OB Construction Antrim Intermediate Football Championship, Group Four
St Paul's 2-12 Aldergrove 1-12
A THUNDEROUS goal from Colm McLarnon one minute after half-time proved to be the winner for St Paul's who got the win they needed at home on Saturday to advance into the quarter-finals of the Antrim Intermediate Football Championship.
The result meant all three teams in Group Four finished on two points, but St Teresa's - who had the bye - miss out on the knockout stages on scoring difference.
This was a rollercoaster of a game with both sides enjoying their periods of dominance but a huge spell either side of the break was the winning of the game who had to withstand a late Aldergrove surge that could have seen them denied victory that would have ended their season.
The hosts were much brighter from the off and dominated the opening 10 minutes, but converted just two of six chances in this time with Liam McLarnon converting from a mark and Paddy Doyle scoring on the turn.
A point from Conor Morris off a rebound when Jack McAulfield saved an off-balance shot from Ronan Hanna sparked the visitors to life 10 minutes in and they enjoyed a purple patch in the middle of the half.
Stephen O'Brien gets a shot away despite the best efforts of Ryan Owens
Anthony Kidney kicked a free and then put the St James' club ahead with a fine effort from the left, while Hanna converted a closer free and thumped over another four play with Kidney kicking his third out on the right.
On 21 minutes, a long ball that had looked an effective weapon for Aldergrove really paid off as Hanna fetched and opted to pass up the mark, this decision vindicated as he bore through to finish to the net to make it 1-6 to 0-2.
Liam McLarnon ended a barren 19 minutes for St Paul's from a free, but Morris cancelled this out immediately when his shot dropped but took a huge bounce to go up and over.
It was looking a little ominous for St Paul's at this stage, but they pulled themselves right back into the game in the minutes before the break with Cormac O'Hanlon put through to fire over and then on 29 minutes, he turned provider as he weaved his way forward and spotted Conal Duffy inside who steadied and found the net.
A pointed free from Liam McLarnon narrowed the gap further as the Aldergrove lead had been cut to two, 1-7 to 1-5, and it was very much all to play for in the second period.
St Paul's picked up where they left off after the break as they tore into the second half and just a minute in came that goal from Com McLarnon and he galloped towards goal and sent an unstoppable rocket of a shot high into the net.
Paddy Doyle breaks a challenge
They built on this perfect start with Stephen O'Brien kicking a free and then had a chance of a third goal when Paddy Doyle's free dropped and broke to Duffy who swung his boot at the loose ball just yards from goal, but the shot flew over.
A quick free saw Cormac O'Hanlon in space to score and then Doyle was denied a goal with Shane O'Neill saving his low shot, but a Liam McLarnon point extended the gap to five midway through the second period.
However, just like the first half, it took one Aldergrove point to flip momentum as they ate into the lead with Ryan Owens kicking a beauty out on the right and as they twice had sights of goal denied with fouls just outside the penalty area, Seamus McGarry kicked points from the frees.
Stephen O'Brien tapped over at the other end to put a goal between the teams once more, but this was almost wiped out on 58 minutes when a good Aldergrove build-up saw Ronan Hanna send a low shot that appeared bound for the bottom corner, but Jack McAufield got down to turn it around the post for a 45 that Kidney converted.
😏 Great 2ND half. NPA
— CLG Naomh Pól, Béal Feirste 🅾️ (@StPaulsGAC) August 27, 2022
Paddy Doyle and Kidney traded frees in stoppage time as the two-point gap remained precarious for the hosts, but they actually had a chance for a late goal that would have seen them overtake Aldergrove into first place in the group, but perhaps wisely, Ruairi Hamill opted for a point that saw them over the line and into a quarter-final with neighbours, Sarsfield's, while Aldergrove now set their sights on a last eight clash with Dunloy.
ST PAUL'S: J McAufield; N Ward, C McGroarty, M Duffy; C Killyleagh, D Burns, A Kavanagh; S O'Brien (0-2, 1f), J Farrell; C O'Hanlon (0-2), C McLarnon (1-0), P O'Hanlon; C Duffy (1-1), L McLarnon (0-4, 2f, 1M), P Doyle (0-1, 1f).
Subs: R Hamill (0-1) for P O'Hanlon (45), C Finnegan for S O'Brien (58)
ALDERGROVE: S O'Neill; E Gough, C McVeigh, O Creaney; G Mallon, A Flood, D Gough; R Owens (0-1), F Hanna; S McGarry (0-2f), R Hanna (1-2, 0-1f), G Dunham; C Morris (0-2), A Kidney (0-5, 2f, 1 45), O Graham.
Subs: J Trowlen for F Hanna (HT), A Mulholland for O Creaney (HT), D Aiken for D Gough (37), C Fogarty for G Dunham (44), R McCarthy for C Morris (57)
REFEREE: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg)
