Antrim Football League – Division 2

St Agnes 1-06 Glenavy 2-13

Report and pics by Bert Trowlen

Newly promoted St Agnes welcomed Glenavy to Woodlands for a highly anticipated Antrim Football League Division 2 clash. Despite a spirited and promising display from the home side, it was Glenavy who demonstrated superior control throughout the game, proving to be the dominant force on the day and running out deserving 2-13 to 1-06 winners. Glenavy set out their stall early, applying pressure and dictating the pace. Young forward Finn Shannon opened the scoring for the visitors with a well-taken free early in the match. The turning point of the first half came in the seventh minute when Glenavy’s Michael Morgan found the back of the net to give his side a crucial early cushion. The Aggies battled hard to establish a foothold, but Glenavy’s defense held firm, and Shannon continued his fine form by tapping over another free shortly after to extend the visitors’ lead heading into the break.

The second half saw an uptick in intensity, but Glenavy struck a heavy blow right out of the gates. Seven minutes after the restart, Shannon fired past the St Agnes keeper to grab Glenavy’s second goal of the afternoon. By the twelfth minute, Shannon added another point from a free, firmly putting his team in the driver’s seat. However, St Agnes refused to roll over. At the fourteen-minute mark, Conall Turley stepped up to nail a crucial two-point free, sparking a revival for the home side. Just three minutes later, Brian Crossan delivered one of the scores of the game, splitting the posts with a magnificent long-range effort from play. Glenavy quickly capitalized on a defensive breach in the nineteenth minute; catching St Agnes with only two players forward, they worked the ball up the pitch, resulting in another converted free for the relentless Shannon.

The Aggies showcased exactly why they earned promotion with a beautiful, sweeping team move in the twentieth minute, finished off brilliantly by Cormac McBride. Five minutes later, St Agnes goalkeeper Colum Carroll kept his team’s hopes alive with an absolutely stunning point-blank save. Feeding off their keeper’s heroics, the Aggies worked another fantastic team score in the twenty-ninth minute, with Crossan once again applying the finishing touch. However, Glenavy had the final say, with Shannon capping off his phenomenal scoring exhibition with a final free in the dying moments. The victory was built on strong performances across the pitch for Glenavy, with Ciaran Loney orchestrating in midfield alongside the imposing Ben McCambridge, while Tim Honeyford and James Monaghan proved difficult to contain. While Glenavy thoroughly deserved the victory, St Agnes can take plenty of positives from the fixture. Last year#s Junior champions clearly have the talent and the structural promise to compete in Division 2, and with a bit more belief, the potential is certainly there for future success.

St Agnes 1- Colum Carroll, 2- Keevan Og Grieve, 3- Patrick Carroll, 4- Killian McCormick, 5- Conor Gregory, 6- Mark Caldwell, 7- Kevin Floyd, 8- Matthew Corr, 9- Barry McCrea, 10- Paudie Meehan, 11- Cormac McBride, 12- Conall Turley, 13- Shay Madden, 14- Brian Crossan, 15- David McGaharan.

Glenavy 1- Matthew Lawlor, 2- Tim Honeyford, 3- Darragh Doherty, 4- Ruairi Forester, 5- Pearse O’Neill, 6- Conor Hamill, 7- Jonathan Phillips, 8- Darragh Moore, 9- Ciaran Loney, 10- James Monaghan, 11- Patrick Gallagher, 12- Odhran Arthurs, 13- Michael Morgan, 14- Darragh Armstrong, 15- Finn Jack Shannon.

Footnote – Michael McCourt, who came on as a sub for Glenavy midway through the second half was playing in his 27th season for St Joseph’s.

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ACFL Division One 

Lámh Dhearg 1-14-1-15 Portglenone 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

Despite trailing 1-12-1-3 less than 10-minutes into the second half, Portglenone battled back and claimed a dramatic 1-15-1-14 victory over a shell-shocked Lámh Dhearg at Hannahstown on Sunday afternoon. 

Jack Davitt’s goal gave the hosts a deserved lead after a largely dominant opening 40-minutes, but the Ports utilised their shooting from range and landed five two-pointers scores in the remainder of the game, the last two coming in added time to seal a fantastic comeback win and make it back-to-back victories. 

Lámh Dhearg hit the front when Ryan Murray launched a free direct and into the path of brother Conor to steer the ball over. 

Murray doubled his account from a converted free and made it three from three attempts after Niall McGarry fed him, and the former Antrim forward jinked into a shooting position and popped over. 

The Hannahstown side extended their advantage when Terry McCrudden took a lay-off from Adam Murray and swung over. 

Portglenone showed their attacking threat and could count themselves unfortunate when a fiercely struck shot from Sean Byrne crashed off the underside of the crossbar and out. 

Just before the midway point in the opening half Michael Kelly clipped a high shot over the bar to get his side up and running. 

A high angled attempt from Terry McCrudden dropped over at the near post and Jack Davitt burst forward and popped over as Lámh Dhearg opened up a 0-6-0-1 lead. 

Aidan McAleese grabbed his sides second score from a free and just over 60-seconds later the reduced arrears to the bare minimum with the games opening goal. 

After the resulting kick out from McAleese’s score was broken and won by Conor McGhee the visitors streamed forward with patience until the ball was slipped into the path of Paddy Graffin to slam home, 

In response, Mark Finnegan converted a straight forward free, Conor Murray swept over his fourth of the half and fourth from play, and on the stroke of the break – Adam Murray kicked a 45’ over the bar as the hosts held a 0-9-1-2 lead at halfway. 

Early in the second half a Mark Finnegan two-pointed free attempt dropped short and was partially parried by Kevin Mullan, with Conor Murray on hand to hook the ball over. 

At the other end Ronan Kelly got his side up and running from a converted free, but it was Lámh Dhearg who continued to show their efficiency. 

Jack Davitt doubled his account for the afternoon with a high shot that bounced over, Ryan Murray then carried the ball forward and shot over and when Kevin Mullan’s resulting kick-out was gathered by Terry McCrudden- he strode forward and slipped a simple pass to Jack Davitt to steer home and make it 1-12-1-3. 

Points were traded through Ronan Kelly and Ryan Murray (free) before the opening two-pointed score arrived courtesy of the boot of Ronan Kelly to give his side a much needed boost with little under a quarter of an hour remaining. 

Just over 60-seconds later Michael Hagan guided a high shot over the bar and suddenly the Lámhs advantage had reduced by a third. 

A second point of the game from Lámhs goalscorer Davitt had briefly halted the Ports momentum, though the visitors regained it and successive two-pointed frees from Aidan McAleese within a three-minute period saw their deficit half further (1-14-1-11). 

It was a backs to the wall job for the Lámhs, they continued to hold their three-point advantage until injury time when the pressure finally told, 

A third two-pointer from Aidan McAleese and his first from play ensured just a point separated the sides and when they turned over the resulting kick out the intention was clear to get another which arrived through Ronan Kelly to cap a stunning turnaround, having been 1-12-1-3 down on the 38th minute. 

There was still time for Lámh Dhearg to respond but Portglenone stood firm and saw out the remaining time to take the two-points and victory from the jaws of defeat. 

LÁMH DHEARG: J Finucane, N McGarry, D Smyth, R Diamond, B Rice, D Lynch, D Martin, P FItzsimons, C Boyd, R Murray (0-2, 0-1f), T McCrudden (0-2), M Finnegan (0-1), A Murray, C Murray (0-5, 0-1f), J Davitt (1-3). SUBS: J Quinn for M Finnegan (30), D Mulholland for R Diamond (54). 

PORTGLENONE: K Mullan, R Delargy, D McNicholl, R Convery, C McGhee, M Kelly (0-1), K O’Kane, A McAleese (0-7, 1×0-2pt, 2×0-2ptf,0-1f), S Kelly, D McAleese, P Graffin (1-0), R Kelly (0-4, 1×0-2pt, 0-1f), M Hagan, (0-1), S Byrne. SUBS: R Hagan for K O’Kane (19), R Moore for D McNicholl (47), 
REFEREE: Collie Thompson (St JOHNS)

ACFL Division One 

St Galls 1-13-0-15 Sarsfields 

Kevin Herron reports from Milltown 

St Galls made it two wins from two with a hard fought 1-13-0-15 win over a determined Sarsfields side at Milltown on Sunday morning. 

The Paddies were first off the mark through a Daniel Smyth free after the hosts were penalised for an overcarrying offence within the first two minutes. 

Manus McCrossan restored parity from Barra McCaffrey’s lay-off and the sides continued to trade scores until the half concluded. 

Sarsfields lead was restored when Kevin Barry McArdle burst forward and popped over, though a close range Daniel Quinn free levelled things. 

Smyth doubled his account after Jay Maguire was felled and Maguire would extend his side’s lead after Cormac Murray claimed a mark from Chris Kerr’s kick-out and played a direct pass into Maguire to swing over. 

In response St Galls notched up three unanswered points to lead for the first time. Gerard O’Neill charged forward from defence, played a one-two and dropped over an angled point. 

O’Neill then turned provider, winning a loose ball in midfield and switching the play to Quinn to score his second of the half, and Quinn added to his tally after Caolan McKernan conceded a free that was moved forward for dissent. 

A fine Garry Lennon score had the sides level for the fourth time and a minute shy of the interval Daniel Smyth converted his third free of the half to ensure his side held a slender 0-6-0-5 advantage at the midway point in proceedings. 

Sarsfields made a lightning start to the second half with points from Philip McPeake and Cormac Mulligan giving them a three-point cushion. 

At the other end a goal opportunity presented itself when Dubhaltach Wilson popped the ball across and Niall Fallon could only palm the ball over the bar rather than to the net, nonetheless the hosts were up and running for the second period. 

A high Tomas Skillen shot dropped over after good work in the build-up by Philip McPeake and Conor Glenholmes. 

St Galls had the opportunity to net the opening goal in the 37th minute when Callum Walsh was brought to ground by Conor Laverty and referee Brendan Toland signalled for a penalty. 

Walsh himself took the penalty, but despite sending Michael Brady the wrong way, he rolled his penalty wide of the post. 

Successive scores from Manus McCrossan and Daniel Quinn (free) closed arrears to the bare minimum, before Garry Lennon tapped over a close-range free that was awarded for a breach. 

Points were traded between Conall Murray and Tomas Skillen as the game entered the final quarter with a nine-minute purple patch ultimately deciding the game. 

Ten minutes after Walsh’s penalty miss, St Galls found the net and led for just the second time. 

Niall Fallon threaded a pass into the path of Daniel Quinn and he swept the ball beyond Brady into the corner to make it 1-9-0-11. 

Almost instantly Dubhaltach Wilson popped over and converted Quinn free was his side’s third score in the space of two minutes. 

Substitute Tomas Skillen landed his third point since his introduction to briefly halt the hosts momentum, though Callum Walsh swung over and the lively Gerard O’Neill doubled his tally for the afternoon to open up a 1-13-0-12 lead. 

Sarsfields didn’t go down quietly as talisman Daniel Smyth clipped over a free and then sent over an angled two-pointer to reduce the deficit to the bare minimum again. 

The visitors were unable to find an equaliser in the closing minutes however as St Galls held on to secure back-to-back league victories. 

ST GALLS: C Kerr, G O’Neill (0-2), A McDonagh, E McCurdy, C Murray (0-1), D Wilson (0-1), L Lynn, M McCrossan (0-2), A Gallagher, M Murray, D Quinn (1-5, 0-4f), O Delaney, B McCaffrey, C Walsh (0-1), N Fallon (0-1). SUBS: J McCaffrey for O Delaney (HT), M Shannon for E McCurdy (52). 

SARSFIELDS: M Brady, M McPolin, C Laverty, KB McArdle (0-1), P McPeake (0-1), C McKernan, J Ward, E Mervyn, C Murray, D Smyth (0-6, 0-4f, 1×0-2pt), C Glenholmes, J Maguire (0-1), C McMahon, P Murray, G Lennon (0-2, 0-1f). SUBS: C Mulligan (0-1) for P Murray (HT), T Skillen (0-3) for C McMahon (HT), S Walsh for E Mervyn (38), D Coleman for S Walsh (57). 

REFEREE: Brendan Toland (LÁMH DHEARG)

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ACFL Division 1

Moneyglass 0-11 Creggan 5-19

Kickham’s Creggan continue to set the early pace in the ACFL Division 1 and after an opening day win in Cargin they lowered the flag of another neighbour, St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass in Moneyglass on Sunday.

The visitors opened strongly and were 1-2 to 0-0 ahead after 10 minutes with their points coming from Conor Small before Liam Quinn fired home the game’s opening goal.

Aidan McErlain finally got the hosts off the mark with a point in the 13^th minute but Creggan replied through Shea McCann 0-2 and Liam Quinn before Ruairi McCann fired home their second goal with 19 minutes gone.

It was all Creggan at this point as Joe McAteer 0-2, Conor Johnston, Dominic McAteer and Ruairi McCann added points but St. St. Ergnat’s showed some response on the lead up to half time.

Seanchan Duffin, Aidan McErlain 0-3 and Sean Boyd weighed in with points but they looked to have a lot to do if they were going to get back into contention in the second half.

Despite leading by 10 points, there would be no let up from Creggan on the restart as they struck with a third goal through Kealan McCann after five minutes to add to points from Conor Johnston and Dominic McAteer.

St. Ergnat’s opened the half better themselves and recorded points from Tyler Cassidy and Aidan McErlain and an impressive 2 pointer from Conor O’Kane but even at this early juncture it looked like an exercise in damage limitation.

The Kickham’s were in rampant mood with Conor Small and Ruairi McCann adding further goals and a flurry of points coming from Conor Johnston 0-2, Shea McCann 0-2, Sean Duffin and Fintan Kelly.

To their credit Moneyglass fought hard to the end but could only add two further points from Tyler Cassidy and their best player on the day, Aidan McErlain.

This was a solid performance from the Division 1 league holders and while it’s early days they could well be in the running to retain that title come seasons end.

Newly promoted Moneyglass have found the going tough in their opening few games but when they get all their players back on board things will improve as they look forward to the visit of St. Mary’s Aghagallon on Saturday the 4^th April.

Moneyglass: 1 James McLaughlin, 2 Bobby Kennedy, 3 Zach McCaughan, 4 Matthew Mullan, 5 Connor O’Hare, 6 Paul Duffin, 7 Eunan McErlain, 8 Seanchan Duffin, 9 Conleth McCann, 10 Callum Murray, 11 Colum Duffin, 12 Sean Boyd, 13 Tyler Cassidy, 14 Aidan McErlain, 15 Caolan Boyd

Creggan: 1 Hoisin Kerr, 2 Sam Maguire, 3 Eunan Cater, 4 Aidan Maguire, 5 Anton Martin, 6 Ethan Carey-Small, 7 Dominic McAteer, 8 Jamie McCann, 9 Kealan McCann, 10 Shea McCann, 11 Liam Quinn, 12 Ruairi McCann, 13 Joe McAteer, 14 Conor Small, 15 Conor Johnston, 20 Aidan McKeown

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