A point from Eamon Og McAllister in the 29th minute of the second half swung this evenly balanced contest at Whitehill in favour of Tir na nOg Randalstown and earned them both points against a St. Enda’s team who looked to be heading for victory earlier in the contest.
The Glengormley side had led for long periods and were four ahead with 16 minutes of the second half gone but the Whitehill side staged a late rally with Eamon Og applying the coup de grace with time almost up.
St. Enda’s opened brightly and led 0-4 to 0-1 after 8 minutes and were good value for that lead. Eamon Og McAllister was the man on target for the home side and a couple more from Darragh Fagan had it back to one with 11 minutes on the clock.
It looked to be turning in the Randalstown side’s favour when Fagan fired home the opening goal of the game to put his side ahead for the first time but St. Enda’s kept plugging away with only two separating the sides at the break.
The Glengormley side were back on terms a minute into the second half with the scores standing at 1-7 to 1-7 and at this stage they began to take control and would move four clear as the game entered the final quarter.
Darragh Fagan began the comeback and aided by the impressive Emmet Murray they had it back to one with 9 minutes of normal time remaining and the momentum was now very much with Ryan Jackman’s side.
Fagan brought it level from a free, 24 minutes into the second half and it looked like it was going to end that way but Eamon Og McAllister popped up with the winner with time almost up, much to the delight of the home support.
Davitt’s overcame a lethargic start to outscore visitors Gort na Mona at a bright and sunny Davitt’s Park on Wednesday evening.
It was the men from the Mona Bye Pass who started the game on the front foot but once Davitt’s opened their account after 12 minutes the home side slowly took control
It was visitors Gort na Mona who made the better start at Davitt’s Park however with Padraig McHugh and Dessie McClean moving them 0-2 ahead with only three minutes on the clock.
The Mona Bye Pass side flattered to deceive however and wouldn’t raise a flag for another 27 minutes as Davitt’s slowly played their way into the game.
It was 12 minutes before the home side would draw blood as Marcas Toner pointed and six minutes later Conor Toner came forward from defence to draw the side’s level.
It was at this stage that Sullivan began to exert his influence on the game as he opened his personal account with a good point from out on the left and followed with a great long range effort.
Sullivan’s third of the evening moved his side four in front by the 24th minute before Darron Boyd replied with Gort na Mona’s third point of the half just on half time.
The visitors still looked in with a shout as they changed ends trailing by three but knew they would have to up the ante if they were to overturn the Davitt’s lead and when Darron ‘Diesel’ Boyd pointed a long range free in the 2nd minute there was only two between the sides.
Once again it was that man Sullivan who led the Davitt’s response as he fired home the game’s opening goal in the 5th minute.
Dessie McClean replied with a point for the ‘Gorts’ but Jay Maguire was on target for Davitt’s at the other end before John Sullivan placed Gerard Slane with a pin-point pass and the centre-half-forward finished in style.
Substitute Kristin Walsh added a good long range point before Michael Brady handed the visitors a lifeline as he fired home at the other end with ten minutes remaining.
Darron Boyd concluded the scoring with a Gort na Mona point but that was as close as the visitors would get as the Davitt’s defence closed shop in the concluding stages to run out victors by five points.
A good win for Davitt’s that moves them into fourth place with 5 points from 4 stats, just one behind St. Paul’s and Glenavy and 3 behind early season pace setters, St. Teresa’s who are unbeaten to date
Davitt’s: 1 Aaron Slane, 2 Conor Toner, 3 Paul McKinney, 4 Michael Og Rowntree, 5 Nathan Maginn, 6 Anthony Hargan, 7 Paul McLaughlin, 8 Michael Connolly, 9 Niall McParland, 10 John Sullivan, 11 Gerard Slane, 17 Marcas Toner, 13 Jay Maguire, 14 Stephen McGivern, 15 Daniel Wallace, 19 Jack Scally, 22 Caolan park, 24 Deevy Persson
Gort na Mona: 1 Matrthew Park, 2 Darren Cahill, 3 James Connolly, 4 Padraig Cournane, 5 Brendan Burns, 6 Michael Savage, 7 Ciaran Donnelly, 8 Gavin McKenna, 9 Sean Campbell, 10 Caoimhin Beck, 11 Dessie McClean, 12 Jack Ireland, 13 Darron Boyd, 14 Padraig McHugh, 15 Manus McMullan, 17 Kristin Walsh, 18 Tim Scannell, 19 Jude Reilly, 21 Michael Brady
O’Neill’s Sportswear Antrim Football League Division Three
Éire Óg 1-13 St Malachy’s 3-3
PJ Toal was the difference in the end as Eire Og pipped St. Malachy’s in an entertaining and keenly contested game to deny the ‘Mals’ their first points in division 3 this year.
Mid-fielder Toal hit 0-7 on the evening as his side won by the minimum in this Belfast derby at Woodlands on Wednesday evening.
Both sides had early chances but it took a few minutes for the opening score to arrive and it proved to be a huge boost for the visitors as a long ball was broken down to James McGivern who burst in on the left and thumped high into the net.
Éire Óg responded well as PJ Toal opened his account for the night from a free and Ronan Donnelly sent a long range effort between the uprights.
It was end to end at this stage as Patrick McDiarmid guided over for the South Belfast men, but Eire Og were growing into the game as as PJ Toal landed another free and then Stephen Erskine intercepted a pass before feeding Conor McKenna who shrugged off a challenge and finished to the net.
Toal added a point from play, but on 17 minutes the sides were level once more as Anthony Dobbin was tripped inside the area when trying to get onto a long ball and a penalty was awarded that was well finished to the corner by team captain Ciaran Vernon.
St Malachy’s failed to build on it however as Éire Óg came strong in the period leading up to the break as Mark Graham and Conall Smyth found their range in-between a pair of PJ Toal frees to put their side into a 1-8 to 2-1 lead at the break.
St Malachy’s made a good start to the second half as Anton McGreevy got his hand to a dropping Vernon free to guide the ball over, but Conor McKenna hit back and then with his first touch since being introduced, Conor Erskine clipped over to push the gap to five.
That remained the difference after Vernon and Toal swapped points as the game was becoming disjointed with plenty of hits going in but little by way of flowing play.
It appeared to suit St Malachy’s who were pressing up in numbers in an attempt to get themselves back into the game and they were rewarded in the 55th minute from a turnover as Vernon put McDiarmid away to finish low to the corner of the net and leave two between them.
This was as close as they would get as late points from Ronan Donnelly and Toal’s seventh of the night sealed the points for Éire Óg as St Malachy’s continue their search for their opening points of the season.
ÉIRE ÓG: C McMenamin; C Rice, P Loughran, R Clarke; J Devlin, C McKenna (1-1), S McEvoy; C Smyth (0-1), PJ Toal (0-7, 5f); D Campbell, R Donnelly (0-2), E McNulty; S Erskine, M Graham (0-1), C Carberry.
Subs: C Erskine (0-1) for C Carberry (36), E Holmes for E McNulty (44), D Doonan for S McEvoy (58)
A point from a penalty with the last kick of the game by full forward John Mallon earned St Teresa’s victory over Glenavy in and exciting Division 2 game on Wednesday evening. With the sides tied in injury time the Glen Road side were awarded a penalty and top scorer Mallon stepped up to take the shot. Many of the St Teresa’s supporters, knowing that time was almost up were expecting Mallon to tap the ball over the bar, but the centre forward must not have been fully aware just how much time was left and decided to go for the goal. He hit the ball well but Glenavy goalkeeper Stephen Daly got a hand to it, but the ball spun up and over the crossbar for the score that sealed both points.
Both teams went into the game unbeaten and it was Glenavy who made the most promising start as a point from Ciaran Loney was followed by two from Fergal Henry. It took St Teresa’s a while to get going, but when man of the match John Mallon found the target they were up and running. Mallon added another and Conor Mallon popped one over to bring them level before John Mallon stepped up fire home a penalty and put the Saints in the driving seat.
It was score for score for the remainder of the first half as both team hit three apiece to leave St Teresa’s holding a 1-9 to 0-7 lead at half time.
Glenavy started the first half strongly and two unanswered points from Fergal Henry and one from Ciaran Loney edged Glenavy back in front. St Teresa’s drew level again with a well taken point from play by centre back Conor O’Rawe. Both sides exchanged points on two different occasions, but Glenavy appeared to have gained the upper hand when two points from Fergal Hendry put them two clear with just five minutes left of normal time.
St Teresa’s got themselves back in front when Anton Taylor fired the ball home after Glenavy netminder Ciaran Murtagh had made good save from Stephen Carey’s initial shot, but Fergal Henry brought the men from Chapel Hill back level as the game entered injury time.
Both sides had chances to edge ahead but were off target and it looked like the points would be shared, but the home team made one last push for glory and when corner back Ryan Phillips was dragged down in the Glenavy penalty are Mallon done enough to seal the win.
Reigning county champions Cargin kept on the winning trail when they proved just too good for their visitors, Con Magees Glenravel on their own sward at a pleasant if chilly evening in Toome on Wednesday evening.
It has been a while since the Con Magees arrived at Toome on a Division One league assignment but the Glensmen having gained promotion in an excellent 2023 came a calling on Wednesday evening looking forward to a long tenure back in the top grade.
The Glensmen have not been seen at their best thus far in their new niche and arrived at the Toome arena awaiting their first positive return in 2024. However if a good start to proceedings was sought they were to be disappointed as the home side were quick from the traps, and back to back points from Tomas Mc Cann showed the visitors the scale of their challenge.
Tomas McCann fires past Con Magees goalkeeper Shaun O’Boyle
Glenravel sought the comfort of a first score to settle into the game they were to be struck a blow in the midriff in the 5th minute when Jamie Gribbin combined in stylish approach with the Mc Cann brothers Michael, and Tomas to finish to the back of the net.
The visitors were on the board in the 13th minute when Eamon Ward split the posts but such did not hint at a change in the direction of the game. The home side lost the services of Mark Kelly to injury early in play but his replacement Brendan Laverty settled quickly into the game and after he sent Tomas Mc Cann in to add a point David Johnston and Michael Mc Cann combined to send Conan Johnston in to grab a 12th minute goal.
Cargin were calling the shots in the opening quarter and as the Glenravel men looked to bridge the gap the home side regained control as Conan Johnston and the eye catching Jamie Gribbin who was in fine fettle sent Tomas Mc Cann in for goal number 3 to make it 3-04 to 0-02 at the 25th minute.
The Con Magees looked to be in for a goal as the opening half entered the last phase but although the approach to the posts, made by a combination of Niall Hynds and Aiden O’ Donnell, set up the chance of a major, but Cargin net minder John Mc Nabb was quick to post the no entry sign making a fine save to deny the corner forward. Aiden O’ Donnell did add a point to the Glenravel total in the latter stages of the first period and when the livewire corner man Eamon Ward, having made fine progress towards the home side’s posts was brought down in the ‘square’ a penalty was awarded by match referee Ray Matthews. The visitors had a chance of finishing the half on a high, but the excellent Cargin keeper John Mc Nabb saved the shot and so the county champions went to the changing rooms at the break with a healthy 3-05 to 0-03 interval advantage.
Con Magees Ryan McQuillan in action in Wednesday evening’s defeat by Cargin
Having started in the second half with a healthy advantage Cargin retained their vice like grip on the game and their ageless ace Tomas Cann combined with Gerard Mc Cann to open the way for Tom Shivers to add goal number 4.
The home side continued to rule the roost as the second period made progress and after Tomas Mc Cann added a couple more points to extend his personal haul replacement Ben Mc Larnon and Tom Shivers combined to open the door for full back Kevin Mc Shane to come forward from his central defensive position to underline his attack quality with a slick finish and a 43rd minute goal.
The end in sight and the home side dashing towards the end line retained the positive in search of scores as Jamie Gribbin who had an excellent hour combined with Tom Shivers to send replacement Ben Mc Larnon in for a goal.
The end was in sight as Michael Mc Cann and the visitors Aiden O’ Donnell exchanged points with Donal Mc Quillan who had a good game adding one at the other end for the visitors.
Tomas Cann who had another excellent hour in the green added a further couple of points in the latter stages with Conan Johnston adding another but it was to be the visitors who would strike last.
Cargin net minder John Mc Nabb, who had a super game made a splendid save from a Niall Swan delivery in the last minute but Niall Hynds did claim the clearance to return the leather to the back of the net to end, what was a footballing lesson on a bright note.
Cargin’s Justin Crozier in action against Con Magees Sean McKay
Cargin
John Mc Nabb, Sean og Quinn, Kevin Mc Shane (1- 00),Cahir Donnelly, Justin Crozier, Ronan Gribbin, Jamie Gribbin (1-01), Gerard Mc Cann, James Laverty, David Johnston (0-01), Tomas Mc Cann (2-06), Mark Kelly, Conan Johnston (1-01), Tom Shivers (1-02),Michael Mc Cann (0-02)
Subs, Brendan Laverty (0-01), Callum Gribbin, Ben Mc Larnon (1-00), Hugh O’ Donnell,
Glenravel
Shaun 0’ Boyle, Charlie Henry, Eoin Mc Cusker, Conor Higgins, Niall Swann, Cathal Hynds, Declan Mc Auley, David Higgins, Niall Hynds (1-00), Declan Traynor, Sean Mc Kay, Daniel Mc Quillan (0-03), Eamon Ward (0-02), Ryan Mc Quillan, Aiden O’ Donnell (0-02)
