15 November 2009
Antrim champions St Gall's turned in a sparkling display of open fluent football to easily get past Monaghan champions Clontibret in Sunday's AIB Ulster Club Football semi-final at the Armagh Athletic Grounds.
In the early stages of the game Clintibret looked dangerous when they led by 0-4 to 0-2, and had full-forward Conor McManus taken any of two glorious goal chances then the outcome may have been different. However St Gall’s took full advantage of their let-off and playing their best football of the season they hit back brilliantly to lead by 0-8 to 0-5, some of their scores right out of the top drawer.
Playing ‘down the slope’ and with the breeze at their backs in the second-half St Gall’s made no mistake as they turned on the style.
Full-forward Rory Gallagher, who was a constant thorn in the Clontibret defence, grabbed the first of his two goals in the thirty-eighth minute, after a superb pass by CJ McGourty, to put his side 1-10 to 0-6 ahead and it was clear then that there was only going to be one winner.
With Kevin McGourty playing brilliantly on the ‘40’, and brothers Ciaran and CJ also in top form the Clontibret defence were led a merry dance.
Gallagher grabbed his second-goal eight minutes from time when he palmed a cross by substitute Darren O’Hare to the net to put the seal on a very fine performance as the Antrim champions set up a final meeting with Derry champions The Loup in two weeks time.
ST GALLS – Ronan Kennedy, Mark Kelly, Andrew McLean, Colin Brady (capt), Paul Veronica, Anto Healey, Sean Kelly, Sean Burke, Aodhan Gallagher, Kieran McGourty, Kevin McGourty, Terry O’Neill, Mickey Niblock, Rory Gallagher, CJ McGourty.
Subs – Karl Stewart for Andrew McLean (injured); Darren O’Hare for Kevin McGourty.
