Intermediate Football Championship Group 2 – Round 1

Wednesday 31^st July

Report by Niall Kelly 

Padraig Sarsfields 1-13   Davitts 0-03

Sarsfields opened up their account in Group 2 of their Intermediate Football campaign with some to spare thanks to a dominant second half performance against neighbours Davitts at the Bear Pit on Wednesday evening. Much of the opening half was a tight and cagey affair with both sides grappling for the ascendancy and scores at a premium. However, with twenty minutes on the clock, Davitts were forced to deal with the dismissal of their keeper and dead ball marksman in chief, Aaron Slane.

Unfortunately for the visitors, this was telling in the end as they succumbed to the numerical advantage. Sarsfields would go on to notch up 1-08 in the second half without anything in reply from the Falls Road men. By the time Sarsfields midfielder, Cormac Murray, had slotted home the game’s only goal midway through the second half, it was game over.

The opening exchanges saw both teams playing some slick, fluid football through the hands with each having sustained periods of possession as scores were tit for tat. Phillip McPeake got the scoreboard ticking over for the hosts with a well taken point from the right flank on the fifth minute. Michael Connolly responded though for Davitts two minutes later curling over his effort to split the posts after latching on to an imaginatively disguised pass from Gerard Slane.

Both were methodical in their approach, biding their time and awaiting the right opportunity to penetrate. Unsurprisingly, the next two white flags were brandished from the placed ball as Aaron Slane and Garry Lennon traded frees and the scores remained deadlocked after 14 minutes. The Paddies then looked to inject a bit more pace and dynamism to their game and were rewarded when Brian Healy played an innovative one-two soccer style with Connor Laverty before arrowing his effort between the posts from range. Healy, who was in sparkling form throughout the sixty, then doubled his tally on the twentieth minute with a monster effort from range.

The visitors disputed the validity of the score believing it to have sailed just wide. Their shot-stopper then received his marching orders for something said during his dissent and despite a bright start, they now faced an uphill battle.

Immediately, Sarsfields sought about pressing home their advantage but failed to capitalise by putting the finishing touches on some great approach play. Davitts then manufactured a chance of their own which was finished off in style by Anthony Hargan after Niall McParland had commandeered possession in midfield with an outstanding fetch. However, this would prove to be their final score of the game though as they struggled to fashion chances with Sarsfields turning the screw.  The half was capped off with an excellent score from the host’s full forward, Garry Lennon, as the sides retreated to the changing rooms with the score 0-05 0-03 in favour of the men in green and black.

There can be little doubt that the Paddies management would’ve emphasised the importance of upping the ante in the second half and capitalising on their man advantage and this is exactly what came to fruition. The home side produced a dominant thirty minutes maintaining a stranglehold on proceedings throughout.

The hosts accumulated a further four points in the opening ten minutes of the second period thanks to Lennon once again, Daniel Smyth and two from the ever-dangerous Healy as the scoreboard was looking all the more ominous for the visitors.

With the game slipping away, Davitts were in dire need of a score. To their credit, they refused to surrender and looked to spring on the counterattack whenever the opportunity arose, pushing bodies forward in an attempt to chip into the deficit. However, they just couldn’t make it stick on the scoreboard. With gaps appearing in defence, the home side exploited these masterfully and sounded the death knell on the 45^th minute as Cormac Murray latched on to Tomas Skillen’s pass before blasting to the net from close range.

Sarsfields would not relent and pressed forward in their droves as McPeake doubled his tally with a fisted effort from close range. Tomas Skillen then got his name on the scoresheet before man of the match Brian Healy tapped over a free from close range.

With the game effectively all but over, the flow was interrupted with a few off the ball spats as tempers threatened to boil over with the contest approaching its climax. Ray Mathews was forced to flourish his yellow card in a few directions. Healy then tapped over his sixth of the game in injury time to see his side home with thirteen points to spare and just before our customary Irish summer rain.

With both teams devoid of a few starting regulars, it will be interesting to see how the rest of their campaigns pan out. With fifteen on the pitch, Davitts were well in contention and will hope for better results in the future if they can play to their potential. For Sarsfields, they have been knocking on the door in recent years with two consecutive semi-final appearances. An opening win is always important to lay a marker down and they hope it will inspire big performances down the line to perhaps go one further this year.

Sarsfields:

M Brady; P Murray, C Laverty, M McPolin; C McDonnell, L Mitchell, C Loughran; C Murray (1-00,) C Moley; C Glenholmes, D Smyth 0-01, S Walsh; P McPeake (0-02,) G Lennon (0-03,) B Healy (0-06)

Substitute scorer:

T Skillen (0-01)

Davitts:

A Slane (0-01;) C Rainey, P McKinney, C Toner; J Scally, A Hargan (0-01,) O O’Kane; D Mooney, N McParland; N Maginn, G Slane, P McLaughlin; A Rowntree, M Connolly (0-01,) CJ Sullivan

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IFC Group 2 Round 1

All Saints 3-12 Gort na Mona 0-11

All Saints got their Group 2 Intermediate championship campaign off to a winning start but it didn’t quite turn out the route that some had predicted. The Ballymena side played their football in Division 1 this year while Gort na Mona finished close to bottom of division 2 and for a time during the opening half the gap looked obvious.

The Quinn Park side seemed to be coasting to an easy victory when they led 2-7 to 0-2 at the halfway stage thanks to goals from Michael McCarry and Conor Stewart but it was a different story in the second half.

The Turf Lodge side stepped up their game considerably after the break and kicked the first three points and might have had a goal but Dessie McClean shot weakly into the arms of All Saints keeper, Connor Brennan when well placed.

A goal then would have made it interesting but they did go on to add two further points by the 16^th minute to out-score the favourites 0-6 to 0-1 and close the gap to eight.

A second converted penalty from Michael McCarry in the 22^nd minute, All Saints second score of the half, put paid to any notions of a comeback as the division 1 side pushed on to win by 10 in the end but manager Liam Bradley will not have been happy by his side’s performance.

It was Gort na Mona who carried the early threat but the visitors kicked a couple of wides before All Saints took the lead with two points from Michael McCarry and it was the Ballymena number 11 who would carry the greatest scoring threat for his side throughout.

McCarry’s goal from the penalty spot and two further points from the same player and points from Paddy McAleer, Sean O’Callaghan, Cal O’Brien and Sean McVeigh added to Conor Stewart’s goal saw the home side 11 ahead at the break with Tim Scannell and Tarlach Enright on target for the visitors.

The excellent Enright, Christopher Carson, Eamon Scannell, Tarlach Enright, and Matthew Park had it back to eight by the 16^th minute as Gort na Mona denied their hosts space and time and all the momentum was with the men from the Mona Byepass.

McCarry’s second penalty conversion settled All Saints with Connell Lemon 0-2 and Conor Stewart adding points in reply to points from Dessie McClean 0-2, Ciaran Donnelly and Caoimhin Beck for the visitors who will take a lot of encouragement from an excellent second half.

Gort na Mona have a quick turnaround as they entertain Sarsfield’s at Enright Park on Friday night and if they can build on this second half performance then they are likely to provide the Stewartstown Road side with a strong challenge.

All Saints: 1 Connor Brennan, 2 Michael Read, Cal O’Brien, 4 James Gillan, 5 James McDonnell, 6 Shaun O’Callaghan, 8 Sean McVeigh, 9 Peter McNicholl, 10 Connell Lemon, 11 Michael McCarry, 12 Joe Rafferty, 13 Emmet Killough, 14, Conor Stewart, 15 Paddy McAleer, 21 Ciaran Campbell,

Subs: 25 Paidin Mitchell, 23 Matthew Downey

Gort na Mona: 1 Jack Ireland, 2 Ciaran Donnelly, 3 Gavin McKenna, 4 Padraic Mulvenna, 5 Tim Scannell, 6 Sean Campbell, 7 Padraig Cornane, 8 Michael Savage, 9 Christopher Carson, 10 James Connolly, 11 Tarlach Enright, 12 Brendan Burns, 13 Eamon Scannell, 14 Dessie McClean, 15 Thomas McGreevey, 17 Manus McMullan, 16 Matthew Park, 20 Caoimhin Beck, 18 Jude Reilly

Referee: Charlie Hemsworth

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OB Construction Antrim Intermediate Football Championship, Group 1

St Teresa’s 2-13-1-14 Ardoyne

Kevin Herron reports from Pairc MhicDhomhnaill/ÚiDhoctairtigh

An injury time goal at the end of the first half from Anton Taylor saw St Teresa’s claim a 2-13-1-14 victory over Ardoyne on home soil in the opening round of the OB Construction Anrtrim Intermediate Football Championship on Wednesday evening.

The hosts began their Group 1 clash as overwhelming favourites against an Ardoyne side that suffered relegation from the second tier.

Things looked to be going to script in the early stages as the Super T’s netted inside of two minutes.

Paul McGoldrick claimed the mark and opted for an offload to Francis Dugan who drew out Ardoyne keeper Tiernan Hughes and slotted low to the corner of the net.

A point followed courtesy of Conor Mallon before the North Belfast side opened their account in the form of a splendid Joseph Gibson point.

It buoyed the visitors who kicked three further scores without reply to draw level. Eoghan Corrigan saw his run checked and Cormac Mullan converted the resulting free.

Fiontan Lagan then swept over a point after Daniel Moore turned over possession and Eoghan Corrigan then fisted over the equaliser after his initial effort was blocked down.

The sides traded further scores with Niall McCann converting a free after Anton Taylor was being held inside, at the other end Odhran McKee popped one over to make it 1-02-0-05.

Ardoyne hit the front for the first time just shy of the midway point through a well taken Gary McKernan effort from range, but Francis Dugan took an offload from Darren McCann and drew his side level.

The hosts almost had their second goal on the 18^th minute, though Luke Cassin’s driven shot crashed off the underside of the bar and out, with Paul McGoldrick’s follow-up saved by Hughes in the Ardoyne goal.

Ciaran McNeill shot over on the turn and nudged his side ahead for the second time, only for Luke Cassin to clip over an instant reply.

Ardoyne caught the hosts cold and netted on the 24^th minute, Hughes flighted a kick out that was claimed by Eoghan Corrigan and he drove forward and picked out Cormac Mullan to shoot low past Ciaran Murtagh and give the visitors a 1-07-1-04 lead.

A trip on Francis Dugan allowed John Mallon to reply from a free and Dugan then floated a shot over the bar- despite the best efforts of Ardoyne keeper Hughes- who almost clawed the ball from dropping over.

Dugan restored parity and his side regained the lead on the stroke of half time after Mallon picked out Conor O’Rawe to pop over.

Things would get better in first half injury time as St Teresa’s found their second goal of the half.

Niall McCann made a fantastic diagonal switch that Anton Taylor claimed, and he played a one-two before advancing and firing low to the corner to ensure his side went in with a 2-08-1-07 lead at the interval.

St Teresa’s extended their lead less than 60-seconds after the restart through Darren McCann’s point, but Cormac Mullan hit back from the placed ball after Ciaran McNeill was illegally held and he added another minutes later following Ryan Mallon lifting the ball off the deck.

Conor O’Rawe doubled his account for the evening after playing a one-two and firing high between the posts, though Ardoyne replied at the other end with Fiontan Lagan collecting a pass from substitute Padraig McGreevy and sending an angled shot between the posts.

Free’s were exchanged between Mullan and John Mallon as Taylor’s goal separated the duo going down the stretch.

Ardoyne closed to within two-points for the second time in the half through an Aidan McNeill point, but Niall McCann converted a free at the second time of asking- originally missing his first attempt, referee Karol Doherty moved the free in for sledging in the aftermath of his missed effort and McCann made no mistake from close-range.

McCann looked to have added the hosts insurance score from a 59^th minute free that moved St Teresa’s 2-13-1-12 ahead.

Cormac Mullan dropped a shot over from range however and two minutes into added time swivelled and clipped over to bring his personal tally to 1-06.

Time was against the visitors though as St Teresa’s held on for a slender win to begin their campaign on a winning note ahead of their break at the weekend before visiting Rasharkin on August 17^th.

Ardoyne host the Dreen men at the weekend and can take a degree of confidence from a much improved showing on their league campaign.

St Teresa’s: C Murtagh, A Dugan, P Johnston, R Mallon, E Connolly, C O’Rawe (0-02), C Mallon (0-01), D McCann (0-01), L Cassin (0-01), J Mallon (0-02f), N McCann (0-03f), E Hamill, F Dugan (1-03), P McGoldrick, A Taylor (1-00). Subs: L Gault for E Hamill (54), R Gallagher for A Taylor (59), S Maguire for P McGoldrick (60+3).

Ardoyne: T Hughes, E Magill, C Magee, O Hickey, E Corrigan (0-01), P Marley, J Gibson (0-01), D Moore, G McKernan (0-01), O McKee (0-01), A McNeill (0-01), K McCallan, F Lagan (0-02), C Mullan (1-06, 0-04f), C McNeill (0-01). Subs: P McGreevy for E Magill (HT), P Heaney for F Lagan (55). Referee: Karol Doherty (Rasharkin)

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