Gallagher’s scoring blast guides St. Gall’s to final

RORY GALLAGHER yesterday offered more compelling evidence to Fermanagh manager Malachy O’Rourke that he must receive a recall to the county squad.

The well travelled former Erne star demolished Clontibret with a 2-4 salvo to send Antrim champions St Gall’s through to the Ulster Club SFC final.

On the evidence of this impressive Athletic Grounds showing, the Belfast men will go into the provincial decider on Sunday week favourites to overcome Derry’s Loup and take a third title.

The Monaghan champions never threatened to cause an upset, and depended much too heavily on county star Conor McManus, who scored all but two of their points.

McManus, however, was guilty of missing two first-half goal chances. First he rounded goalkeeper Ronan Gallagher, and while he managed to finish the ball to the net, he was penalised for handling on the ground as he stumbled.

Shortly afterwards, when he exchanged passes with Fergal Mone, he somehow blazed wide from three yards out when a goal seemed inevitable.

Clontibret held a 0-4 to 0-2

advantage at the end of the opening quarter, but with Kevin McGourty and Rory Gallagher dropping into the central area to initiate attacks for the Belfast boys, things started to happen for St Gall’s.

Gallagher displayed his creative side in setting up points for Terry O’Neill, Kevin Niblock and Sean Kelly, and knocked over a couple himself as St Gall’s eased into a 0-8 to 0-5 interval lead.

And once they got the wind in their backs after the restart, there was no stopping a slick moving west Belfast outfit.

CJ McGourty’s precision pass sent Gallagher in for the first of his two goals, finished with assurance past Paul McElroy. With Aodhan Gallagher and Sean Burke bossing the midfield exchanges and wing backs Sean Kelly and Paul Veronica adding their dynamism to the attacking effort, Clontibret’s challenge faded.

Kieran McGourty stepped into focus with three points, and it was substitute Darren O’Hare who crossed from the right for Gallagher to punch home at the far post to open up a 12 points lead and finally finish off the Monaghan men seven minutes from the end.

ST GALL’S: Ronan Gallagher, M Kelly, A McClean, C Brady, P Veronica, A Healy S Kelly (0-1), S Burke, A Gallagher, Kieran McGourty (0-3), Kevin McGourty (0-1), T O’Neill, K Niblock (0-2), Rory Gallagher (2-4, 0-1f), CJ McGourty (0-3 (2f).

Subs: K Stewart (0-1) for McClean (14), D O’Hare for Kevin McGourty (51), M McGowan for A Gallagher (57), S Burns for Rory Gallagher (57), S Kennedy for Brady (57).

CLONTIBRET: P McElroy, C Duffy, C Greenan, E Greenan, D Mooney, D Mone, M Corey, V Corey, J Golden, B Óg Magennis, P McGuigan, A Rooney (0-1), F Mone (0-1), C McManus (0-9 (7f), R Gorman.

Subs: JP Mone for Greenan (h-t), M Hughes for Magennis (43), Daihi McKeown for McGuigan (47).

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).