ULSTER SFC SEMI-FINALS/St Gall's 2-15 Clontibret 0-11:RORY GALLAGHER certainly gave Fermanagh manager Malachy O'Rourke plenty of food for thought yesterday when he effectively piloted the Antrim champions St Gall's into the Ulster decider.
Gallagher is in line for a recall to the Erne County squad and his opportunist goals in the 39th and 54th minutes not only highlighted a generous personal contribution to his team’s cause, but will undoubtedly now serve to persuade O’Rourke that the 31-year-old still has plenty to offer.
Certainly, Gallagher’s artistry underlined the cohesion and fluency which allowed his team to dominate the second period after they had led 0-8 to 0-5 at the interval.
With Aodhan Gallagher and Seán Burke imposing themselves at midfield, Kevin McGourty the axis around which their attacking strategy revolved and skipper Colin Brady leading by superb example, St Gall’s visibly grew in confidence as the second half progressed with McGourty being joined by his brothers Kieran and C J in a lucrative scoring spree.
In contrast, Clontibret, shackled in midfield and largely impotent up front, were forced to rely rather too heavily on Conor McManus for scores. He slotted nine in all, seven from frees, but the Monaghan champions’ forward division lacked invention and penetration.
Clontibret will consider themselves unlucky to have had a first-half goal disallowed by referee Joe McQuillan and indeed might have had a second but four unanswered St Gall’s points immediately prior to the break signalled the beginning of the end of the Monaghan champions’ hopes.
The Belfast side swept through the second half, Gallagher’s goals fuelling their confidence while the work-rate of their half-back line of Paul Veronica, Anto Healy and Sean Kelly allied to the silken skills of the talented McGourty clan cemented their dominance.
ST GALL’S Ronan Gallagher; M Kelly, A McClean, C Brady (capt); P Veronica, A Healy, S Kelly (0-1); S Burke, A Gallagher; Kieran McGourty (0-3), Kevin McGourty (0-1), T O’Neill (0-1); K Niblock (0-2), Rory Gallagher (2-3, one free), C J McGourty (0-3, two frees). Subs: K Stewart (0-1) for McClean (17 mins), D O’Hare for Kevin McGourty (51), S Burns for A Gallagher (55), M McGowan for Rory Gallagher (55) , M Kennedy for Brady (55).
CLONTIBRET: P McElroy; C Duffy, C Greenan, E Greenan; D Mooney, D Mone, M Corey; V Corey, J Golden; B Og Magennis, P McGuigan, A Rooney (0-1); F Mone (0-1), C McManus (0-9, seven frees), R Gorman. Subs: J P Mone for Greenan (half-time), M Hughes for Magennis (45 mins), D McKeown for McGuigan (47).
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).
