St Teresa’s entered their Antrim Intermediate Football Championship Round 5 clash against St Agnes as strong favourites against the reigning junior champions. The Aggies had lost several players since last year’s triumph and faced a tough challenge. St Teresa’s ultimately secured a convincing victory, though their progression to the next stages remains dependent on other results in tomorrow’s matches.
Playing with a stiff breeze in the first half, St Teresa’s started strongly by registering three points in the opening five minutes, with Darren McCann (2) and Anton Taylor getting the scores. St Agnes had their first real attack on the four-minute mark down the right side, creating a good goalscoring opportunity that St Teresa’s managed to scramble clear. Just two minutes later, St Teresa’s found the net when Darren McCann palmed the ball in following a cross from Anton Taylor. Conor Mallon added a point for St Teresa’s on eight minutes, quickly followed by another from Anton Taylor on nine minutes. The St Agnes goalkeeper made a crucial save on the line to deny another goal on 10 minutes, but St Teresa’s pressure paid off again three minutes later. Their big full-forward, Darren McCann, won possession from a long ball out the field, turned his man, and buried the rebound into the net after his initial shot was saved. Niall McCann pointed a minute later to extend the lead, but St Agnes finally opened their account on 18 minutes with a well-taken point curled against the wind from out on the right by Cormac McBride. A minute later, Conall Turley added another excellent score for the Aggies, curling it over from outside the 20-metre line. However, St Teresa’s finished the half strongly with points from Anton Taylor and Conor Mallon, leaving the halftime score at 2-8 to 0-02.
Despite turning to play with the strong wind, St Agnes could not stem the St Teresa’s tide in the second half. Pierce O’Rawe opened the second-half scoring in the first minute for the home side. The St Agnes goalkeeper then produced two outstanding saves, blocking one with his feet from inside the square and diving to keep the second out. John Mallon added a point for St Teresa’s five minutes in, before a great team movement culminated in Pierce O’Rawe firing low into the net on eight minutes, giving the goalkeeper no chance. St Agnes immediately responded by moving down the field to grab a goal through themselves though 46-year-old Declan Crummey. St Teresa’s quickly resumed control with good movement on the right; Zachary Morgan cut inside and passed to John Mallon, who curled it over the bar. A strong attack then resulted in a disputed point from Niall McCann that was eventually awarded by the referee.
John Mallon added another point for St Teresa’s on 11 minutes, and Cormac McBride responded for St Agnes on 16 minutes. St Teresa’s continued to dictate the play, winning a kick-out and using slick movement to find Conor O’Rawe clear in front of goal to tap over before Paul McClenaghan added a point down the other end for St Agnes. The closing stages turned into target practice for St Teresa’s, with Niall McCann and Anton Taylor adding to their tallies, alongside another point from an unidentified scorer. St Agnes kept battling, as Cormac McBride added two more points and an unknown teammate scored another, before Conall Turley tapped over a free on 29 minutes. However, Conor Mallon had the final say for St Teresa’s, firing over two late points—including one just inches over the crossbar after winning a kick-out—to seal the comprehensive victory.
St Teresa’s 1 Mark Small, 2 Conor O’Rawe, 3 Paul Johnston, 4 Ryan Mallon, 5 Conor Mallon, 6 Eoin Connolly, 7 Colm McGoldrick, 8 Sean Maguire, 9 Pierce O’Rawe, 10 Zachary Morgan, 11 Phil Maguire, 12 Niall McCann, 13 John Mallon, 14 Darren McCann, 15 Anton Taylor – Subs -16 Philip Glennon.
St Agnes 1 Declan McLarnon, 2 Patrick Carroll, 3 Briondan McLarnon, 4 Killian McCormick, 5 Daniel Gillespie, 6 Conall Turley, 7 Conor Gregory, 8 Barry McCrea, 9 Patrick Mulgrew, 10 James Halleron, 11 Paudie Meehan, 12 Cormac McBride, 13 Conor McGoran, 14 Declan Crummey, 15 Colin Mallon, 23 Paddy Toner, 24 Neill Gillespie, and 28 Paul McClenaghan.
Referee – Paul McNally (Creggan)
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