ACFL Division 1 League
All Saints Ballymena 1-13 St. Mary’s Aghagallon 0-14
Report and photos by Brian Hamill.
St. Mary’s Aghagallon fell to a narrow two-point defeat away to All Saints Ballymena in this enthralling ACFL Division 1 League encounter on Sunday, losing out by 1-13 to 0-14 in a game that could have gone either way right to the final whistle.
The Ballymena men were boosted by the return of Cal O’Brien and Matty Downey from long term injuries and both played their part in what will be a welcome win for Bakker Bradley’s side.
For long stretches of this contest, Aghagallon looked to have enough about them to take the points. Jonny Hannon was once again in irresistible form at left corner-forward, tormenting the Ballymena rear-guard from the first minute, finishing with a remarkable personal tally of 0-8 and a 2 pointer.
Matty Downey, who made his return to the All Saints side gets out in front of his marker to win possession
It’s a contribution that on any other day might have been enough to win a match outright, but St. Mary’s will rue a wasteful afternoon in front of the posts, with a number of wides from promising positions.
Aghagallon came flying out of the traps, with Hannon slotting two points from play inside the opening three minutes to put the visitors in the driving seat from the off. Hannon’s directness and pace caused problems from the first whistle and Ballymena struggled initially to contain him. A third point followed in the tenth minute as Aghagallon looked to stamp their authority on proceedings.
However, Ballymena gradually found their footing. Full-forward Brendan McDonnell, carrying the home scoring burden with distinction throughout, got his side off the mark with a point from play in the ninth minute before adding a converted free shortly after. In the 22nd minute McDonnell split the posts for a two-pointer from a free, a score that swung the momentum in the home side’s favour and briefly had Ballymena ahead.
Aghagallon responded positively. A composed point from left half-forward Enda McCartan and a Hannon two-pointer from a free kept the visitors competitive. Cal O’Brien, operating at midfield for the home side, then produced a stunning two-pointer from play to leave the team’s level heading into the closing stages of the first half. A further Hannon point from play and one from a free edged Aghagallon back in front, and they led by a single point at the break.
The second half began in similar fashion, with Jack Lenehan and Hannon combining to push Aghagallon’s advantage out to four points by the 34th minute, leaving St. Mary’s looking well placed to claim a valuable away victory.
Johnny Hannon, who top scored for St. Mary’s gets his shot away despite the attention of the Ballymena defence.
Then came the defining moment of the contest. In the 39th minute, Ballymena midfielder Emmet Killough got a hand to a high ball into the Aghagallon defence and flicked it to the net for a goal that completely transformed the complexion of the game, cutting the gap to just one point.
Cal O’Brien added a second two-pointer from play and McDonnell followed with another two-pointer and a converted free to push Ballymena into a commanding lead.
Aghagallon, to their credit, refused to capitulate. The introduction of Adam Loughran injected some fresh impetus into the St. Mary’s attack, and the substitute rewarded his side’s persistence by coolly slotting a free to reduce the deficit. A black card for Aghagallon’s influential forward Jonny Hannon and a red for substitute Pat Brannigan made it slightly easier for Ballymena as the game approached the final whistle and there was to be no dramatic late equaliser as the home side held firm to run out deserving two-point winners on a final scoreline of 1-13 to 0-14.
For Aghagallon, the performance of Hannon who finished with a personal tally worth 12 points in old money will be of some consolation, and the defensive solidity will give the management plenty to work with going forward, but it is the wides count and a failure to convert pressure into scores during key periods that will occupy the post-match dressing room conversation.
For Ballymena, McDonnell’s accuracy from placed balls and the power of O’Brien and Killough through the middle proved the decisive factors, and their supporters will take enormous satisfaction from seeing off a strong Aghagallon side in what was a dogged Division 1 encounter.
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