SFC Group 4
St. Gall’s 4-16 All Saints 1-19
St. Gall’s produced a power packed second half performance to overcome the challenge of All Saints at a sun kissed Milltown on Saturday evening. The Ballymena side had enjoyed the better of the first half exchanges and led by eight points at one stage thanks to an excellent goal from Conor Stewart who caused the opposition endless problems throughout the opening period.
The Milltown mentors appeared to identify the problem the big All Saints number 9 was causing and the Antrim county man was less affective in the second period as the home side gradually took over, clawing back the All Saints lead before pushing on to win convincingly.
Niall O’Neill for St. Gall’s and Sean O’Callaghan for the visitors exchanged early points before Conor Stewart fisted over to give the visitors the lead.
St. Gall’s responded and Kavan Keenan pulled off a great block to deny Niall Burns before Liam Lynn for the Milltown side and Joe Rafferty exchanged further points.
Paddy McAleer restored the visitors two point advantage before Lynn cut in from the left to fire over in reply but another fine effort from McAleer restored the Ballymena side’s two point advantage with 10 minutes gone.
The visitors were enjoying much the better of the exchanges at this point and veteran keeper, Kevin Niblock got down smartly to deny Conor Stewart but the All Saints mid-fielder would not be denied for long as he cut through the St. Gall’s defence and placed his shot in the corner of the net.
Baker Bradley’s side were in full swing at this stage as Ronan McKillop added a fine point and James McDonnell added another before Daniel Quinn fisted over at the other end to reduce the gap to six.
It was short respite for the home side however as the All Saints scoring spree continued with McAleer kicking his fourth of the evening from a close range free after the ball had been moved forward for dissent.
Lynn was leading the St. Gall’s resistance and he replied at the other end but another converted free from McAleer and an excellent McKillop 2 pointer had the Slemish Park side 8 in front and seemingly coasting.
St. Gall’s had been second best for the most of the opening half but they continued to battle and Con Doherty pointed after taking a fine pass from mid-field.
Back came the Milltown side again and good fortune or misfortune (Depends what side you were on) struck when Niall Burns rose to fist a tantalising delivery off the crossbar and in the melee that followed Callum Walsh forced the ball through a crowded goalmouth.
Buoyed by this piece of good fortune Niall O’Neill laid the ball off to Niall Burns who popped over and suddenly that 8 point gap was down to four.
The visitors looked shocked but they did reply through the industrious Stewart but Daniel Quinn made an immediate reply and further exchanges between Quinn and Stewart had it 1-13 to 1-9 in favour of the men in white at the break.
Second-Half:
That Walsh goal had certainly changed the momentum of the game and the increasingly influential Burns pointed an early free to cut the gap to three but points from Stewart and Connell Lemon in reply should have settled the visitors as they moved five ahead once more.
The Niall Burns influence was starting to tell for the Milltown side however as he pointed two frees and Daniel Quinn added another from play as the home side began to dominate the kick-out.
The turning point in the half arrived in the 41st minute when ‘Cece’ Walsh hung his pass across the face of goal and Conn Doherty dived to fist to the net and give his side the lead for the first time since the opening minute.
The Ballymena side looked rattled but they did reply through a Paddy McAleer free but the momentum was now very much with the home side and Burns restored their lead from a hotly disputed free.
All Saints were still fighting to get their game going again and Paddy McAleer restored their lead from another 2 pointer but it was Niall Burns who was now dictating matters and he powered through a static All Saints defence to fire home his side’s third goal of the evening.
A minute later it was as good as over when Burns rounded keeper, Ryan Stewart for his side’s 4th major of the evening with McAleer relying from a close range free but it was goals they needed and to be truthful they never looked like coming.
Instead it was St. Gall’s who pointed through a fisted effort at the other end as All Saints rang the changes and things got a little heated for the first time in another wise sporting game when Eoghan McCabe was dragged down.
Common sense prevailed however with the visitors going direct route one in the closing minutes but the home side stood strong under the dropping ball to advance to the play-offs for the first time in four years.
All Saints now face Lamh Dhearg in their final group game and, depending on the outcome of Sunday’s encounter between the Hannastown men and Creggan, might well be needing a win to avoid the dreaded relegation play-offs.
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St Gall’s: K Niblock; C McGirr, G Adams, C McCabe; G O’Neill, E McCabe, L Lynn 0-3; C Burke, C Ryan; N Burns 1-6 (0-4f), B Bradley 0-1, C Walsh, N O’Neill 1-1, C Doherty 1-1, D Quinn 1-4
Subs: D Wilson, N Fallon, N McCurdy, C Murray, E Walsh, E McCurdy, C Kerr, M Murray, P Óg Murray
All Saints Ballymena: R Stewart; M Downey, K Keenan, C O’Brien; J Rafferty 0-1, S O’Callaghan 0-1, J McDonnell 0-1; C Stewart 1-6, E Killough; C Lemon 0-1, P McReynolds, P McAleer 0-6 (0-3f) R McKillop 0-3 (1x2P); S McVeigh, C Campbell
Subs: Conor Brennan, H Connon R Thom, P Mitchell, M Watt, S McDermott, P Ferris, R McVeigh, D Bradley
Referee: Paul Burns (Naomh Comhghall)
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