18 October 2009
Antrim champions St Gall’s won their way through to the quarter-final of the Ulster Club Championship when they saw off the challenge of Cavan champions Cavan Gaels in a tempestuous opening round game in which Gaels had no less than four men sent-off.
St Gall’s started well with a point from Terry O’Neill but the Breffni men hit back to dominate a first half which saw them open a 1-3 to 0-2 half-time lead, the goal coming from Nicholas Walsh.
St Gall’s looked to be in deep trouble when they fell six points behind but points from Rory Gallagher, Sean Kelly and CJ McGourty brought them back into the game before a goal from a McGourty penalty tied the scores.
Gaels were reduced to fourteen men when Eamon Reilly was sent off and when St Gall’s edged ahead they seemed on course for victory, but the Cavan men responded and points from Seanie Johnston and Padraig Smyth brought the game to extra time.
If normal time had been tense and niggly it was nothing compared to the extra twenty that followed as the home side saw three more players red carded. St Gall’s gained the upper hand and should probably have won by more than the two points that separated them in the end, but despite their numerical disadvantage Gaels still posed a threat and there was still relief in St Gall’s ranks to when the final whistle ended the contest.
St Gall’s go forward to take on newly crowned Armagh champions Pearse Og in the quarter-final in two weeks time.
