Senior Reserve Hurling Shield

St Gall’s 2-09 St John’s 5-13

The Reserve Hurling Shield semi-final brought a lively West Belfast derby to Milltown, where St. Gall’s hosted their neighbours St. John’s in an action-packed encounter. The visitors wasted no time asserting themselves, with Tomas Adams opening the scoring from play within the first 30 seconds. This was quickly followed by a superb long-range effort from Alex Jennings to double the St. John’s advantage. St. Gall’s responded brilliantly, however, when Conor Burke carved through the defense to finish a good individual goal. St. John’s kept their composure, and after Adrian Downey tapped over a point, Barry McFall found the back of the net to put the visitors firmly in the driving seat.

St. Gall’s fought hard to stay in the contest during a frantic first half. Niall Fallon hit a stylish over-the-shoulder point, and Cormac Sheehan accurately converted a 65 to keep the scoreboard ticking for the home side. Despite these efforts, St. John’s continued to create chances. Tomas Adams slotted over a free, and Colm McFall finished off a well-worked team move with a point from play. The momentum stayed with St. John’s as Barry McFall struck for his second goal of the game. St. Gall’s answered with a point from Josh Southern and a long-range free from Sheehan, but the final stages of the half belonged to the visitors. Daire King rattled the net for a goal, followed by points from Jennings and Barry McFall, before Colm McFall added yet another goal from play. A late free from Sheehan concluded the first-half scoring, leaving St. John’s with a commanding 3-7 to 1-6 lead at the break.

The second half began much like the first, with St. John’s firmly on the front foot. Just 15 seconds after the restart, Barry McFall launched a brilliant long-range point. Less than two minutes later, he completed a devastating end-to-end team move by firing home his third goal of the match. St. Gall’s kept plugging away, and Sheehan pointed a free on the eight-minute mark, but St. John’s immediately cancelled it out with a point from play by David Robinson, followed shortly by a Barry McFall free. Tom Ghee managed to score from play for the hosts after 13 minutes, but St. John’s continued to press their advantage.

The match slipped further away from St. Gall’s on the 16-minute mark. The home goalkeeper produced a great save, but a St. John’s attacker was quickest to react, firing the rebound home from far out on the right wing. As the half wore on and the clock became an afterthought, Anthony Healy grabbed a point for St. Gall’s. St. John’s responded with a point from distance by an unidentifiable player on the far side of the pitch, and Daire King added another score from play. Cormac Sheehan managed to blast a late goal from a free for St. Gall’s, but it was purely a consolation prize. St. John’s ran out convincing winners, securing their spot in the final with a comprehensive 5-13 to 2-9 victory.

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