first half so both teams retired to the dressing rooms with Glenravel ahead by two points 1-08 to 1-06.
The question on everyone’s lips was “was a two point advantage enough having played with strong wind assistance in the first half”? There were doubters in the crowd and they would have felt justified as Aldergrove came out all guns blazing with a Ronan Hanna goal straight after the re-start followed by three points from the same player and suddenly they were four points to the good. Glenravel started to offload from the bench in an effort to wrestle control back and that they did when Eamon Fyfe was pulled to the floor as he was about to pull the trigger on goal. The same player made no mistake from the penalty spot and then levelled affairs with a great point leaving both teams on 2-09 and only a quarter of the game remaining. All to play for.
Ryan McQuillan and Seamus McGarry would add a couple of points each to leave an even game at 2-11 each and five minutes of normal time remaining. In those closing minutes though Glenravel really dominated play. The impressive Colla Ward was sprung from the bench and announced his arrival with a well taken point and a couple of minutes later the same player found the net to leave the home side four points ahead. Aldergroves’ shoulders fell after that goal and they seemed to accept their fate as Aidan O’Donnell and Sean McKay added two further points and seal a six point victory for the men in green and white.
Glenravel now face Rossa in their final game and Aldergrove, who finished the game with thirteen players, now take on a very fancied Portglenone team in the final round of the round robin series.
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