IHC GROUP B
St Gall's 0-11
Tír na nÓG 1-17
At Milltown
A MISERABLE afternoon coincided with a scrappy game of hurling from both sides on Sunday afternoon as St Gall's welcomed Randalstown natives Tír na Nóg to Milltown in desperate search for a second win.
Before the game began both teams and spectators honoured a minute's silence for former St Gall's senior player Kieran McGrath who passed suddenly last week - Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
Both sides entered the game on the back of strong performances with St Gall's getting their first win against Cloughmills and Tír na nÓg being edged by the smallest of margins against championship favourites Glenariff a fortnight ago.
Jim O'Reilly battles with Caoimhin Duffin for the ball
It was the North Antrim side who would cruise to victory after a strong first half performance gifting them an eight point lead at the break and the gap remained the same for majority of proceedings as the home side would struggle to break or test the stern defence of Randalstown.
The home side did open the scoring when Dubhaltach Wilson pointed a free from distance after he was fouled in the opening throw-in before Ciaran Logan and Sean Duffin replied from play to swing the momentum back in favour of their side.
Emmet Murray struck an excellent effort between the posts as the forward burst past the St Gall's backline and struck his effort over the bar to etch his side further in front and full back Dylan McLarnon found himself in unknown territory but his shot did just enough to add another score to his side's tally.
St Gall's key man in the first period was most certainly shot-stopper Piarais McCaffrey who was called into action on two occasions to make goal-preventing stops and collection of the high-ball to make sure his presence was known.
Sean Duffin was on top form for Randalstown as he top scored with six scores for his side and his dead ball prowess at the tail end of the half kept the scoreboard ticking as St Gall's looked to be heading for a swift exit based on the opening 20 minutes of play.
Dubhaltach Wilson tried once again to get his side to up the ante with two scores in as many minutes but the major blow came when Randalstown got their goal with four minutes remaining of the first period.
A high ball was batted away by the St Gall's net-minder but his defence struggled to rid the breaking ball and as fortune would have it the slíotar fell to the feet of Colm Duffin who converted from close range much to the jubilation of the travelling bench.
The half-time score saw Tír na nÓg with a commanding lead at the break as the scoreboard read 1-10 to 0-5 as St Gall's struggled to shift themselves into the contest.
The first-half was far from one to write home about, but the second was just as mundane in regard to the scoring from both sides.
Sean Duffin got the half started with another strike before Ciarán Logan saw white flags raised after a great strike from mid-way inside the St Gall's half.
Tír na nÓg go second with the victory
Wilson struck in reply for St Gall's before Mark Napier got his tally up and running with a brace of scores to reduce the deficit to within five after the corner forward's free efforts flew over the bar.
Caoimhin Duffin escaped his defensive duties to piledrive his point between the posts to once again re-establish momentum for his side.
Ciarán O'Neill and Daniel Martin got in on the action after the pair struck a point apiece either side of Ronan Crossan's second score of the game.
The away side proved resilient in the art of defending and knew how to play St Gall's off the ball with Mark Napier being man-marked and having to settle for just a single point from open play after a brilliant defensive display from Brandon McLarnon.
Niall Fallon thought he had the chance to shock some life into St Gall's but his effort on goal was denied at the last moment after a flurry of sticks waved in the way of the substitutes effort deflecting wide.
Joe McCormick and Seán Duffin rounded off the scoring in what was an intense affair but one brilliantly managed by Randalstown who will rise into second place after a huge victory on the Falls Road.
For St Gall's another year in the championship dwindles away as they look to regroup for their final game against fellow strugglers Cushendun.
St Gall's: P McCaffrey; E Loughran, M Marlow, O McIlhatton; E Walsh, G Adams, C McCaffrey; J Hopkins, D Churchill; A Mackle, J O'Reilly 0-1, D Wilson 0-5 (0-2f); R Crossan 0-2, S McAreavey, M Napier 0-3 (0-2f)
Subs: N Fallon, T McAleenan, A Mullan, A Healy, S Adams, E Farrelly, A McDonagh, K Wilson
Tír na nÓg: K Sheerin; B McLarnon, D McLarnon, M Smith; C Duffin 0-1, C O'Neill 0-1, R O'Neill; S Duffin 0-6 (0-4f), D Martin 0-1; D Fagan, E Murray 0-1, C Logan 0-3; J McCormick 0-2, S McKinley, C Duffin 1-1.
Subs: D McLornan, T Bonnes, B Fitzgerald, C McCamphill, D Martin
