Glenravel Under 21 football championship opener

Glenravel Harry Fyfe swings away after scoring one of his sides five goals | John McIlwaine

placeholder image — Glenravel Harry Fyfe swings away after scoring one of his sides five goals | John McIlwaine

Glenravel's attacking efficiency was evident throughout, with ten different players contributing to their massive tally of 5-15, while their defence kept Ballymena scoreless for over half an hour and restricted them to just a goal and four points overall.

The Glensmen got their Under 21 football championship off to a flyer, They whacked home five goals against the Saints in a lop sided opener. Twenty three points separated the sides in the end with the Conn Magees lads worth them all.

The game could scarcely have started better for Glenravel as they raced into an unassailable lead inside the opening three minutes. A superb two-point effort from Shea O’Broin opened the scoring just seconds in before goals from Peader McDonnell, Niall Hynds and Eamon Ward in a devastating two-minute spell left Ballymena on the canvas, trailing 3-2 to 0-0 after only three minutes.

With the Saints struggled to gain a foothold, Glenravel continued to dictate possession and territory. Points from Eamon Ward, Shea O’Broin, Fergus Donaghy, Luke McQuillan and Peader McDonnell steadily increased the advantage, with Ward particularly influential from placed balls and open play.

By the interval the Glensmen had built a commanding nineteen point lead, with the All Saints still to hit the mark.

The second half began in asimilar ruthless fashion. Straight from the restart, Harry Fyfe found the net to extend the Con Magees lead to twenty-two points before Ballymena finally got off the mark with a two-point score from Sean O’Brien.

Further scores from Cormac McKeown, Shea O’Broin, Ronan McCormick and Eamon Ward maintained Glenravel’s momentum.

The fifth Glenravel goal arrived in the eighteenth minutes when Peader McDonnell grabbed hi s econd of the afternoon, capping another incisive attacking move. The Saints did respond with a goal from their standout performer, Sean O’Brien, but it proved only a consolation score in the context of the game.

A late point from Shea McAuley rounded off the scoring for Glenravel before Ballymena’s Sean O’Brien added the final point of the contest.

Glenravel’s attacking efficiency was evident throughout, with ten different players contributing to a their massive tally of 5-15, while their defence kept Ballymena scoreless for over half an hour and restricted them to just a goal and four points overall.

Teams: Glenravel: 1 Sean McMullan, 2 Niall Dickson, 3 Ronan McCormick, 4 Conrad McIlhatton, 5 Eamon Ward, 6 Shea McAuley, 7 Colla Ward, 8 Niall Hynds, 9 Luke McQuillan, 10 Cormac McKeown, 11 Shea O’Broin, 12 Fergus Donaghy, 13 Niall McKeown, 14 Harry Fyfe, 15 Peader McDonnell,

Replacements 16 Oisin McKeown, 17 Fionntan Hodgson, 19 Fergal McKay, 20 Oran McClintock, 21 Connor Laverty, 22 Alex Davies, 23 Kaiden Gallagher, 24 Daire Higgins, 25 Odhran Kerr, 26 Callagh Mooney.

All Saints: 1 Alex Crawford, 2 Matthew Watt, 3 Finn Connon, 4 Patrick Murphy, 5 Ryan Thom, 6 Oliver O Rawe, 7 Sean Mc Dermott, 8 Harry Connon, 9 Jakub Kaczmarek, 10 Conlin Neill, 11 Archie Mc Greevey, 11 Ryan Laverty, 12 Sean O Brien, 13 Ciaran Mc Quillan, 14 Conan Mc Keown, 15Jack Patterson,

Replacements:16 Corey Mc Killop, 17 Daniel Henry, 17 Daniel Kelly, 20 Robert Crooks.

Referee: Paddy Tumelty (Hannastown)