Delight as Glenavy do the double over Gort Na Mona

Playing on the tight Gort Na Mona pitch usually makes it difficult to get a favourable result for visiting teams.

The game was played on a cold but pleasant evening with a fairly strong breeze blowing towards the town end.

David Hughes opened the scoring with a beauty from out the wing quickly followed by a Darren Boyle point. Both sides were having a great battle to get the better of the midfield exchanges.

Patrick Gallagher got his side’s first point when he ran unto a Ryan Phillips pass to take a good score. Back came the Belfast side with an excellent worked point from the speedy Padraig Hughes. Ryan Phillips was fouled about forty meters out and the ever reliable Luke Devereux split the posts to put the minimum between the sides.

Padraig Hughes increased his side’s lead to two when he pointed from a free. Charles Gallagher gained possession from the kickout soloed for thirty meters and closed the gap to one. From the kickout the ball was worked to Padraig Hughes who worked his way through the hard working visitors defence to score an excellent point.

Both sides had now settled and were giving their supporters value for their money. From Stephen Daly’s excellent kickout he found Patrick Gallagher who flicked the ball to his brother Owen who went on one of his jinking runs and finished with a well taken point. David Hughes put his side two up when he finished a good passing movement.

A bit of indiscipline cost The Upper Springfield side the loss of a player. Just to show they still meant business, Darren Boyle put his side three up. With the first half drawing to a close Patrick Gallagher gained possession and worked the ball Ciaran Loney who took his point to leave the halftime score 0.07 v 0.05 in the home sides favour.

The Chapel Hill side started with a flourish from the throwin James Gallagher gained possession and with a well placed pass found his brother Owen and lobbed the ball into the square where Ryan Phillips ran in and finished to the net.

The lough view side were now like they meant business. Mid-fielder James Gallagher let his brothers know he could score when he burst through to land a point.

County player Owen Gallagher was gaining a lot of possession, he picked out his brother Patrick who added a point to put his side three up. Darren Boyle pulled one back from a pointed free. Under 21 county player Ciaran Loney took a pass from Owen Gallagher and put three between the sides. From a James Gallagher pass his brother Owen added to the visitors score. Luke Devereux took possession got the ball to Patrick Gallagher who put his side five up.

Now playing some of the best football of the season Glenavy had taken control of the game. Luke Devereux, playing well after a long layoff, pointed from what seemed an impossible angle. With points from Ryan Phillips, Patrick and Owen Gallagher and Ciaran Loney put their side eight in front.

When Oisin Hamill playing at full back moved up field to score a goal from great move by Neill Scullion and Ryan Phillips it looked didn’t look good for the home side. The Gort Na Mona keeper brought off a great save, Luke Devereux scored from the resultant 45.

With five minutes left the game seemed to be all over but to their credit Gort Na Mona took full advantage of some slack marking from the visitors defence. First Brian Barry broke through for a goal quickly followed by a Darren Boyle point. From the kickout David Hughes gained possession and burst his way through a retreating defence to bring his side within striking distance with an excellent goal. Ciaran Loney had the last say when he pointed to leave six between the sides.

There was relief in the Glenavy ranks when referee Colly McKnight blew the final whistle to leave the final score Gort Na Mona 2.11 v 2.17 Glenavy.