19 September 2009
County football star Paddy Cunningham sent over a long range free in the final minute to earn his team a replay against St Gall’s in Friday evening’s final of the Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship at Casement Park.
St Gall’s appeared to be coasting home when they opened up a seven point lead with just nine minutes left on the clock but the Hannastown men produced a storming finish to earn a second bite at the cherry.
St Gall’s dominated the opening minutes and were 0-5 to 0-0 up, most of the scores coming from CJ McGourty frees, but Lamh Dhearg began to find their feet and boosted by a Kevin Elliott goal they closed to within a point by the twentieth minute.
Another county football star, Aodhan Gallagher, was then highly influential for St Gall’s as he pointed from play and also set up corner forward Ciaran Gallagher for his team’s opening goal as they gained the upper-hand again to lead by 1-10 to 1-5 at the break.
Two CJ McGourty points in reply to points from Paddy Tummelty and Cathal Kelly kept five between them before Elliott grabbed his second goal for Lamh Dhearg to cut the gap to just two.
St Gall’s stepped up the pace again and appeared to have sealed the win when they stretched the lead to seven after great approach work by CJ McGourty put Anto Healey in for his side’s second goal.
However Lamh Dhearg refused to lie down and after a twenty metre free had been saved Brendan McComb fired the rebound home to spark them into action. Paddy Cunningham fired over two points and Brendan Herron one to cut the arrears to the minimum before Cunningham sent over a beauty from a long range free to earn his side a share of the spoils.
ST GALL’S – Conor Austin, Eamon Cooke, Terry Austin, David Sheehan, Anto Healey, Kieran McGourty, Steve Morrison, Joe McDaniel, Sean O’Hara, Aodhan Gallagher, Alfie Hannaway, Sean McAreavey, Conor McGourty, Kevin McDonald, Ciaran Gallagher.
LAMH DHEARG – Patrick Herron, Paddy Brunty, Daniel McGreevy, Conor McConville, Christy Tumulty, Michael Herron, Mark Lynch, Brendan Herron, Paddy Tumulty, Cathal Kelly, Kiearn Stewart, Brendan McComb, Paddy Cunningham, Kevin Elliott, Declan Lynch.
Referee – C Cunning (Dunloy)
View Gallery
