Antrim Football League – Division 1

Sarsfields 3-09 St Pauls 4-10

When right-half forward Daniel Smyth sent over a two-pointer early in the second half to put newly promoted Sarsfields five points clear, it looked as if their return to Division One in the Antrim Football League for the first time in 25 years was going to be a dream start against their next-door neighbours, St. Paul’s. They had led at half-time by a goal, 2-3 to 6 points, after playing against the breeze in the first half, but St Paul’s hit back and had the better of the last 20 minutes, scoring three goals to run out winners by four in the end.

St Paul’s had started the game well and were three points to the good before Sarsfields raised a flag. However, the home side hit back with two quick goals inside two minutes from Gary Lennon and Daniel Smyth, which turned the game on its head. The Paddies were in a strong position, but a couple of great scores before the break by St Paul’s Conal Duffy and Niall Carmichael saw them go in at half-time just three points in arrears.

A fierce hail shower just as the teams re-emerged for the second half caused a five-minute delay, and both sides were ordered back to the changing rooms by match referee Connell Duffy.

Half-time: Sarsfields 2-03 | St Paul’s 0-06

When play finally got underway, Smyth capitalized on a free from 40 metres out on the terrace sideline, landing a sublime two-pointer that seemed to put the men from the ‘Bear Pit’ in the driving seat.

St. Paul’s eventually settled into the new half, responding on 37 minutes with a well-worked point from Ciaran Rodgers-Duffy. Sarsfields’ Conor Glenholmes answered with a pointed free shortly afterwards, but the momentum shifted dramatically straight from the ensuing kick-out. The visitors worked the ball swiftly down the field, culminating in Niall Carmichael drilling the ball into the Sarsfields net to blow the game wide open.

Daniel Smyth was proving a real handful for the visitors’ defence, and on 44 minutes, he launched another spectacular two-pointer from play to steady the ship for the home side. However, St. Paul’s refused to lie down. A sharp attacking move two minutes later saw the ball squared across the face of the goal, and Rodgers-Duffy was on hand to palm it to the net, slashing the deficit to a single point.

The comeback was fully realized on 49 minutes when Rodgers-Duffy struck a brilliant two-pointer, bringing the sides dead level at 2-08 apiece.

The momentum was now entirely with the visitors. St. Paul’s hit the front on 51 minutes when substitute number 21 raised their third green flag of the day, followed shortly by a point from Conal Duffy to put them four clear.

Sarsfields fought desperately to salvage their homecoming. On 56 minutes, a sweeping move created a goal opportunity for Cormac Murray, but the St. Paul’s keeper, Jack McAufield, pulled off a magnificent save. A minute later, the visiting stopper was the hero again, turning a goal-bound shot from Murray around the post for a ’45’.

A point from St. Paul’s substitute Cormmac Trainor stretched their lead further, but hope flared once more for the Paddies on 59 minutes when they were awarded a penalty. It was coolly dispatched to the net by Garry Lennon, reducing the gap back to a single score as time ticked away.

However, the red and white hoops would have the final say. Deep into injury time, Brendan McMorrow struck for his second goal of the game, breaking Sarsfields’ hearts and sealing a hard-fought opening day victory.

Final Score: Sarsfields 3-09 | St Paul’s 4-10

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TEAMS

SARSFIELDS: 1. Michael Brady; 2. Philip McPeake, 3. Cormac Mulligan, 4. Fintan McCallum; 5. Ethan Mervyn, 6. Joe McNally, 7. Caolan McKernan; 8. Cormac Murray, 9. Jay Maguire; 10. Daniel Smyth, 11. Conor Glenholmes, 12. Fionn Jemfrey; 13. Caolan McDonnell, 14. Niall Mac an Lia, 15. Gary Lennon.

ST PAUL’S: 1. Jack McAufield; 2. Aodhan Kavanagh, 3. Dairmuid O’Sullivan, 4. Niall McKenna; 5. Conal Burke, 6. Marcus Munce, 7. Michael Duffy; 8. James Farrell, 9. Lorcan Phillips; 10. Caoimhin Killyleagh, 11. Conal Duffy, 12. Ciaran Rodgers-Duffy; 13. Caoimhin Duffy, 14. Conor Hughes, 15. Niall Carmichael

Referee – Conal Duffy

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ACFL Division 1

All Saints 0-12 St. Gall’s 2-13

St. Gall’s took the honours in the proverbial game of two halves when they overcame the challenge of All Saints in Ballymena on Sunday.

Shaun O’Callaghan pulled up with an injury to be replaced by Harry Connon after only 9 minutes and with a strong wind at their backs the Milltown Row side looked to have it wrapped up at the interval when they led 2-10 to 0-3 and that lead could have been greater had it not been for three splendid saves from keeper, Ryan Stewart.

When All Saints kicked the first five scores of the second half, including two 2 pointers from James McDonnell to close the gap to five with only 9 minutes gone it looked like the home side were on their way to a remarkable comeback but they failed to sustain that early commitment.

All Saints Patrick Ferris comes under pressure from Liam Lynn

St. Gall’s got to grips with that early onslaught and began to play the possession game to great effect, helped in no small way by the failure of their host to push up and execute a high press.

All Saints did have a great opportunity to close the gap further with 7 minutes remaining but Chris Kerr got down to save James McDonnell’s spot kick and effectively end the game as a contest.

Both sides went into this opening game of the season minus a handful of players but still managed to serve up a descent game of football with St. Gall’s taking full advantage of the strong breeze that blew from the pavilion end in the first half.

The Ballymena side coped well during the opening exchanges and trailed by only two after 18 minutes with Daniel Quinn with a 2 point free and Dubhaltach MacLiam on target for the visitors before Conall Lemon opened the home side’s account with a good point.

Indeed the visitors were thankful to veteran keeper, Chris Kerr who pulled off a good save to deny Sean McVeigh and at the other end Ryan Stewart made an even better stop at the expense of a Niall Fallon point.

Aaron Mackle gets out in front of Benny McDonnell to claim possession

Points from Patrick Ferris and a Benny McDonnell free kept the home side in touch but St. Gall’s began to take control as the impressive Daniel Quinn struck three on the bounce, one of them a 2 pointer.

Stewart was doing all in his power to keep his side in the game as he pulled off another spectacular save but the big Ballymena keeper fluffed a kick-out and Padraig O’Muirigh placed his shot left and low to the corner.

Stewart denied the same player at the expense of a point before Daniel Quinn got through for his side’s second goal to leave St. Gall’s 13 in front at the break.

It was going to take something special to get All Saints back into contention in the second half and for a period it looked like materialising as the splendid James McDonnell raised 2 Orange flags and another single and Patrick Ferris and Benny McDonnell added points to take their total to seven for the half by the 9^th minute.

It would be as close as they got however as Manus McCrossan fisted over at the other end and Daniel Quinn added another before Connell Lemon replied with a point for a home side who were sitting much too deep and finding it difficult to get their hands on the ball.

Chris Kerr got down to deny James McDonnell from the penalty spot to banish any hopes of an All Saints recovery as Aodhan Gallagher, Martin Murray, Liam Lynn and Daniel Quinn maintained possession as the Milltown men recorded an opening day win.

All Saints: 1 Ryan Stewart, 2 Oliver O’Rawe, 3 James McDonnell, 4 James Gillan, 5 Patrick Ferris, 6 Michael Read, 8 Peter McNicholl, 9 Emmet Killough, 10 Sean O’Brien, 11 Shaun O’Callaghan, 12 Conall Lemon, 13 Brendan McDonnell, 14 Sean McVeigh, 15 Darach Bradley.

Subs: Harry Connon for Shaun O’Callaghan, Charlie Metrustry for Harry Connon

St. Gall’s: 1 Chris Kerr, 2 Christopher Hale, 3 Aidan McDonagh, 4 Eoghan McCurdy, 5 Conaill Murray, 6 Dubhaltach MacLiam, 7 Liam Lynn, 8 Aodhan Gallagher, 9 Manus McCrossan, 10 Aaron Mackle, 11 Daniel Quinn, 12 Martin Murray, 13 Niall Fallon, 14 Callum Walsh, 15 Padraig O’Muirigh Jnr.

Subs: Ethan Walsh, Barra McCaffrey, Gerard O’Neill

Referee: Kevin Parke (St. Enda’s)

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