SFC Group 1

St John’s 1-11 Erin’s Own Cargin 4-15

‘Goals win prizes’ is the old adage which can oft time ring true and it was to be the case at Corrigan Park on Sunday when the reigning senior football Champions, Erin’s Own Cargin found the net on four occasions to ensure further progress in pursuit of another title.

The opening period saw little separating the second round contenders with the hosts seeking to gain their first victory in the competition and the West Belfast side were fully expected to give the Toome men a run for their money.

The Johnnies gave as-good as they got in the opening period and were on par 1-06 to 0-09 at the end of the first half.

Cargin were first on target as Tomas McCann and his nephew Sean O’ Neill raised early white flags apiece.

The Johnnies were ahead 0-05 to 0-03 by the 10^th minute as the trusty boot of Patrick Mc Bride earned a ‘two’ pointer followed by points apiece from Paddy Nugent and a further two from McBride to their side 0-05 to 0-03 ahead.

The Toome side were finding it difficult to claim the high kick-outs from net minder John McNabb and the broken ball was being swept up by the home side but by the 22^nd minute Cargin had moved ahead.

Conhuir Johnston split the posts after claiming the broken ball and when Gerard McCann rose highest to break the lofted delivery he rounded his marker to despatch to the back of the net and Tomas Mc Cann followed with a point to put the visitors into a 1-05 to 0-05 lead.

Sean O’ Neill’s 24^th minute point extended the advantage for the Toome men but the Johnnies replied in the latter stages with points from Conal Mc Glade 0-2 and Conal Quinn to ensure parity on the board as the game clock ticked towards the break.

A couple of stoppages in the opening period saw time added and Cargin looked to have benefitted when Sean O’ Neill pounced to seize the ‘broken ball’ on the ‘40’ and broke forward but St John’s net minder McDonnell stood tall to deny him and it remained 1-06 to 0-09 at the break.

The early minutes of the second half saw both sides battle for the lead and in the event it was the Cargin net minder John McNabb who broke the deadlock as he fired between the posts in the 34^th minute.

That lead was short lived as mid-fielder Patrick Nugent rose highest to punch a Patrick Mc Bride cross to the net and the home side were back ahead and question were being asked of the reigning champions.

St. John’s were reduced in number in the 38^th minute as corner back Jack Bohill was shown Black with Tomas Mc Cann despatching the award between the posts and he added a two pointer after John McNabb was fouled to put the visitors 1-09 to 1-08 ahead.

Conor Adam’s pointed in response to a Michael Mc Cann white at the other end to reduce the gap to the minimum again but Cargin were about to take a firm hold of the proceedings and James Laverty placed Kevin O’ Boyle to race forward to find the net.

St. John’s tried to respond but Cargin were now on top and brother’s Michael and Thomas McCann combined to place Benen Kelly for another goal and the visitors were 3-09 to 1-10 ahead.

Erin’s Own continued to press forward and Tomas McCann added another point before St. Johns lost a player to a second yellow card and it looked as good as over at this stage.

The Toome side were certainly in the driving seat as the clock ticked down as Conhuir Johnston found the net again, and added a point shortly after and Sean O’ Neill followed quickly with another.

Cargin finished on top and John Mc Nabb added another point with Tomas Mc Cann following suit to see them comfortably home and a place in the quarter-final secured.

Cargin: John McNabb (0-02), Kevin O’ Boyle (1-00), Kevin Mc Shane, Ronan Gribbin (0-01), Benen Kelly (1-00), Conan Johnston, Jack O’ Neill, John Carron, Gerard Mc Cann, David Johnston, James Laverty, Sean og O’ Neill (0-03), Conhuir Johnston (2-03), Michael Mc Cann (0-01), Tomas Mc Cann (0-05*)

Subs

Jack Harney

Brendan Laverty

St John’s: D Mc Donnell, Jack Bohill, Enda Mc Gurk, Oisin Jackson, Ronan Quinn, Sean Wilson, Conor Mc Avoy, Paddy Nugent (1-00), Ronan Mc Neilly (0-03), Catha Mc Glade (0-01), Patrick Mc Bride (0-4), Oran Mc Auley, Conal Quinn (0-01), Andy Mc Gowan, Conor Adams (0-02)

Referee: C McDonald (St Gall’s)

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Graham Tarmac Junior Football Championship

Round 2 at St Paul’s

Eire Og 5-14 Wolfe Tones 1-05

Eire Og booked their place in the knock-our stages of the Junior Football Championship when they beat Wolfe Tones in Saturday’s Round 2 game at Pairc Pól, Shaws Road.

After playing with the breeze in the first half Eire Og were ten point to the good at half time, but Wolfe Tones had fared OK in that first half, scoring three points. There were those who felt the Greencastle men could still make a game of it in the second period, but Eire Og were having none of it and two goals inside the first minute of the second half all but sealed the win.

Points from Mark Graham and Stephen Erskine were followed by a Kevin Clarke goal and Eire Og were up and running. Peter McDermot opened the Wolfe Tones account with a well taken point on eight minutes but Eire Og kept the pressure on and five in a row from Kevin Clarke, Conor Erskine and Conall Smyth (3) helped Eire Og push on to a 1-10 to 0-3 lead at half time.

If the Tones were to get back into the game then they needed a good start to the second half, but it was Eire Og who sprung from the traps and after two goals inside a minute from Erskine and Ronan Donnelly it became clear there would be no way back for the Greencastle side. They did pull a goal back late in the half but Eire Og were out of sight by this time as they move to the top of Group 2. There are still two games remaining in the group stages but if Eirie Og can maintain this form they must be fancied to clinck a semi-final spot.

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Northern Switchgear Antrim SFC – Round 2 – Fr Maginn Park

Glenravel 3-14  Aldergrove 2-11. 

As both of these teams had failed to register round robin league points in their opening games and both face challenging final round matches, the stakes were high in this Northern Switchgear Senior football championship game played in bright sunshine at Fr Maginn park on Sunday. Given the significance of the outcome the game was feisty in nature with referee Colin Thompson deploying every colour of card available to him as individual battles crossed the line on several occasions requiring Thompson and his team of officials to take disciplinary action – but in truth, this was just the cut and thrust of championship football with two teams intent on winning. In the end it was the home side who finished six points to the good at the final whistle but they were six points adrift playing with wind assistance and only ten minutes of the first half remaining. They rallied well in those final minutes to go in two points ahead of the opposition leaving the home supporters a lot happier. 

Ryan McQuillan and Seamas McGarry opened for both teams before Corey Fogarty and Ronan Hanna nudged the visitors ahead. Sean McKay pegged one back for Con Magees but Aldergrove stretched their lead to six points with twenty one minutes played as Seamas McGarry and Ronan Hanna pointed and in between Declan Gough found the net as the airport men proved a lot more efficient in the scoring zone. Glenravel had probably more of the possession but squandered several chances at this stage through wayward shooting. That six point gap playing with the wind at their backs was starting to look ominous for the home side. But then the first real period of domination kicked in and Glenravel would put over six unanswered points from Sean McKay (0-03 1tp), Fergus Donaghy, Ryan McQuillan and Eamon Ward to put the teams level. And when Niall Hynds netted in first half injury time Glenravel had moved from six points down to three ahead – a pivotal move in a closely fought game. Corey Fogarty pointed for Aldergrove in the final move off the first half so both teams retired to the dressing rooms with Glenravel ahead by two points 1-08 to 1-06.

The question on everyone’s lips was “was a two point advantage enough having played with strong wind assistance in the first half”? There were doubters in the crowd and they would have felt justified as Aldergrove came out all guns blazing with a Ronan Hanna goal straight after the re-start followed by three points from the same player and suddenly they were four points to the good. Glenravel started to offload from the bench in an effort to wrestle control back and that they did when Eamon Fyfe was pulled to the floor as he was about to pull the trigger on goal. The same player made no mistake from the penalty spot and then levelled affairs with a great point leaving both teams on 2-09 and only a quarter of the game remaining. All to play for.

Ryan McQuillan and Seamus McGarry would add a couple of points each to leave an even game at 2-11 each and five minutes of normal time remaining. In those closing minutes though Glenravel really dominated play. The impressive Colla Ward was sprung from the bench and announced his arrival with a well taken point and a couple of minutes later the same player found the net to leave the home side four points ahead. Aldergroves’ shoulders fell after that goal and they seemed to accept their fate as Aidan O’Donnell and Sean McKay added two further points and seal a six point victory for the men in green and white.

Glenravel now face Rossa in their final game and Aldergrove, who finished the game with thirteen players, now take on a very fancied Portglenone team in the final round of the round robin series. 

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