ACFL Division 2

St. James 2-13 Gort na Mona 2-11

Gort na Mona visited Aldergrove as big underdogs but their young forward line started the game with ferocious pace with Matthew McConnell scoring a goal in the 1st minute. The visitors were playing with a significant breeze behind them but were out of the blocks with serious intent. They continued to cause the Aldergrove back line issues with their inside forwards movement and racked up another point before Aldergrove managed to get the scoreboard moving when they hit back with 2 points.

The Gort’s keeper made an excellent save to prevent a Seamus McGarry goal before the visitors started to turn the screw with another goal and 3 points before Aldergrove got their final score of the 2nd half. Gort na Mona continued to dominate and went in at half time with a well-deserved lead of 2-9 to 0-3, thanks to a second McConnell major and it appeared game over.

With the wind at their backs Aldergrove came out a different side and had scored a goal and 2 points with  Cormac McGarry scoring a great goal to bring the game back to 7 points before Gort na Mona replied with a great point from their no. 14. However the visitors were now struggling to contain a reinvigorated forward line with Ryan McCarthy winning plenty of ball up front and feeding the runners. 

Aldergrove brought the game level with another goal from Conor Morris some great 2 pointers from Cormac McGarry and a point from Fergal Burke. With 5 minutes left to go Seamus McGarry hit a superb 2 point effort to go two up and this was followed by another point to move his side 3 points ahead.

With 4 minutes left to go, Aldergrove were reduced to 14 men to give the supporters plenty to worry about for the last part of the game but they held tight to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat.