Homefit Antrim Football League Division One
St Gall's 4-8 Gort na Móna 0-2

ST GALL'S overcame neighbours Gort na Móna at De La Salle Park on Wednesday to claim their second win of the season and leave the visitors seeking their first points of the campaign.

This game will not live long in the memory with heavy rain prior to the game and a crossfield gale during it ensuring conditions were nothing short of grim, but it was the hosts who made the most of a purple patch before half-time to put this game to bed with the Turf Lodge outfit taking until 12 minutes from time to get their first score.

Both sides were full of endeavour from the off, but neither could find an end product with good approach play failing to make a dent on the scoreboard until the seventh minute when the excellent Niall Burns burst forward and played into Niall Fallon who turned and scored.

Burns added another point from a free straight after, but it was back to chances coming and going for both, but it was the Gorts who looked more threatening in front of goal with St Gall's goalkeeper Niall McCurdy forced into a smart save with his legs from Ciaran Donnelly and then the home goal led something of a charmed life as a shot for a point dropped down and bounced across the face of the posts before being cleared to safety.

The minutes were ticking by and there was a danger neither side would add to their tally as the conditions were making life extremely difficult, but then on 23 minutes, the hosts were awarded a penalty after Fallon was taken out when about to pull the trigger and Burns stepped-up to drill past Niall Melaney.

This suddenly opened the floodgates as from the kick-out, St Gall's won possession with Fallon this time getting his goal, finishing low to the net.

Conall McGirr then pointed when gathering a loose ball and Burns added a free before he struck for his second goal when Fallon's initial shot was saved by Melaney and he was on hand to pop home the rebound to put his side into a 3-4 to 0-0 lead at the break.

Things didn't get any better after the break although the Gorts went in search of a way back and thought they had it five minutes in when Sean Campbell was taken out when attempting to finish an inviting ball into the net. He did get the ball over the line, but a penalty had been awarded but then rescinded with the ball thrown in instead.

This summed up Gort na Móna's night as the minutes ticked by with darkness descending. 

It took until 13 minutes into the second period before we had another score and this came from Burns who curled over and finally, on 48 minutes, the Gorts got off the mark when Desy McLean lashed over from a tight angle on the left and then after Burns pointed a free at the other end, McLean added a second when twisting and turning to create space for the shot that he curled over superbly.

There was no way back for his team, however, with St Gall's finishing well as Burns curled over from play before they had their fourth goal three minutes from time as McGirr did well out on the left to play a ball into the danger area where Thomas Bunting managed to palm home when off balance.

Burns added a point from a free to complete a fine evening for himself, with the final whistle sounding immediately to call a halt to the game with St Gall's comfortably home.

ST GALL'S: N McCurdy; C Flannery, J Hopkins, E McCurdy; C Chada, J McCaffrey, C Bradley; T Bunting (1-0), R Irvine; C Murray, N Burns (2-6, 1-0 penalty, 0-4 frees), R Wilson; C Walsh, N Fallon (1-1), C McGirr (0-1). 
Subs: C Stinton for C Murray (36), C Doherty for C Walsh (41), F Donnelly for R Wilson (48), A Mullan for E McCurdy (54), C Adams for C Flannery (56)

GORT NA MÓNA: N Melaney; C Donnely, T Keenan, M Savage; A McDonagh, S Doyle, P Cournane; P McCaffrey, C Magee; S Campbell, C Carson, D McLean (0-2); D Boyd, P McHugh, B Corr.
Subs: M McMullan for B Carr (41), G McKenna for S Doyle (42), P Mulvenna for P McCaffrey (42).

REFEREE: Mark O'Neill (Armoy)