St Naul's pip Termon in Division 2

St Naul’s bagged two precious league points with a hard fought one-point win over Termon at the Burn Road in Termon.

Termon 0-10
St Nauls  0-11

It was backs to the wall in the closing minutes for St Naul’s who only hit the front for the first time five minutes from the end of normal time.

Stephen Griffin once more was top scorer for the men from Gerard Gallagher Memorial Park. The former county man kicked four points while Thomas White landed  three points, two of them in the second half were from the top shelf. 

Out on the right hand side and about 35 metres out and a number of Termon men in close pursuit White somehow got room to swing his left boot. Stuart Johnson who had a fine game in the middle of the park alongside Griffin also got his name on the scoreboard with two good strikes. Substitute  Daniel Meehan and goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany also split the posts for the winners.

Aaron Reid with three points and a fine game top scored for the locals while the impressive Bobby McGettigan, Ryan McFadden, Anthony Grant and Jack McSharry, up from full-back, also raised white flags for the boys in maroon and white.

The two teams were short a number of key players with Termon lining out without their playmaking ace upfront Daire McDaid and midfielder Ricky Gallagher.  County man Peadar Mogan, injured, was absent from the St Naul’s line-up.

After an even  opening ten minutes, Termon with a stiff breeze in their backs, reeled off four quick fire points to lead by four at the first water-break, 0-8 to 0-6.  But St Naul’s enjoyed a good second quarter and thanks to strikes from Griffin, Johnston and Meehan, they had clawed their way back to within two points of their hosts at the break. Termon led 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time.

St Naul's were the better side in the second half and thanks to two quick points on the resumption, they were back on level terms at 0-8, twelve minutes into the new half. Ryan McFadden temporarily restored the Termon lead.

But St Naul’s sensed blood and they hit and shortly after Griffin tied up the game for the fifth time, they took the lead for the first time. Stuart Johnson did the business with his second off the afternoon. That was on 55 minutes and the lead was out to two when Thomas White landed his third, in the first minute of injury time.

Termon went on all-out assault in the closing minutes but St Naul’s were defiant no more so than fullback Barry Griffin- who was outstanding throughout - and goalkeeper Mulreany who made a number of late point blank save

Termon’s inexperience in the end probably cost them at least a share of the points as they persisted in going for goals when points were on offer. 

And all they had to show of sustained  late pressure was an Aaron Reid point. They also played the best part of the closing ten minutes down to 14, after James Doherty, picked up a black card. 

TERMON: Emmet Maguire; Caolan Gallagher, James McSharry (0-1), Nathan McElwaine; Jamie Grant, Anthony Grant (0-1), Barry McGeehin; Ryan McFadden (0-2,1’45), Jack Alcorn (0-1,1F); Oisin Cassidy, Conor Cassidy, Aaron Reid (0-3,2f); Steve McElwaine, Bobby McGettigan (0-2), Steve McDaid. SUBS: James Doherty for S McDaid (h/t); Eoghan Doherty for A Grant (50); Kevin McGettigan for C Gallagher (55).  

 ST NAULS: Gavin Mulreany (0-1,1f); Brendan McCole, Barry Griffin, John Relihan; Ryan Coughlan, Kyle Campbell, Diarmaid Gallagher; Stuart Johnston (0-2), Stephen Griffin (0-4,3f); Michael Coughlan, Thomas White (0-3), Martin Breslin; Shane Conneely, Brian McGroary, Joe Campbell. SUBS; Cathal Lowther for S Connelly (25); Liam McCabe for Brian McGroary (62). 

 REFEREE: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhanada).