ACFL Division One
Naomh Éanna 2-12 St Brigid’s 0-10

Pics by JJ Lawell

St. Enda’s recorded their second win from three starts when they defeated St. Brigid’s at Hightown on Wednesday evening. A goal from Kristian Healey after 40 minutes clinched it for the Glengormley side who were pushed hard for most of the game by St. Brigid’s with matters all square early in the second half.

St. Enda’s were a goal ahead at the interval with Rory Scott providing the finish midway through the opening half. Healey’s major turned matters decisively in the direction of the home side who went on to hit 1-5 without reply as the St. Brigid’s challenge welted.

Healey finished as top scorer with 1-3 with Odhran Eastwood in excellent form for the Hightown men, finishing with 0-5 and he was very much involved in the build up to both St. Enda’s goals while his Antrim colleague, Peter Healey got through a mountain of work.

It was St Brigid’s who were first off the mark in the artic conditions at Hightown with Peter Webb’s third-minute effort sneaking just inside the posts with Eastwood responding from a free, but the visitors were back in front when Conor McAleer slotted over following good work from Paul Bradley.

.Eastwood levelled matters for a second time from a free and then he turned provider when he sent Ruairi Scott free from an inch perfect delivery and the former made no mistake as he fired to the net.
The home side were dominating possession at this stage but their finishing was letting them down, while St Brigid’s were struggling to get their game together at the other end against a packed defence.

The sides exchanged points in the closing stages of the half with Bradley punishing a foul on Patrick Finnegan before Eastwood kicked his third free as the hosts went in at the break leading 1-3 to 0-3.

After a lacklustre opening 30 minutes it was St. Brigid’s who made a bright start to the second period
with Conor McAleer kicking a free a couple of minutes in before Peter Webb converted two beauties off his left boot from play to level the game on 38 minutes.
At this stage it was St. Brigid’s who looked the more likely winners but Naomh Éanna responded to reclaim the lead as Kristian Healy cut inside onto his right and shrugged off a challenge to fire over and a minute later the same player swung matters back in favour of the Hightown side. Eastwood found Healy to the left of goal and the wing-forward produced an excellent finish to find the far corner of the net.
St. Brigid’s pushed on at this stage as Peter Healy gained some reward for his efforts as he split the posts and Conor Maxwell added another from a tight angle on the right with Eastwood landing an almost identical score to make it 2-8 to 0-6 on 49 minutes.
St. Enda’s looked to have matters sewn up at this stage but St Brigid’s dug deep and found a response as Paul Bradley sent over and then Jack Dowling kicked two excellent points, either side of a James Smith effort to halve the deficit and give the South Belfast men some hope with five minutes remaining.
It was as close as they got however with Eastwood firing over after Ronan O’Neill’s attempt at a fisted point came off the post, while Kristian Healy kicked another two scores either side of one from Donal Walsh to complete the scoring.

NAOMH ÉANNA: M O’Boyle; F Eastwood, P Hamilton, C Maxwell (0-1); P Healy (0-1), C Lyttle (0-1), R O’Neill; P Curran, M Morgan; C Morgan, D Walsh (0-1), K Healy (1-3); R Scott (1-0), O Eastwood (0-5, 3 frees), G Crossey.

Subs: F O’Connor for M Morgan (48), C Scott for G Crossey (54), S McBride for C Morgan (60+1), O Kennedy for P Curran (60+2)

ST BRIGID’S: J McKenna; J Morgan, M Cummings, S McKenna; P King, S Campbell, F Meenagh; J Toner, J Dowling (0-2); P Webb (0-3), P Finnegan, N Lundy; P Bradley (0-1), J Smith (0-1), C McAleer (0-3, 2 frees).

Subs: R Finnegan for J Toner (20), D Foster for S McKenna (46), M Lynch for N Lundy (48), J Finnegan for P Webb (52), J McCarney for S Campbell (60).

REFEREE: Darren McKeown (St Gall’s)

ACFL Division 2

All Saints 0-11 Ardoyne 0-3

Both these teams were unrecognisable from the sides that faced each other in the corresponding fixture last year with a long list of absentees in both lineouts but All Saints manager, Liam Bradley continues to call on youth and had a useful side on view under the Quinn Park lights.

The early exchanges were close enough as Ciaran McLarnon and Shea O’Brien pointed the home side into an early lead before Kevin Lynch replied for the visitors to close the gap to one.

Ronan Ward, who had replaced Rory McVeigh early in the contest, got his name on the All Saints score sheet and a couple of converted frees from ‘Jimbo’ McDonnell had All Saints 0-6 to 0-2 in front by the 27^th minute, the Kickham’s second point coming from a Kevin Lynch free.

That was how it stood at half time and after the break a young and pacey All Saints continued to move the ball around confidently as they put the visitors on the back foot and Emmet Killough extended their lead with a point in the opening minute.

James McDonnell added a great score and his brother, Brendan moved All Saints 0-9 to 0-2 ahead with another in the 11^th minute as the visitors fought a rear guard action in an effort to contain a rampant All Saints attack.

Ace free taker, James McDonnell moved the Quinn Park side eight in front at the end of the third quarter as the home side emptied their bench and the scores dried up after that with the impressive Shaun O’Callaghan getting their final point and Aidan McNeill pointing a late consolation free for the Kickham’s.

All Saints: Niall Shannon, James Gillan, Cormac Lemon, James McDonnell, Ciaran McGarry, Rhys O’Mullan, Shaun O’Callaghan, Emmet Killough, Ciaran McLarnon, Shea O’Brien, Rory McVeigh, Cal O’Brien, Eoin Campbell, Brendan McDonnell, Eoin Walsh. Subs: Ronan Ward, Darra Mussen, Emmet McAllister, Ronan McKillop

Kickham’s Ardoyne: 1 Tiarnan Hughes: 2 Eoghan Corrigan, 3 Gary McKiernan, 4 Fiontan Marley, 6 Conor McDowell, 7 Conor Carter, 8 Kevin McLaughlin, 10 Declan McCormick, 11 Aodhan Mullan, 12 Oisin McVicker, 13 Pearse Marley, 14 Kevin Lynch, 15 Aidan McNeill, 17 Aaron Stewart, 18 Odhran Mullan, 19 Diarmuid Martin, 20 Anthony McKenna, 21 Joseph Gibson, 22 Cahal Keown, 23 Cormac Curran, 24 Conor Magee, 28 Sean Joe Rooney

Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)

ACFL Division 2

All Saints 0-12 St. James 3-6

St. James Aldergrove made a great start to the season when they scored 6-8 against Ardoyne in Crumlin and that rich vein of form continued when they visited Slemish Park today and came away with a three point win over All Saints.

They didn’t get it all their own way against an All Saints side who dominated the opening exchanges and moved into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead after 27 minutes and were playing some great expansive football with goal keeper Connor Brennan joining his attack on a number of occasions and scoring a point.

The turning point came with a minute remaining to the break when a misplaced pass across their own goal and a slip by Sean McVeigh gifted Ronan Hanna a goal and the visitors took a slender one point lead into the half time break.

The early exchanges were nip and tuck as James McDonnell pointed All Saints ahead from a 3d minute free and James Trowlen replying for Aldergrove from a free in the 9^th minute. All Saints looked to be in for the game’s opening goal but the woodwork came to St. James’ rescue twice in as many minutes before Benny McDonnell settled for a point to restore his side’s lead.

Trowlen squared the contest for the second time from another free in the 12^th minute before Seamus McGarry saw his attempted point come back off an upright and then All Saints hit the front for the third time when their keeper, Connor Brennan fired over after being involved in an intricate build up.

Conor Morris for the visitors and Oisin Connolly for All Saints exchanged further points before a fisted point from Cal O’Brien move ‘Baker’ Bradley’s men two in front with seven minutes remaining to the break.

There was little between the sides at this stage but a youthful All Saints were looking comfortable as Gerard Mallon and Rory McVeigh exchanged further minors but Hanna’s goal in the 29^th minute changed all that.

All Saints had one last chance to restore their lead as they opened up the visitors but Brendan McDonnell’s first time ground strike was superbly saved by Sean O’Neill in the Aldergrove goal and the visitors took a slender one point lead into the second half.

The new half was only minutes old when Ronan Hanna got through for the visitors second goal with the home defence nowhere to be seen but a couple of points in quick reply from Brendan McDonnell and Oisin Crilly brought All Saints right back into contention.

Fergal Burke’s side were starting to get on top however as Conor Browning and Seamus McGarry responded with points and when substitute Ryan McCarthy rose to fist a Ronan Hanna free to the All Saints net in the 18^th minute they looked in complete control.

The Ballymena men tried to respond but Sean O’Neill in the Aldergrove goals denied Brendan McDonnell for the second time in the contest as the home side tried to respond. All Saints did enjoy a period of pressure and James McDonnell fired over three frees in but the goal they need never looked like materialising as the visitors defence stood strong.

St. James now move onto 4 points at the top of the table with Moneyglass and after a difficult 2021 they looked like a side on a mission and could be challenging for promotion come the end of the season.

All Saints: Connor Brennan, Matthew Downey, Sean McVeigh, James McDonnell, Connell Lemon, Rhys O’Mullan, Sean O’Callaghan, Emmet Killough, Shea O’Brien, Joe Rafferty, Eoin Campbell, Oisin Connolly, Cal O’Brien, Benny McDonnell, Rory McVeigh. Subs: Ronan Ward for Eoin Campbell, Ciaran McLarnon for Reece O’Mullan

Aldergrove: 1 Sean O’Neill, 2 David Aiken, 3 Christopher Browning, 4 Chris McVeigh, 5 Gerald Mallon, 6 Andy Mallon, 7 Declan Gough, 8 Conor Browning, 9 Emmett Irvine, 10 Seamus Trowlen, 11 Seamus McGarry, 12 Conor Morris, 13 Ronan Hanna, 14 Stephen McCullagh, 15 Oisin Graham. Subs: Eoin Gough for James Trowlen, Ryan McCarthy for Stephen McCullough, Seanie Flynn for S McGarry, Corey Fogarty for Conor Morris, Logan Fleming for Declan Gough.

Referee: Paul Burns (Naomh Comhghall)

ACFL Division 2

St. James’ Aldergrove 6-8 Kickham’s Ardoyne 0-8

On a lovely sunny day to kick start the league campaign a good crowd turned up in anticipation of a good performance from the home team. 

Aldergrove came out of the traps very strongly in the first 5 minutes but worryingly didn’t convert their first four chances before settling in and going 1-3 up with 2 points from. Brian McQuillan sandwiching a super goal from Seamus McGarry after fast hands from Anton Flood, followed by another point from G Mallon.

Ardoyne came back with two points before Aldergrove replied with 2 points from Seamus McGarry and Chris Browning and another goal from J Trowlen after some strong running, quickly followed by another point from J Trolwen to extend the lead.

Ardoyne finished the half with another point from their No 11 but looked to have a lot to do in the second half if they were going to get back into contention. 

HT 2-5  to 0-3

After trading another point each, Aldergrove put the game beyond reach with another well worked goal from R Hanna and followed up with another point from G Mallon. 

With the game already in the bag, Aldergrove made a series of changes to give their bench some game time and this was followed by another point from J Trowlen before the subs made an impact with F Hanna scoring another well worked goal. Ardoyne replied with a couple of points before Aldergrove finished off the game emphatically with two more goals through McGarry and O Rooney who made his Senior debut.