Club News

12/04/03 Div 3 footballers trounce O'Donnells

Donal Kennedy began the St. John's scoring with a confident point some 30 yards out exercising deadly accuracy straight between the posts. Liam Boyle, making his Division 3 Football League debut, then sent over a superb point way out on the right hand side from a great left footed shot. And soon after Gareth Clarke stormed through the O'Donnell's defence and confidently sent the ball straight over the bar.

O'Donnell's did manage to take a couple of early points also however after 15 minutes St. John's began to stamp their authority on the game. A great move in the forward line ended with a Donal Kennedy shot deflected by the keeper only as far as the incoming Gary Rafferty, who casually slotted the ball home for St. John's first goal.

More points were to follow from Liam Boyle, Gary Rafferty, Kevin McGlinchey and Gerard McFall in the first half.

In the second half matters followed a similar course with O'Donnell's managing only to register a few points on the board. The St. John's defence closed down their men well and intercepted a number of passes which limited the other side's scoring chances to a bare minimum. Barry Mulgrew's kick outs were of a consistently high standard, whilst Colly McKnight, Kevin Rafferty and substitute Conor Gannon snuffed out many O'Donnell's offensive moves. Niall Convery was also very solid in his new full back position.

Both midfielders played well, big McGlinchey winning the majority of kick outs and in the forward line all players tortured the O'Donnell's defence. Declan Crummey also came on and made an immediate impact scoring, as he did, a number of points and a goal.

In the end this was not much of a contest - finishing up 2-14 0-7 and, encouragingly, St. John's had a strong substitute bench with which to rely on when the need arose, notwithstanding the fact that team regulars Liam Donnelly (captain), David McAllister and Aaron Douglas were missing due to injury and senior call ups.

 

		St. John's
		B. Mulgrew
N. McCallin		N. Convery	A. Kelly
C. McKnight		K. Rafferty	C. Clarke
		K. McGlinchey G. Clarke
C. Thompson		G. McFall	J. Connolly
L. Boyle		D. Kennedy	G. Rafferty
(Subs: C. Gannon for A. Kelly, F. Collins for J. Connolly, D. Crummey for D. Kennedy, H. Kennedy for C. Thompson)