O’Neill Sportsear Division 2 Football League

Glenravel 0-15  Aldergrove 1-07

Glenravel emerged victorious in this top of the table clash in Antrim’s ACFL Div 2. Played in good spirit, referee Karol Doherty did a fine job in letting the game flow and both teams served up some great football including superb long range points from play. Two points ahead at half time Glenravel put in a good second half and ended five points to the good but at no time would they have felt comfortable given the incessant attacking play from the men in red. 

Daniel McQuillan opened the scoring in the first minute off his left boot and four minutes later Rian Lennon pointed from a similar position this time with the right foot. Cormac McGarry reduced the deficit to a single point but back came the home team with three unanswered points from Daniel McQuillan again and Cormac McKeown. Aldergrove were starting to enjoy a bit more possession and Declan Gough kept their scoresheet ticking over with a brilliant score on the run from forty meters; this was followed minutes later with the game’s only goal when Aldergrove sliced through the home defence leaving Anthony Kidney one on one with the keeper and he duly dispatched the ball to the back of the net to level the game with six minutes to go to half time. In those final minutes though Glenravel wrestled back control and Eoin Hynds ensured they went in at the break two ahead with a couple of well taken scores. 

Glenravel had a good start to the second half with three points from Daniel McQuillan and Cormac McKeown stretching their lead to five. Aldergrove came back with points from midfielder Ryan Owens and James McGarry who was starting to pose a greater threat. McQuillan pointed again for the home team but back came Aldergrove with a brace of points from McGarry so we entered the final quarter with the home team two points to the good on an 0-11 to 1-06 scoreline. Cormac McKeown pointed from long range to open a three point gap but this was quickly cancelled by another score from McGarry, this time from a free. The final ten minutes was dominated by Glenravel and they went on to record three more unanswered points to leave the final score Glenravel 0-15 Aldergrove 1-07. 

Both teams face local derby matches in their next outing with Glenravel taking on neighbours and table toppers All Saints whilst Aldergrove host Glenavy. Both matches scheduled for Wednesday, June 7th. 

ACFL Division 2

All Saints 2-14 Gort na Mona 0-6

All Saints proved too good for a disappointing Gort na Mona in the first game of the second phase of the ACFL Division 2 in Ballymena on Sunday. The visitors were still in with a shout as half time approached when they had their keeper Black carded for dissent.

Gort na Mona trailed by 2-4 to 0-4 at this stage of the game and conceded no further goals in the second half but were able to add only two further points to their first half total while the league leaders continued to score at will.

It was visitors Gort na Mona who made a bright start at Slemish Park with a point in the second minute but the Enright Park side only flattered to deceive as All Saints replied with four unanswered points to put themselves in a strong position.

James McDonnell, Ronan McKillop and Benny McDonnell 0-2 were the men on target and when James McDonnell got forward for the game’s opening goal in the 12^th minute they had taken control.

Two minutes later Kavan Keenan rattled the Gort na Mona net for the second time and even at this early juncture it was hard to see a way back for a Gort na Mona side who were struggling to produce their early season form.

They did manage to add three points to their opening score but All Saints replied with one from Benny McDonnell and the ‘Gorts’ cause wasn’t helped when they lost their keeper to a Black card as the game moved into time added on.

The home side started the second half on the front foot as Benny McDonnell added two early points and another from Ciaran McGarry had the home side 9 ahead with nine minutes of the second half gone.

Peter McReynolds added another before Gort na Mona finally opened their second half account with a point in the 16^th minute.

The visitors would add only two more points as All Saints finished with a flurry and Benny McDonnell, Ronan McKillop, James McDonnell, Ciaran McGarry, Luke O’Rawe and ‘Pizza’ McReynolds raised further white flags for the home side.

All Saints: 1 Ryan Stewart, Eoin Walsh, 2 James Gillan, 4 Cal O’Brien, 5 Michael Read, 6 Sean O’Callaghan, 7 James McDonnell, 8 Sean McVeigh, 9 Emmet Killough, 10 Ciaran McGarry, Kavan Keenan, Brendan McDonnell, Ronan McKillop, Peter McReyunolds, Luke O’Rawe.

Subs: Eoin Campbell for Kavan Keenan, Shea O’Brien for Sean McVeigh, Patrick Ferris for Michael Read, Matthew Downey for James Gillan, Darach Bradley for Brendan McDonnell

O’Neill’s Sportswear ACFL Division 2

Davitt’s 0-12 Aldergrove 0-8

Davitt’s recovered from a slow start to beat Aldergrove in Wednesday evening’S Division 2 League game at Davitt Park, a win that lifts them into the top half of the table.

Aldergrove, who have been riding high in recent weeks, started the game strongly and after nine minutes they led by 0-3 to 0-0, the points coming from Declan Gough, in the opening minute, Brian McQuillan in the5th minute and full forward Seamus McGarry in the 9^th. Everything appeared to be going to plan for the Crumlin men, but incredibly they would not score again for the remainder of the opening half as slowly but surely Davitt’s began to find their feet. Man of the match Gerard Slane opened their account from a long range free on 13 minutes and two minutes later full forward Caoimhan Slane added another. A great move, the length of the field saw Sullivan draw the Falls Road men level on 17 minutes and they hit the front for the first time when Gerard Slane converted his second free on 21 minutes. Davitt’s controlled build up was working wonders and they went on to add three more before half time through Jay Maguire, Gerad Slane and Caoimhan Slane to lead by 0-7 to 0-3 at the break.

Aldergrove ended a 25 minutes scoreless spell with a point in the fourth minute of the second half, as centre forward Brian McQuillan hit the target but man of the match Slane came back with one at the other end to restore the home side’s four point cushion.  Two quick points from Seamus McGarry and Ronan Hanna brought Aldergrove back to within two at the end of the third quarter and things began to look more positive for the visitors, but Slane came back with his fifth point of the game to widen the gap to three.

With ten minutes left to play Aldergrove corner forward Ronan Hanna got his team back to within two with a well taken point, but yet again Slane had a reply. Seamus McGarry grabbed another point for the visitors on 60 minutes, but Conor Dobbin had the final say for Davitt’s to seal a four point win.

DAVITT’S

Liam McGivern, Caoimhin Rainey, Jason Park, Conor Toner, John Sullivan, Anto Morgan, Jack scally, Anthony Rowntree, Michael Connolly, Christopher Laverty, Gerard Slane, Jay Maguire, Padraig McParland, Caoimhan Slane, Nathan Maginn.

ALDERGROVE

Shane O’Neill, David Aiken, Eoin Gough, Christopher McVeigh, Conor Browning, Andy Flood,  Gerard Mallon, Christopher Browning, Conleth Hendron, Declan Gough, Brian McQuillan, Ryan Owens, Ronan Hanna, Seamus McGarry, Oisin Graham.

Referee – Colin Mallon

ACFL Division 2

All Saints 4-13 St. Patrick’s Lisburn 0-9

Ronan ‘Rhino’ McKillop showed his reaction to being substituted at Aldergrove last Wednesday night, and undoubtedly the reaction his manager Liam Bradley would have wanted, when he top scored for All Saints against St. Patrick’s Lisburn in Ballymena on Sunday.

McKillop scored 2-3 for the home side, all from play and with his partner in crime, Benny McDonnell was a constant threat to a St. Patrick’s side who are still looking for their first win in the division having gained promotion from division 3 last year.

McDonnell has hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks and has been a consistent scorer from both play and frees and he contributed another impressive 1-5 as his side coasted to a convincing victory over the Lisburn side.

Luke O’Rawe is another who has stepped up to the plate. The big duel player played most of his football for the reserve side prior to this year but Liam Bradley obviously saw something that previous managers have missed and big Luke has answered the call and weighed in with 1-1 on Sunday.

All Saints have 19 points from 11 starts this season with 8 wins and three draws and as they go into the second half of the season after the split, they will probably look back with some regret at those draws.

In all three occasions All Saints led going into the closing stages but were caught and the one that will really rankle is their draw at Davitt’s where they led by five at one stage but lost their way and were fortunate in the end to get the draw.

However I’m sure ‘Baker’ Bradley and his backroom team would have taken what they have at the start of the season and while the league is only at the halfway stage they are in a fighting position for one of the promotion places.

All Saints: Ryan Stewart, Eoin Walsh, James Gillan, Cal O’Brien, Michael Read, Shaun O’Callaghan, James McDonnell (0-1) , Emmet Killough, Sean McVeigh, Ciaran McGarry, Kavan Keenan (0-1), Brendan McDonnell (1-5) , Matthew Downey, Ronan McKillop (2-3) , Luke O’Rawe (1-1).

Subs: Shea O’Brien for Emmet Killough, Peter McReynolds (0-1) for Kavan Keenan, Eoin Campbell (0-1) for Ciaran McGarry, Joe Rafferty for James Gillan