Saul hit top form to escape the

Saul hit top form to escape the

23 October 2019

AN electrifying second half display from Saul lit up St Malachy’s Park in Castlewellan in an otherwise gloomy Saturday afternoon.

Victory for Saul means they remain in Division 2 with Saval ping down into Division  3 with Liatroim and Tullylish.

There was no clear favourite going into the game with either side winning their home games against one and other by a single point — that’s how close the margins were going into the game.

Saval started the better and opened the scoring with a point in the first minute, but Saul responded with a goal, scored by the alert Cathail Arnold in the third minute. 

The game was a test of physical ability in the testing conditions, but it was all Saval following Saul’s goal, as they added three points in the next six minutes. 

Saul were struggling to find the right gear to get into the game and sitting deep in their own half and all they could muster before the half-tine whistle was points from Danny Curran, Ruari O’Hare and Ciaran Harney. 

Saval continued to dominate and went into the break with a 1-10 to 1-3 lead.

The gap could have been wider going into half-time, but a fantastic save from Deaglan Arnold kept Saul in touch.

Many would have written off Saul as they trailed by seven points, but their supporters were in the same boat the previous week against Darragh Cross when they pulled the game from the fire.

Saul made three changes at half-time with Adam King, Aodhan Harney and Philly Doran coming on for Sean Higgins, Danny Curran and Gareth Robinson.

It was Saul’s turn to get quick off the mark this time with a goal from Ciaran Harney, automatically cutting the gap to four points‚ and their supporters dared to dream yet again.

Saul continued to close the gap with points from Philly Doran, Ciaran Harney, James Mahoney and Cathail Arnold as they levelled affairs.

The changes at half-time had brought the impact that Saul needed to get back into the game and what a transformation it was.

The second half was all Saul and the players were being rewarded for true grit and determination. It took until the 58 minute for Saval to get their only point of the half and to move them a point ahead, with the clock ticking down. 

The referee signalled four minutes additional time and two minutes into that time, Saul levelled again through Ruairi O’Hare.

The referee then blew the whistle, and it was into extra-time.

Saul made two changes for the first half of extra-time, with James Mahoney coming off for Caolan Magee and Daniel Napier coming on for Callum Mahoney. 

The first half of extra time saw Saul scoring in the first minute through Ciaran Harney and followed up a couple of minutes later with a point from Cathail Arnold, O’Hare extending Saul’s lead by three points. 

Saval responded in the eighth minute to go into break with Saul leading by two points.

It was all to play for in the second half of extra-time and the momentum looked to be on Saul’s side. 

Saul added to their lead with a 45’ from Cathail Arnold, before Jamie Morgan went perilously close to putting the game to bed.

Saval responded with a point in the third minute, but this was cancelled out by points from O’Hare and Ciaran Harney which gave Saul an unassailable lead with only a minute left of the clock.

Saul 2-14

Saval 1-13

ACFL DIV 2 RELEGATION PLAY-OFF