U21A Antrim Championship
St Gall’s 2-21 St Paul’s 0-7
Reigning U21A champions, St. Gall’s served notice that they are serious challengers for this year’s title when they proved much too strong for visitors St. Paul’s at Milltown on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts showed their intentions right from the start and Manus Crossan got them on their way with a clinical finish from a short distance after the Milltown men enjoyed an early spell of possession.
Paul Austin added an excellent effort and the St. Gall’s centre-half-forward would go on to play a starring role for his side and finished the evening as top scorer.
Callum Walsh added another as the Milltown side moved two ahead and as the St. Gall’s pressure began to pay dividends, Padraig Murray fired to the net in the 18th minute to put some distance between the sides.
Murray stole in at the back post to punch Niall Fallon’s delivery to the net before Austin pointed a free to extend the St Gall’s lead to five points with just eight minutes remaining to the break.
Dubhultach MacCracbhaga and Paul Austin added two more to increase their lead in the period leading up to half time as the home side enjoyed a commanding lead.
St Paul’s tried to respond and O’Dufaigh pointed from a free from close range but this score would be cancelled out after Callum Walsh struck a terrific effort that sailed just inside the right hand side.
The reigning champions led their Shaw’s Road rivals by six points at the break and even at this stage it was hard to see St. Paul’s turning this one around in the second half.
Murray and Austin added two early points on the restart as St Gall’s continued to press and then Crossan and Walsh combined again to move St. Gall’s 11 ahead as St. Paul’s struggled to contain a lively home attack.
The one way traffic towards the visitor’s goal continued as Murray converted a free and even at this stage it looked all over with St. Paul’s offering little in response.
St Gall’s lead continued to increase with Paul Austin showing precise accuracy from the placed ball as he continued to punish indiscretions by an over worked St. Paul’s defence.
The visitors were still battling against the odds and Ciaron Ó’Dufaigh struck a brace of frees to reduce the deficit to nine but that would be as good as it got as the home side responded once more.
Austin was the instigator as he combined with Gaireach Adams, Ethan Walsh and Niall Fallon to set up the incoming Franco McCullagh who fisted to the St. Paul’s net and it was game over.
Paul Austin’s two-pointer put the icing on a fine performance by the Milltown Row side and sealed the fate for St Paul’s with Ciaron Ó’Dufaigh replying with what proved to be a mere consolation score for St Paul’s as St Gall’s ran out convincing winners on the day and will be hopeful they can make it a second U21 championship in a row.
St Gall’s: C Óg Mullan; C Hale, G Adams, F McCullagh 1-0; A Mackel, L Lynn 0-1, E Walsh 0-1; M Crossan 0-2, O Maskey; D MacCracbhaga 0-1, P Austin 0-9 (0-2f, 1xx2P), C Walsh 0-4; J Rafferty, N Fallon 0-1, P Óg Murray 1-2
Subs: C Wilson, L Walsh, O Kelly 0-1, C Devine
St Paul’s: A Carroll; T Duff, E McGreevy, D O’Sullivan; C Burke, C McAlea, L Phillips 0-1; C Killiyleagh, C Trainor; C Duffy, S Óg McClaren; P Crawford, C O’Dufaigh 0-5(0-5f), S Burns 0-1, S Munce