OB Construction Antrim Intermediate Football Championship, semi-final
Con Magee's, Glenravel 1-16 Sarsfield's 0-10 
A DOMINANT display from Glenravel saw them march into the final of the Antrim Intermediate Championship as they emphatically overcame Sarsfield's at Dunsilly on Saturday.

Con Magee's produced a magnificent performance to take a grip of this game and when the Sarsfield's change came early in the second half, they responded brilliantly to put the issue beyond doubt long before the final whistle.

They had seven different scorers with Ryan McQuillan top-scoring with 1-4, yet the foundations for this victory came around the middle of the field where the Glensmen dominated the kick-outs, first to every break and gave the city side no platform to build.

The midfield of Callum and David Higgins set the tone, chipping in with four points between them, while Eoin Hynds was central to a lot of their play, kicking one point and being the architect of many more in what was an outstanding display across the board.

"We knew we had to apply pressure on the kick-outs as that's where the game was going to revolve and we did the job," said manager Joe Cassidy.

"We knew Sarsfield's had a big threat with the inside forward line and the easiest way to deal with that is to stop it at the source. Our full-back line's job was made a lot easier by winning ball in the middle of the field.

"We've had a few games where we've been very good on the kick-outs and that's what the modern game is all about. If you have the ball then the other team doesn't have it.

"We're delighted to be in a final and have two weeks to prepare."

Sarsfield's actually had the first big chance of the game in the opening moments as Kevin McKernan raced in on goal, but his shot was smothered as Glenravel swiftly got on the front foot and they stayed there.

Ryan McQuillan curled over on four minutes with his left boot and then Eamon Fyfe repeated the trick in identical fashion before converting a free of the right.

Already it was looking good for Glenravel with Kevin McKernan finally getting Satsfield's off the mark from a free on 12 minutes and he added another after Callum Higgins finished following an excellent fetch by Hynds.

Glenravel powered on in the second quarter with McQuillan selling a dummy and slotting over, while Aidan O'Donnell squeezed his shot inside the post after a break out of defence by Conor Carey.

David Higgins and Hynds added further scores as the gap extended to six before the Belfast men finally managed to put a decent move together with Philip McPeake splitting the posts from a tight angle on the right.

Ryan McQuillan fisted over and although McKernan had the final say of the half from a free, Glenravel went in at the break with a very healthy 0-9 to 0-4 advantage.

Eoin Hynds runs at the Sarsfield's defence with Daniel McKernan tracking
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Eoin Hynds runs at the Sarsfield's defence with Daniel McKernan tracking

Sarsfield's made three changes at the break and they seemed to galvanise them early in the second period as they began well.
McKernan kicked a lovely score with the outside of the boot and one of those substitutes, Liam Mitchell, finished a good move as the gap was reduced to three, while a couple of sights of goal came and went.

Game on it seemed, but on 39 minutes came the Glenravel response and one that killed the Sarsfield's challenge as they availed of the advantage with a low ball into Eamon Fyfe who gathered and found McQuillan in space on the left of goal and the corner forward raced through to finish low to the net.

This knocked the stuffing out of Sarsfield's as Glenravel put their foot on the gas. A second goal could have arrived straight after when Fyfe dummied and put Aidan O'Donnell in, but his rasping shot clipped the top of the crossbar and went over, but the scores were now flowing Daniel McQuillan, Callum Higgins and Ryan McQuillan all landing in quick succession to extend the gap to an unassailable 10 with 15 to play.

McKernan and Garry Lennon kicked frees either side of one from Fyfe, but the Paddies needed much more and their day got worse six minutes from time when McKernan was sent-off.

Eoin McCusker takes a tumble under Brian Healy's challenge
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Eoin McCusker takes a tumble under Brian Healy's challenge

That was effectively that as Glenravel managed out the game, maintaining the nine-point gap with the sides adding two points apiece to advance into the final as Sarsfield's exited the competition in disappointing fashion according to manager Colin Toal.

"We're really disappointed, especially with the first half where we didn't come out of the blocks," he reflected.

"It's not like us. We're normally very quick in how we start games, but we just seemed a bit lethargic today and lacked a bit of energy.

"At half-time we were able to make a few changes and got that bit of energy. We were getting back into the game but the goal killed us. We're disappointed at we can play a lot better than that."

GLENRAVEL: J McEvoy; C Henry, E McCusker, C Carey; S Higgins, N Swann, D McQuillan (0-1); C Higgins (0-3), D Higgins (0-1); A O'Donnell (0-1), E Hynds (0-1), C McNeill; D Traynor, E Fyfe (0-4, 3f), R McQuillan (1-4).
Subs: C O'Loan for S Higgins (50), M McCarry for E Hynds (56), K McKeown for D McQuillan (58), S McKay for D Traynor (60), SP McKenna for C Henry (60+3).

SARSFIELD'S: M Brady; C McCurry, M McPolin, M Johnston; P McPeake (0-1), D McKernan, C McKernan; C Murray, N McKenna (0-1); K Floyd, K McKernan (0-4, 3f), N McAlea; T Skillen, G Lennon (0-2f), B Healy.
Subs: L Mitchell (0-1) for M McPolin (HT), C Glenholmes for K Floyd (HT), D McGuinness for N McAlea (HT), J McNally (0-1) for C McKernan (49).

REFEREE: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg).