St John’s Under-14 Football

St John’s 1-09 v 2-08 Castlewellan Sat 28th Aug 2004
B Championship Final at Loughinisland

This was a poor team performance, despite a man-of-the match performance from Gerard McAnulty in the middle of the field. Having seen off Loughinisland in the semi-final to get to this stage it was regrettable that there were a number of big name absences for the final, and the team failed to perform to its full potential. There were good performances from Conor Braniff, Ben Murray, Martin Keenan, Daniel McKay and Chris McKay.

St John’s scorers: Gerard McAnulty 1-02, Ryan Gibney 0-04, Ryan Russell 0-02, Conor Braniff 0-01

St John’s 1-15 v 0-05 Drumaness Sun 19th Sept 2004
B League Final at Castlewellan

St John’s put any lingering disappointment from the Championship final firmly behind them with a thoroughly deserved victory over Drumaness to collect the League Title. It was an excellent team performance and had it not been for the strong wind making playing conditions very difficult St John’s might have trebled their score.

St John’s played into the teeth of the gale in the opening period. One of the features of their play during the opening period had been the way Conor Marmion and Gerard McAnulty dropped back to receive short accurate kick outs from Conor McQuoid, and to build attacks from here with good passing and fluid movement of the players. The main disappointment for St John’s was to have Conor Marmion go off injured during the first period with a recurrence of a knee problem. At the same time one of the Drumaness centre fielders received a red card. St John’s were already ahead and in control but going down to 14 men ended whatever hope Drumaness might have had of a recovery.

St John’s were never in trouble and went on to leading by 7 points to 2 at the interval. They didn’t relent in the second period, and with the wind at their backs they pushed on to further their lead. Some of the refereeing decision in the second period seemed puzzling, but the only favour he did for Drumaness was to blow for full time.

For the second week in a row St John’s collected a league shield.

St John’s: C McQuoid: D McKay, D Milling, C McMullan; S Trainor, J McMullan (0-02), C Braniff (0-01); C Marmion, G McAnulty (1-02); D Gilmore, S Rice, D Mackin (0-02); R Gibney (0-04), R Russell (0-01), B Murray(0-03). Fir Ionaid: M Keenan, C McKay, J Lennon, D Savage, H McMullan.

The under-14 squad and management wish Conor Marmion a speedy recovery.