Unconvincing, but St Michael’s do enough to defeat game Glenfin

ULTIMATELY, St Michael’s prevailed with two points to spare against Glenfin, but it was a game that could, so easily, have swung the other way.

Glenfin 1-08 St Michael’s 2-07

They made it three wins from three to claim top spot in the group, but it was their most unconvincing display of the Championship so far.

Eddie Harkin’s side were thankful for a second half goal that had more than a stroke of good fortune about it.

It arrived in the 40^th minute and it is a moment that will haunt Andrew Walsh, the Glenfin goalkeeper, over the long evenings to come.

Colm McFadden, who had scored a 25^th minute goal to put St Michael’s 1-3 to 0-1 ahead by the interval, dropped a free short, but the ball slipped from Walsh’s grasp and Andrew Kelly was on hand to fire home from close range.

The goal put the Bridge men seven ahead, but Glenfin stormed right back. With a little more composure, Glenfin might well have caused the upset that would’ve catapulted them into the quarter-finals.

Paddy Costello scored their only point of the first half when he sold a neat dummy for a 14^th minute point that cancelled out McFadden’s free in a low-scoring opening stanza.

McFadden, from a seemingly impossible position wide on the left, and Michael Langan drilled over before McFadden netted five minutes from the break.

The Donegal star played a give-and-go with Langan before finishing with perfection into Walsh’s bottom left corner.

With Martin McElhinney off injured at the break, Glenfin – who squandered no end of scoring chances over the hour – got a second wind, although the goose seemed cooked when Kelly hit the second St Michael’s major.

Paddy O’Connor, from a free, and Jason Morrow had scored points in the early moments of the second half and it took a brilliant save by Mark Anthony McGinley to keep out Daniel McGlynn’s attempt at a goal.

Down the other end, Walsh beat away a shot from Liam Paul Ferry and Glenfin were soon storming back into the contest with Frank McGlynn grabbing it by the scruff of the neck.

O’Connor converted a free and he added another after a Michael McGlynn brace and it was game on.

Ryan Langan and Michael Langan steaded the wobbles, but Glenfin gave themselves a real fighter’s chance.

Another O’Connor free was followed by a goal that ignited the sparks around Pairc Tabhoige.

O’Connor was denied by McGinley and the rebound from Stephen Carr was blocked, but Daniel McGlynn was following in and he smashed home.

That left a solitary point between them, but Stephen McGlynn was off target with a chance that could have drawn Liam Ward’s team level.

With Glenfin hurling the kitchen sink into the St Michael’s square, the visitors could breathe a little more comfortably when substitute Raymond McLaughlin curled over the clincher.

Advancement for St Michael’s as the group winners, but it was a case of what might have been for Glenfin.

Glenfin: Andrew Walsh; Martin O’Donnell, Dan Harkin, Ronan Gallagher; Daniel McGlynn (1-0), Frank McGlynn, Gary Herron; Michael McGlynn (0-2), Paddy Costello (0-1); Conor Ward, Gerard Ward, Paddy O’Connor (0-4, 4f); Jason Morrow (0-1), Kevin McGlynn, Stephen McGlynn. Subs: Stephen Carr for C.Ward (40), Gary Dorrian for G.Ward (50).

St Michael’s: Mark Anthony McGinley; Peter Witherow, Stephen Doak, Ryan Langan (0-1); Liam Paul ferry, Michael McGinley, Michael Gallagher; Martin McElhinney, Christy Toye; Michael Langan (0-2), Daniel McLaughlin, Michael Cannon; Ciaran Gallagher, Colm McFadden (1-3, 1f), Andrew Kelly (1-0). Subs: Raymond McLaughlin for McElhinney (half-time), Antoin McFadden (0-1) for Cannon (50).

Referee: Liam McConigley (Downings).