O'Neills Antrim Football League Division One
St Gall's 1-18 O'Donovan Rossa 0-8
A DOMINANT second-half display saw St Gall's power to an opening-day victory over Rossa as the club football season began in Antrim.
Barra McCaffrey and Daniel Quinn kicked seven points apiece for Terry O'Neill's side which led by two at the break but completely took over for the remainder as they got their year off to an excellent start.
Of course, a lot of the pre-match debate surrounded the new rules which most were getting to view in a club environment for the first time.
It's all well and good in the inter-county arena where referees have linesmen and umpires for help, but such luxuries don't exist outside of that bubble and on Saturday, it was only natural that not all of the infractions were picked up. However, for the most part, they were adhered to with the teams playing in the right spirit as a sole referee's tough job has now become much more difficult with eyes required for the back of the head.
Whatever about the new developments in the game, but it was a good, old-fashioned long ball which resulted in the opening score as Niall O'Neill got up to fetch and thumped over.
Corey Walsh hit back for Rossa as the game was played at a good pace with plenty of attacking intent, but without the scores early on.
Barra McCaffrey gets a shot away 
Conor Stinton did restore the home side's lead as Daniel Quinn kicked a free after nine minutes with Rossa's Darren Grego sin-binned for the blackest of black cards, while Barra McCaffrey added another free from the opposite side.
However, the visitors coped well when temporarily down to 14 as the first two-pointer came from a Conall McDonald free who then kicked another two standard frees to help his side into the lead with Grego back on the field.
St Gall's were on terms through Quinn who then kicked a two-point free of his own, yet McDonald replied from a free and play - the first a punishment for St Gall's having just two players in the opposite half - but the hosts took a 0-9 to 0-7 lead into the half with McCaffrey (free) and Michael Hopkins pointing late.
If the first period was back and forth, it was anything but in the second as St Gall's grabbed the initiative and they kept it.
Again, they were on the board in a matter of seconds with McCaffrey on target and he added another two - one a free - before he was denied a goal by Noall Crosan and from Daniel Quinn's rebound, Gavin McGrath did well to get back and hack off the line.
But St Gall's were lording it around the middle and just appeared to be quicker and sharper to the breaks as they remained on the front foot as Quinn kicked three of his own - two frees - with Rossa again down to 14 from the 40th minute as Adam Devlin saw black for a trail down.
Callum Walsh got in on the act before St Gall's did get the goal they had been threatening as Ruairi Wilson got upfield and blasted past Niall Crossan with 53 gone.
Rossa finally got a score on the board in the second period with Corey Walsh landing, but it was their first and last as the impressive McCaffrey had the final say at the other end to cap an impressive win for St Gall's.
ST GALL'S: N McCurdy; J McCaffrey, G Mac Adaimh, T Keenan; R Wilson (1-0), C McGirr, C McCabe; C Stinton (0-1), C Burke; M Hopkins, D Quinn (0-7, 3f, 1x2pf), D Mac Liam; B McCaffrey (0-7, 3f), N O'Neill (0-1), C Walsh (0-1).
Subs: A McDonagh for C Stinton (47), P Murray for N O'Neill (49), C Doherty for D Mac Liam (51), C Murray for M Hopkins (55), E McCurdy for C Burke (57).
ROSSA: N Crossan; F McDonald, G McGrath, C Orchin; D Grego, P Moyes, A Devlin; M McEnhill, E McMenamin; J Morris, C McDonald (0-6, 3f, 1x2pf), S Beatty; R McDonagh, D Rogan, C Walsh (0-2).
Subs: C O'Neill for D Grego (26), L McEnhill for J Morris (46), J Aughey for R McDonagh (46), M McKiernan for F McDonald (53), L Carr for N Crossan (58).
REFEREE: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg)
