Armagh’s experience saw them close out a well-fought tie with Antrim in Dunsilly on Saturday in Division 3
Two early points from Rachel Merry put Armagh ahead early in the game. Although Fionnuala Kelly responded with two points for Antrim. The Donnelly sisters had added points each before the second of those and Hannah Duffy and Ciara Donnelly finished the first half to make it 0-6 to 0-2 for the visitors.
Ciara Donnelly added a free on the re-start and Armagh failed to score for the next 22 minutes with Anna McNeill (2) and Orlagh Laverty closing the gap to 0-7 to 0-5. It looked at that point that Antrim might just get something out of the game.
However sub Corrina Doyle grabbed a point for Armagh and it was enough to see them home with Fionnuala Kelly’s late point too late to make a difference.
A Kristian Healey goal in the 12th minute proved to be the deciding score as St. Enda’s claimed a major scalp by defeating county champions, Kickham’s Creggan on Sunday at Hightown.
In a low scoring game Healey’s major was the first score of the day and it finally brought a response from the visitors who replied with points from Fergal Burke and Eunan McAteer to leave just one in it by the 21st minute.
Scores were proving hard to come by as both defences dominated, aided by the swirling wind but James McAuley and Donal Walsh overcame those conditions with points for the home side to move them 1-2 to 0-3 ahead at half time.
It took a further 10 minutes for the next flag to be raised with Sean McBride splitting the upright and when Kristian Healey added another, a minute later St. Enda’s had moved 1-5 to 0-3 ahead and were looking the better side.
The Kickham’s were not about to concede without a fight however as Paddy Coey replied with a couple of good points and another from Matthew Rogers left just a goal between the sides with eight minutes remaining.
Both sides exchanged points in the closing stages with Gerard Crossey’s score seeing Naomh Eanna home for two very useful points that will give them confidence to perform at the highest level in the season ahead
St Endas: 1. Michael O’Boyle 2. Fiontan Eastwood 3. Niall Heatly 4. Conor Maxwell 5. Conan Lyttle 6. James McAuley 7. Ciaran Thompson 8. Fiontan O’Connor 9 .Michael Morgan 10. Ronan O’Neill 11. Donal Walsh 12. Kristian Healy 13. Cormac Morgan 14. Gerard Crossey 15. Sean McBride
Kickham’s Creggan: 1. Leon Bonnes 2. Eathan Carey-Small, 3. Eunan Mc Ateer, 4. Jake Mc Ateer, 5. Aiden Maguire, 6. Jamie Mc Cann, (Dylan Himphey HT), 7. Killian Burke, 8. Lee Johnston, 9. Aiden Mc Keown (Dermot Mc Cann 20min), 10. Fintan Burke, 11. Paddy Coey, 12. Sam Maguire (Joe McAteer 45min), 13. Mathew Rogers, 14. Dominic McAteer (Diarmuid Mulholland), 15. Sean Duffin (Liam McCann 40min)
A strong second half performance saw St. John’s collect their first league points when they travelled to Cloney and defeated St. Mary’s by double scores. Conal McGlade, Conal Quinn and Ryan McNulty were in great scoring form for the visitors who still had a bit to do at half time where they led by three.
After the break St. Johns found another gear to add 0-11 to their first half total and had it not been for a couple of point blank saves from Ahoghill keeper, Paddy Dougan the margin of victory would have been even greater.
Ryan McNulty for the visitors and PJ O’Connell for the home side exchanged points in the opening minutes and further points from a Conal McGlade free and Padraig Nugent from play saw the Johnnies move 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after nine minutes.
James O’Connell replied for the home side but Padraig Nugent and Conal McGlade responded for the Whiterock men to move them three in front after 11 minutes play.
James O’Connell replied from a free as the home side fought to get themselves into the game and a PJ O’Connell point in reply to one from Ryan McNulty had the home side trailing by just the minimum with 21 minutes gone.
It was in the period leading up to half time that St. John’s began to get on top as Conal Quinn and Oisin Donnelly tagged on unanswered points to leave the visitors 0-7 to 0-4 ahead at the break.
Points from Conal Quinn, Conal McGlade and Adrian Oliver saw the Corrigan Park men extend their lead to six with only four minutes of the second half gone and Ahoghill looked in need of inspiration, even at this early juncture.
It was not forthcoming however with St. John’s moving the ball around confidently as they continued to find the target. Simon McDonagh got his name on the scoreboard and a couple from Conal Quinn had the visitors 10 in front by the 13th minute with the home side yet to register in the second half.
To their credit St. Mary’s kept battling against the odds and James O’Connell finally got them on their way as he pointed a free and added another from play in the 14th minute but even at this stage it looked a long way back.
O’Connell’s scores brought another sustained period of pressure from the visitors who were now moving the ball around with great confidence and Joseph Garland, Conal McGlade and Conor Hand were on target as the Corrigan Park side moved further ahead.
To their credit the home side were still battling against what had now become the inevitable with James O’Connell and Eamon Brady bringing their total to 0-8 but at this stage these were very much consolation scores as the damage had already been done.
Pearce Donnelly for St. John’s and the excellent James O’Connell for the home side exchanged late scores to bring the scoring to a conclusion as St. John’s recorded their first win of this year’s campaign following an opening day defeat to Portglenone while Ahoghill await their first victory.
Ahoghill: Paddy Dougan Eamon Brady James Magee Bernard Graham Dan O’Neill Finbar O’Neill Thomas McGlone Neill O’Connell Patrick Graham Eoin Graham James O’Connell Owen Neeson’s Connor Crossey PJ O’Connell Colla McDonnell
Subs: Donal Graham for Colla McDonnell half time, Colum Graham.
St. John’s: 1. Eoghan Rua 2. Conor McEvoy 3. Jack Bohill 4. Ciaran Garland 5. Oisin Donnelly 6. Adrian Oliver 7.Joseph Garland 8. Simon McDonagh 9. Ryan McNulty 10. Conor Hand 11. Padraig Nugent 12. Conal McGlade 13. Conal Quinn 14. Laughlin McCurdy 15. CJ Mckenna
Subs: Pearce Donnelly for CJ McKenna Conchur Adams for Laughlin McCurdy Dannan McKeough for Joseph Garland Darragh McCailin for Conal McGlade Louis Boyd for Conor McEvoy
Conal Quinn 0-4 Ryan McNulty 0-4 Conal McGlade 0-4 Padraig Nugent 0-2 Adrian Oliver 0-1 Pearce Donnelly 0-1 Joseph Garland 0-1 Simon McDonagh 0-1
Casement’s collected their second brace of points in a game that won’t live long in the memory of the large crowd gathered at Kelly Park on Sunday, with the blustery conditions playing its part on a low scoring contest.
Within the first few minutes of the game St Brigid’s were reduced to 14 men with their full back being shown a straight red card.
Casement’s used their numerical advantage to move into the lead with a long range free from Paddy Kelly in the 8th minute and this was followed by points from Niall McKeever and a lovely Michael Hagan score in the 15th minute.
St Brigid’s got their first score of the game with centre forward Niall Lundy finding the target but Casements replied and Paddy Kelly converted another free followed by 2 quick fire points from Ciaran McKenna in 23rd and 24th minutes.
It was all Casements at this stage but in the dying minutes of the first half St Brigid’s got their 2nd point of the game through Conor McAleer to leave the half time score of Casement’s 0.6 St Brigid’s 0.2
The visitors visitors had it all to do in the 2nd half but the 14 man Belfast side got off to a dream start with corner forward Conor McAleer fisting an inviting ball into the Casement’s goalmouth to the net in the 3rd minute, making it a one point game.
The rest of the second half turned into a scrappy contest with both teams playing men behind the ball and retaining possession.
Casement’s extended their lead with another Paddy Kelly free in the 12 th minute with St Brigid’s full forward Peter Webb replying from a point from play in the 16th minutes.
Michael Hagan added to his tally in the 24th minute to make it a 2 point game again. and the last 5 minutes of the game played out with the home side happy to retain possession and earn a 2 point victory over a very determined St Brigid’s team who battled hard despite being a man down.
Casement’s: 1. Ryan O’Neill 2 Ronan Delargy 3 Shane Delargy 4 Johnny Convery 5 Ryan Convery 6 Ruairí Hagan 7 Caolan Tierney 8 Niall Delargy 9 Niall McKeever 10 Aidan McAleese 11 Ciaran McKenna 12 Michael Kelly 13 Oisín Doherty 14 Paddy Kelly 15 Michael Hagan
Subs Ronan Kelly, Conall Delargy, Mark Graham, Paddy Carey
An unbelievable point with his left foot with virtually the last kick of the game earned St. Gall’s both points in a dour struggle at a wet and slippery Milltown but the visitors will be disappointed that they didn’t get something from the game.
They led 3-1 after 14 minutes and 4-2 in the period leading up to half time but the home side finished the half strongly to leave it 0-4 to 0-4 at the short whistle.
Niall Burns, who had a great game for the home side opened the scoring with an early point but Rossa came back strongly and Darren Grego, Michael McEnhill and Colm Fleming from a superbly struck ‘45’ had them two in front after 14 minutes play.
In a very cagey opening 15 minutes on a slippery surface St. Galls were finding it difficult to penetrate a well organised Rossa defence but Niall Burns closed the gap to one from a free before Adam Devlin edged the visitors two ahead again with an excellent score from play.
It was St. Gall’s who finished the half strongly however as Niall Fallon got on the end of a good move to fist over and Thomas Bunting added the final score of the half to leave it level at the break and all still to play for in the second half.
It was Sean Burn’s men who started the second half as they had finished the first with Burns ‘Junior’ pointing a close range free to give the Milltown side the lead for the first time and Niall Fallon followed with a great score from play to move St. Gall’s two in front and they seemed to be gaining the upper hand.
Rossa were having none of it however and Hugh McGettigan’s men came back strongly through Matthew Mallon and Adam Devlin to draw level as both sides battled for every ball in what was very difficult conditions.
It still looked like anybody’s game at this stage and St. Gall’s replied again with Cormac Bradley moving forward from defence to edge his side 0-7 to 0-6 ahead and another close range free from Niall Burns looked like getting the ‘Galls’ over the line as they moved two in front going into the closing stages.
The visitors kept battling away and earned the rewards of their labour when Michael McEnhill pointed a close range free and Ben McAuley levelled matters once more as the intensity and excitement increased.
A further exchange from Niall Burns with a pointed free from out on the right and Conall Shannon tied the contest at 0-9 apiece with the clock ticking down and a draw would have been a fair result but Pollock’s sublime strike late in the game gave St. Gall’s their first win, much to the delight of the Milltown faithful.
St. Gall’s: 1 Niall McCurdy, 2 Cormac Bradley, 3 Jack Hopkins, 4 Eoghan McCurdy, 5 Sean McCaffrey, 6 Marcus Donnelly, 7 Conall McGirr, 8 Thomas Bunting, 9 Cathal O’Kane, 10 Caolan Chada, 11 Niall Burns, 12 Conall Murray, 13 Niall Fallon, 14 Michael Pollock, 15 Conn Doherty, 17 Ryan Ervine, 18 Ruairi Wilson, 19 Conor Stinton, 20 Cormac Flannery, 21 Aodh Mullan, 22 Fergus Donnelly
Rossa: 1 Mick Byrne, 2 Ciaran Urchin, 3 Stephen Shannon, 4 Niall Crossan , 5 Patrick Moyes, 6 Chris McGuinness, 7 Conall McDonald, 8 Cormac McGettigan, 9 Pierce Shortt, 10 Dominic McEnhill, 12 Darren Grego, 13 Matthew Mallon, 14 Colm Fleming, 15 Eoghan McMeanman, 11 Michael McEnhill, 17 Conall Shannon, 18 Lorcan Fitzsimmons, 19 Ben McAuley, 20 Jack McGurk, 21 Jack Morris, 23 Adam Devlin, 24 Conor McGowan
