ACFL Division 1

St. John’s 1-10 All Saints 1-11

All Saints got their ACFL Division 1 campaign off to a sensational start when they travelled to Corrigan Park on Sunday and came away with a narrow victory over St. Johns.

The home side started strongly and raced into a four point lead by the 9^th minute and looked to be heading for a comfortable victory over an All Saints side who played their football in division 2 last season.

Slowly though the visitors began to settle with their running game at pace causing problems for their hosts and by half time they had edged into a 1-4 to 0-6 lead with their goal coming from Michael McCarry who looked back to his best after a long recovery from injury.

Liam Bradley’s side moved into a six point lead at the end of the third quarter but dropped deep in an attempt to defend that lead, inviting the opposition on and the Johnnies needed no second invitation.

A goal from Conall Quinn in the 29^th minute closed the gap to two points and a converted Conal McGlade free brought it back to the minimum with time almost up but All Saints held on for an excellent victory.

It was St. John’s who made the early running with Domhnall Nugent, Ryan McNulty (Mark) and Conal McGlade 0-2 shooting them into an early lead and it looked like being a long evening for the visitors.

Michaerl McCarry, who was prominent throughout the hour, pointed a 12^th minute free to get them off the mark but Conchur Adams replied from another mark to restore the home side’s four point advantage.

Slowly though the Ballymena side settled and began to run the ball at pace and looked to have netted but the ball was called back for an earlier free.

McCarry and Shaun O’Callaghan, with a palmed effort that went over off the crossbar and Ronan McKillop closed the gap to the minimum as the Slemish Park side began to dominate before Michael McCarry drilled the ball to the net in the 25^th minute to put his side ahead for the first time.

The final point of the half fell to Domhnall Nugent for the ‘Johnnies’ but it was All Saints who headed to the dressing room with a one point lead.

The strong running of Patrick Ferris had been instrumental in a number of the visitor’s scores and they continued to press forward on the restart with Benny McDonnell, Ronan McKillop and James McDonnell moving them four ahead after five minutes.

Further points from Jimbo McDonnell and a Michael McCarry free had All Saints six ahead before Conal McGlade finally opened St. John’s second half account from a 12^th minute free.

McCarry restored his side’s six point advantage from a 40 meter free but the Ballymena side started to drop deep and St. John’s took advantage as McGlade and Nugent split the posts.

The magnificent Patrick Ferris came forward for a visitors point with five minutes remaining to edge his side five ahead once more but it was the Johnnies who staged a grandstand finish and came close to taking something from the game.

Conall Quinn’s goal with just a minute of normal time remaining closed the gap to two and a pointed free from Conal McGlade left just one between the sides.

St. John’s pressed for an equaliser and it took a great catch under pressure from Peter McNicholl to ease the pressure with virtually the last piece of action to see his side over the line.

Two excellent point for an All Saints side containing many of the team who reached last year’s South West U23 final and it should give them confidence going into their first division 1 campaign for quite a number of years though much stiffer challenges lie ahead.

St. John’s: 1 Eoghan Rua Lambert, 2 Ronan Quinn, 3 Michael Darragh, 4 Stephen Tierney, 5 Ross Hannigan, 6 Adrian Oliver, 7 Luke Peden, 8 Ryan McNulty, 9 Domhnall Nugent, 10 Ronan Donnelly, 11 Conal McGlade, 12 Conor McEvoy, 13 Conchur Adams, 14 Louis Boyd, 15 Conall Quinn. Subs|: Barry Bellew for Ronan Donnelly, Enda cGurk for Ross Hannigan.

All Saints: 1 Ryan Stewart, 2 Conall Killough, 3 Michael Read, 4 Rian Tom, 5 Patrick Ferris, 6 Shaun O’Callaghan, 7 James McDonnell, 8 Emmet Killough, 9 Peter McNicholl, 10 Charlie Metrustry, 11 Michael McCarry, 12 Joe Rafferty, 13 Ciaran Campbell, 14 Ronan Killough, 15 Benny McDonnell. Subs: Connell Lemon for Cathal Metrustry, Darach Bradley for James McDonnell.

Referee: Mark O’Neill (Armoy)  

ACFL Division 1

Creggan 0-14 St. Ergnat’s 2-6

Creggan got off to a winning start in the new look ACFL Division 1but they were made to fight  all the way by a spirited Moneyglass in this local derby  on the Staffordstown Road today.

In a highly entertaining game of football with both teams fielding under strength and displaying early season rust, it was Moneyglass who shot out of the blocks with Colm Duffin scoring a point in the 2nd minute.

The same player finished a well worked move up the wing by firing to the net and Conor Boyd added a point in the 7th minute to put Moneyglass 1-02 to no score ahead and in control.

Jamie McCann got Kickham’s on their way and Sean Duffin and Conor Small added two more to leave their side two behind as Creggan began to gain a foothold.

 Conor Boyd for Moneyglass and Jamie McCann for the home side traded further points before Colm Duffin got Moneyglass’s last point of the half on the 24th minute to move the visitors three ahead.

To their credit Creggan scored the last two points of the half, one from Conor Small and another from the hard working Joe McAteer to leave the score Kickhams 0-06 to Moneyglass 1-04 at half time. 

Jamie McCann drew the side’s level at the start of the second half with a point on the 4th minute.

Boyd was in fine form for the visitors and he quickly followed with another to move the visitors two in front and a shock looked on the cards.

It was not to be however as Kickhams kicked 5 unanswered points from Joe McAteer, Jamie McCann and three from the boot of Conor Small to hit the front for the first time.

The home side moved 5 clear by the 21st minute and seemed to be in complete control but this young Moneyglass team weren’t going to go away that easy.

 Seanaghan Duffin replied with a point and then Aidan McErlain fired home an excellent goal to bring Moneyglass back level in the 26th minute.  

It looked anybody’s game at this stage but with three minutes remaining Jamie McCann scored his 5th point in a man of the match display and Jake McAteer came all the way up from corner back to kick the insurance point in the 31st minute to give Kickham’s the win.

Antrim Football League – Division 1

Casements 0 -14  v  0 -04 Aldergrove

Frankie Delargy reports from Kelly Park

Roger Casements produced a solid, if not spectacular start to the defence of their league title, with a workmanlike performance at Kelly Park.

An Adrian Dougan led Aldergrove gave the current Eddie Fitzsimons cup holders their fill of it for the opening 30 minutes, but a brace of points from the classic feet of Enda Lynn at the start of the second half relaxed the home side and in the end they ran out fairly comfortable winners, outscoring the Crumlin side by 0-11 to 0-1 in that second period.

Casements may have had more possession in the opening quarter, but it took two frees from Paddy Kelly and one from Michael Hagan to unhinge early season gremlins. This advantage was quickly cancelled out though, with the visitors having their best spell of the game, controlling exchanges in the second quarter.  Two excellent points from the illustrious boot of Seamus McGarry and a long range effort from Cormac McGarry left the teams trading on equal terms, three apiece, as the whistle blew for half time.

Casements with the wind on their backs began the second half in impressive fashion, those two super points from Lynn enough to deliver a platform for Casements that they would not relinquish. A gap began to open up on the scoreboard with a brace each from Paddy Kelly and Michael Hagan, as Casements finally started putting some nice moves together. Lynn added two more in the 22^nd and 24^th minute, linking up nicely with his one touch movements and ability to break the tackle opening up gaps in the visitors defence.

Brian McQuillan and Gerad Mallon tried hard to keep up the fight for St James, and the excellent Cormac McGarry added another to his tally, but as the contest fizzled out it was all Casements, with the excellent Hagan brothers Michael (2) and Ruairi keeping the scoreboard ticking over in favour of Portglenone, as the referees Paul Burns clock ticked over to full time.

Casements scorers – Enda Lynn (4) Michael Hagan (4) Paddy Kelly (4) Ruairi Hagan (1) Ciaran McAleese (1).

St James – Seamus McGarry (2) Cormac McGarry (2).

Referee Paul Burns.