IHC Group 2
St Gall’s 0-11 Tír na nÓG 1-17
Tir na nOg took a step closer to a place in the semi-finals when they proved too good for an understrength St. Gall’s in miserable conditions at Milltown on Sunday.
Their hosts, St. Gall’s were in a similar position and this defeat puts them out of the running for second place in Group 2 and with a number of regulars unavailable, they never really looked like winning this one.
Before the game began both teams and spectators observed a minutes silence in honour of former St Gall’s Senior player Kieran McGrath who passed away last week.
Both sides entered the game on the back of strong performances with St Gall’s getting their first win against Cloughmills last time out and Tír na nÓg being edged by the smallest of margins against championship favourites Glenariffe.
It was visitors Tir na nOg who took early control in this one with the Duffin brothers, Caoimhin and Sean pivotal in their dominance and they led by eight points at the break and the gap remained much the same throughout the second half.
It was St. Gall’s who opened the scoring when Dubhaltach Wilson pointed a free from distance after he was fouled in the opening throw-in before Ciaran Logan and Sean Duffin replied from play to move Tir na nOg ahead for the first time.
Emmet Murray struck an excellent point as he burst past the St Gall’s backline and struck his effort over the bar to edge his side further ahead and Dylan McLarnon found himself in unfamiliar territory and his shot dipped over.
Piarais McCaffrey came to his side’s rescue as the visitors continued to press and he was called into action on two occasions to make goal-line stops and looked assured under the dropping ball.
Sean Duffin led the way for the Randalstown side and top scored with six points for his side and his dead ball prowess kept a healthy margin between the sides as the game progressed.
Dubhaltach Wilson tried all in his power to get the Milltown side going with two points in as many minutes but Tir na nOg struck a decisive blow when Colm Duffin was first to react to the breaking ball to finish from close range.
That score gave Tír na nÓg a commanding lead at the break as the scoreboard read 1-10 to 0-5 and it was going to take a big improvement from St. Gall’s if they were to get back into it in the second half.
The visitors were in no mood to relinquish what they had achieved and Sean Duffin quickly increased their lead on the restart before Ciaran Logan added another from a great strike from mid-way inside the St Gall’s half.
Wilson struck in reply for St Gall’s before Mark Napier got his first of the evening and added another to reduce the deficit to within five after the corner forward’s frees sailed between the posts.
Caoimhin Duffin, who had been outstanding at centre-half escaped his defensive duties to send a long range effort between the posts to once again re-establish control for his side.
Ciaran O’Neill and Daniel Martin got in on the action after the pair struck a point apiece either side of Ronan Crossan’s second score of the game for the home side.
St, Gall’s were battling hard to get their own game going but the visitors defence were giving nothing away with their closing down and blocking frustrating the Milltown side’s efforts with Mark Napier being man-marked and having to settle for just a single point from open play after a brilliant defensive display from Brandon McLarnon.
Niall Fallon had the chance to give some momentum to his side’s cause but he was closed down by a resolute visitors defence and the sliothar was cleared to safety.
Joe McCormick and Sean Duffin rounded off the scoring in what was a keenly contested encounter but one brilliantly managed by the Randalstown side who move into second place in the group after a huge victory on the Falls Road.
A win or even a draw for Tir na nOg against Shane O’Neill’s on the final day of the Group stages would guarantee them a place in the semi-finals and on this form they look quite capable of achieving it.
Should they lose then Cushendun and Glenarm could still gate crash the play-offs so the Whitehill side’s fate is now very much in their own hands.
St Gall’s: P McCaffrey; E Loughran, M Marlow, O McIlhatton; E Walsh, G Adams, C McCaffrey; J Hopkins, D Churchill; A Mackle, J O’Reilly 0-1, D Wilson 0-5 (0-2f); R Crossan 0-2, S McAreavey, M Napier 0-3 (0-2f)
Subs: N Fallon, T McAleenan, A Mullan, A Healy, S Adams, E Farrelly, A McDonagh, K Wilson
Tír na nÓg: K Sheerin; B McLarnon, D McLarnon, M Smith; C Duffin 0-1, C O’Neill 0-1, R O’Neill; S Duffin 0-6 (0-4f), D Martin 0-1; D Fagan, E Murray 0-1, C Logan 0-3; J McCormick 0-2, S McKinley, C Duffin 1-1.
Subs: D McLornan, T Bonnes, B Fitzgerald, C McCamphill, D Martin
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