Club News04/06/03 Division 3 footballers beat city rivals St. Gall's in the league

With many 1st team regulars missing, having been called up to the senior squad, this match reflected the strength and depth of the Division 3 squad, as the players who were drafted in put together a thoroughly accomplished performance.

Having been beaten narrowly by St. Gall's in the first match of the league the Division 3 team had something to prove when they ran out onto Corrigan Park, and they didn't disappoint.

Whereas during the last encounter there was a high number of frees conceded in the St. John's backline there was no such re-occurence here. In fact the entire back line was in fine form, the returning players - 'Captain Fantastic' Liam Donnelly (out due to injury), corner back Conor Gannon (out due to sabbatical) and half back Colin Thompson (out due to groin) all put in solid performances. St. Gall's could only muster 5 points against them in the first half. The St. John's forwards however were scoring much more heavily - reflecting the overall dominance which the team was had over the game around the park.

Donal Kennedy, Stephen Thompson and Neil Kelly scored the majority of points for the home side, but it was Grumpy who scored the first goal for St. John's midway through the first half and it was a smasher. Grumpy played well in the middle of the park, also scoring some great points and helping to set up a number of good attacking moves throughout the game.

One such move saw him win the ball at midfield from the St. Gall's kickout and lay it off to his advancing corner back Conor Gannon, who had been keeping tabs on his man who had drifted out in search of the ball. Whilst somewhat out of position corner back Gatlin quickly solo'ed the ball to within 25 yards of goal and calmly curled the ball over the bar with his right foot. Perhaps reminiscent of a young Maurice Fitzgerald this marked (possibly) his first point in five years for the Division 3 team, which must have made it all the sweeter for him and made his forward marker look all the worse for bringing him out to midfield in the first place. The first half ended 1-09 to 0-5.

Newcomer Stephen 'Harbo' Harbinson made a fine debut in nets, his kickouts were lengthy and accurate and there was nothing he could do about the freak goal (clearly a square ball) conceded in the second half.

Around the park Donal Kennedy fielded the ball extremely well in full forward, rarely losing out and Adrian Oliver did well when he came on for Collie Thompson in the second half.

The second half saw St. John's maintain their advantage John McCallin sending in a fiercely struck shot which went straight into the back of the net. Fergal Collins, John, Neil Kelly and Donal Kennedy kept pointing to send the home side to a well earned victory. The match finished 2-12 1-9.

 

 

 

 

		St. John's
		S. Harbinson
C. Gannon		N. Convery	D. McAllister
C. Thompson		L. Donnelly	C. Clarke
		C. McKnight J. Connolly
S. Thompson		F. Collins	J. McCallin
G. Hamilton		D. Kennedy	N. Kelly
(Subs: A. Oliver for C. Thompson, H. Connolly for G. Hamilton)