Graham Tarmac Antrim Junior Football Championship, semi-final
St Agnes’ 1-13 St Malachy’s 0-8
A DOMINANT St Agnes’ returned to the final of the Antrim Junior Football Championship for the first time since 2010 as they powered past St Malachy's in Saturday’s semi-final at Woodlands.
The Aggies took the direct path to the last four as group winners and their momentum carried through as they were on top throughout and were worthy winners to set up a meeting with St Comgall’s in the decider.
St Malachy’s threw what they had into this game, but the Andersonstown outfit were just that bit better throughout as Cormac McBride, Conall Turley and Ronan Carroll all led the way in the scoring stakes.
It was actually the visitors who got on the board first as as Stephen Carson took a pass from Ciaran Vernon split the uprights, but St Agnes’ wasted little more time to get into a flow as McBride landed three-in-a-row to set his side on their way.
Turley then got in on the act as the Aggies turned the kickout but a Carson point in reply kept the Market men in touch.
Another exchange of points from Carroll and Jack McGivern followed, but the Aggies would finish the first half well as McBride landed his fourth of the day and then turned provider for Patrick Carroll who had joined the attack.
St Malachy’s did rally before the break as David Casey popped up with a score and McGivern notched his second free of the game to trim the gap to two with St Agnes’ leading 0-7 to 0-5.
It was all to play for in the second period, but the hosts set about taking this semi-final by the scruff straight after the restart and just 40 seconds in, they landed a haymaker as a flowing move that involved Dan Turley and Shay Madden led to an opportunity for James Campbell and he would not need an further encouragement as he lashed home.
This was a big moment in the game and the Aggies set about pressing home their advantage with Carroll and Turley adding points to push the gap to seven and suddenly, it was a long way back for St Malachy’s.
Still, the men from the south of the city stuck with it as Ciaran Vernon found a score, but Carroll hit back with a point from deep to maintain their supremacy.
They were in no mood to let it slip as Briondan McLarnon paved the way for who assisted Turley to grab another.
Anthony Dobbin and Stephen Carson offered resistance at the other end, but it was not going to be enough to swing things their way as Shay Madden and Turley added further scores to seal the win for the West Belfast men who are now through to the decider as their impressive championship form continues to move into a final
ST AGNES’: C Carroll; K McCormick, R Reilly, P Carroll (0-1;) D Quigley, C Flannery, B McLarnon; D Turley, C Turley (0-4;) J Campbell (1-0), R Carroll (0-3,) C Clarke; C McBride (0-4,) D McGarahan, R Gilligan. Substitute scorer: S Madden (0-1)
ST MALACHY’S: T Rice; D Dobbin, E McIntosh, C Connolly; C Jordan, P Carlisle, P Hanna; A Dobbin (0-1,) C Vernon (0-1;) S Lynch, C Sanha, J McGivern (0-2;) P Millar, S Carson (0-3,) G McManus. Substitute scorer: D Casey (0-1)
REFEREE: Cathal McDermott (Tír na nÓg)
St Comgall’s 2-7 Pearse's 0-5
FIRST-HALF goals paved the way for St Comgall's to march into the final of the Antrim Junior Football Championship as they built a lead they would maintain over Pearse's at Dunsilly on Friday.
The Antrim town side went into this game as favourites having went through the league and group phase of the championship with a 100 per cent record and although it took a little while for them to get going, once they clicked into gear there was no looking back.
Pearse's found themselves nine adrift at the break and although they tried to work their way back, they couldn't make inroads as their task was too great against the hosts who had Tom Patchett in inspired form yet again.
Even through the victors only added two points in the second period, their defence stood tall as the North Belfast outfit couldn't grab goals they needed to really make a fight of it.
It took that little bit of time for things to settle after the early exchanges but the hosts were on the board 10 minutes in as Patchett opened their account and this would see them grow into proceedings.
A bad kick-out following that score saw Patchett win the ball again and he dispatched it to the back of the net and less than a minute later he added another point to put his team five clear.
The Antrim men were moving the ball really well and on 15 minutes they increased their lead again when full forward Miles Devine split the posts again.
Pearse's just couldn’t get the ball and St Comgall’s struck again as midfielder Louis Higgins cut in along the end-line and found Aaron McGraw who rattled a shot off the underside of the crossbar and into the net. The run continued when Patchett added another point from play.
It was begging to look like Pearse's wouldn’t score at all but five minute before half-time, Fionn Grew got their first score of the game and a minute before the break Stephen Fitzsimmons added a second to go in at the break with St Comgall's holing a 2-5 to 0-2 lead.
Patchett would stretch that lead to 10 before Pearse's began to narrow the gap and two points from Stephen Fitzsimmons suggested at a revival.
A red and a couple of yellow cards were shown during the next 15 minutes as the game stuttered towards it end, but St Comgall’s were home and dry and have a final to look forward to in their quest to make it a double in 2024.
