Club News

29/06/03 Intermediate Footballers breeze into 1/4 Finals of the Championship

After a tight, tough match up in Ballymena in the previous round of the Championship the Intermediate footballers experienced a complete contrast when they took on Glenravel in Sarsfields on Sunday evening. Glenravel managed to score only a single point in the first half with St. John's romping to a massive half time lead, having scoring 2-13.

Colly McKnight top-scored in the first half with a great goal and 3 points to his credit. Colly Thompson and Gerard McFall also added a number of points each, along with David Reynolds (who also scored a fierce goal from close in), Joe Hand and Liam Boyle.

Midfielder Kevin McGlinchey also took a point in the first half, in addition to his attacking left-half back Chris Clarke - who sent a sweetly taken point over the bar with his left foot after a great run into the heart of the Glenravel defence.

In defence St. John's gave Glenravel no quarter, the scoreline at half time reflecting their efforts. What little keeper Barry Mulgrew had to do he did well - all his kickouts were lengthy and accurate, and his full-back line were tight as a drum Niall Convery becoming something of a lynchpin in the St. John's defence. The half-back line were also on top form Kevin Rafferty controlling matters throughout.

The second half saw an albeit brief revival for Glenravel - they scored a goal early on and managed to send over a couple of points, though never really looked like seriously troubling the defence.

The Johnnies forwards continued to score, although not to the same extent as in the first half (the subtle slope of the Sarsfields pitch and the breeze having something to do with it). Kevin McGlinchey did reveal a flash of brilliance in the second half as he caught the ball on the half-forward line, soloed into the Glenravel full-back line and sent in a wicked shot straight to the tope left-hand corner of the Glenravel net - the goal of the game.

That was not to be the end of the goal-scoring however, as Barry Mulgrew (usually as safe as houses, though on this one solitary occasion in the match as safe as an ice cold pint of Magners sitting in front of Raffo on a hot summer's day after a really tough training session) attempted to take a quick kick-out a Glenravel forward intercepted the pass and fortuitously lobbed the ball over him from 30 yards - in fairness this was more down to the good fortune of the Glenravel man's kick (which literally skimmed the underside of the crossbar as it went in).

The match ended 3-16 2-07.

No doubt the next match will be a tough affair, but with all St. John's senior football championship hopes now riding on them, after the early departure of the Senior footballers from their championship, they will be making every effort to match their achievements in 2001 Championship by taking a semi-final place.

 

		St. John's
		B. Mulgrew
J. McCallin		N. Convery	D. McAllister
A. Douglas		K. Rafferty	C. Clarke
		J. Connolly K. McGlinchey
C. McKnight		F. Collins	G. McFall
C. Thompson		J. Hand	D. Reynolds
(Subs: C. Gannon for J. McCallin, G. Rafferty for C. Thompson, A. Kelly for G. McFall, N. Reynolds for F. Collins, , S. Thompson for J. Hand)