Club News
07/04/02
Saint John's football season kicks
off with good wins
This year's County Senior football leagues kicked off today and in no
better place than Saint John's home pitch, Corrigan park.
Football in the club will face arguably its toughest year this season
as the club's two senior football teams compete in County Antrim's top
two leagues, Divisions 1 and 2, however the challenge was well and truly
taken up today with both teams recording good wins against tough opposition.
The Division 2 team faced St. Mary's
of Aghagallon earlier in the day and managed to dominate the majority
of play despite missing a number of regular players. A superb free-taking
display from Enda McAtamney (amassing some 10 points in total) in addition
to points from Eamon Blaney, Stephen Thompson and team captain Fergal
Collins saw the team race to a 0-13 0-9 win. Defensively the team worked
very hard to keep out a determined St. Mary's forward line, Niall McCallin
doing particularly well in goals.
Whilst the senior match produced
a similar scoreline it was a very different game to Division 2. A much
fancied Rossa team came to Corrigan Park hoping to record yet another
win against the Johnnies at home and, for much of the game, it seemed
that they would achieve this as they went into a 3 points lead during
the first half. However, it thankfully wasn't to be Rossa's night as Saint
John's gathered more and more momentum towards the end of the game in
the second half. Rossa seemed to have the edge, with the Close brothers
in particular causing much problems for the Saint John's defence however
the defence lifted their game in the second half and the scores began
to become much more difficult for the Rossa forward men.
A turning point came when Enda McKenna was introduced to the forward line,
contributing 3 points to the game and Saint John's began to claw their
way back into the game. Once an inspired Gearoid Adams goal came within
the closing stages of the game the team was lifted and Rossa were unable
to find an answer to it. In the end the senior team finished off their
Belfast rivals winning as they did 1-9 to 0-9.
A successful and promising start
for the Johnnies to what will no doubt be a long and hard fought season.
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