ACHL Div2
Tír na nÓg 2.18 (24)
St. Galls 0.13 (13)
Round three of the All County Hurling league, division 2, saw Tír na nÓg welcome the Milltown men to Whitehill. It took two goals from the Sheerin Brothers to seal victory in the end after falling behind early in the contest but a tenth minute goal from Pearse Sheerin put the home-side in front and they stayed there for the remainder of the hour.
Straight from the throw in Sean Duffin fired the ball over the bar for the home side, quickly followed by a Kevin McCann point as Tir na nOg opened brightly. This lead was short lived however as St. Galls went on the attack. Aodhan Gallagher replied at the other end and after Sean Burke was taken down in full flight, Thomas O’Ciarain converted from his first chance in front of the posts. These scores lifted the visitors and Niall O’Neill returned the home-sides poc out over the bar followed by a point from play from O’Ciarain leaving the visitors (0.4 to 0.2) after 6minutes play.
With conditions very heavy underfoot both teams struggled at times to get the ball lifted cleanly but Kevin Sheerin replied from his first free of the game after 7minutes before keeper Rudi Graham in the Tir na nOg goals pulled off a fantastic to deny Burke. Going on the counter attack Sean Duffin played a fine hand-pass to Pearse Sheerin who floated the ball to the back of the net with less than 10minutes played. It was end to end stuff at this stage and wing half back Ryan Irvine lifted his side again with a point taken out wide after collecting the resulting poc out.
Both sides traded scores as Ciaran Logan and Kevin Sheerin fired over for the Whitehill men and Mark Napier and O’Ciarain responded for the Milltown side. There was nothing between the sides at this stage and after Niall O’Neill was fouled Tomas O’Ciarain levelled the game on 23minutes. Back came Tir na nOg and Kevin Sheerin picked off another free before the Milltown men created a lovely passage of play. Ruairi Wilson played the ball to O’Neill who found his corner forward and Napier spilt the posts to level the contest once more. Ciaran Logan pointed in the 25th minute and McGreevy replied at the other end leaving the sides tied once again and there was absolutely nothing between the sides at this stage. The home-side were to finish the stronger however with Logan’s third point of the game after a free dropped short followed by a 70meter free by ace marksman, Kevin Sheerin. The drama wasn’t quite over yet as Rudi Graham was called upon again to prevent O’Ciarian’s point dropping over the bar.
Half time Tir na nOg 1.9 (12) St. Gall’s 0.10 (10).
The battle of the free takers continued after the break with O’Ciarain for the visitors and Kevin Sheerin 0- 2 for the Randalstown men before Ciaran Logan fielded the poc out and sent the ball straight over the black spot. A foul on Jackson McGreevy gave Thomas O’Ciaran the opportunity and he obliged with his sixth point of the game but Kevin Sheerin and Pearse Sheerin replied at the other end leaving the score 1.14 (17) to 0.13 (13) with 10minutes remaining.
Breaking from defence Ronan O’Neill found Sean Duffin who was fouled while striking the ball and Sheerin tipped over the resulting 21meter free. The Randalstown Blues were slowly getting on top and Caoimhin Duffin sent Ciaran Logan through and he floated a high ball to the edge of the square. Sheerin pulled on it and found the back of O’Hara’s net to put a bit more daylight between the sides. With four minutes to play Kevin Sheerin knocked over two more frees before Emmet Martin topped of the scoring with a point.
Two wins and a draw from three starts for Tir na nOg and once again they impressed and stepped up to the mark when St. Gall’s threatened. A solid defensive performance from Kevin Kerr, Michael Higgins and Brendan Kerr saw them only concede three points in the second half (2 frees).
Next week Tír na nÓg face their biggest challenge to date when they travel to Ballycastle for a top of the table clash while St. Galls face Glenariffe at home hoping to get their first points of the league.
Tír na nÓg
- R. Graham 2. M. Higgins 3. K. Kerr 4. B. Kerr 5. R. O’Neill 6. C. Duffin 7. T. Martin 8. E. Martin 9. C. Fitzgerald 10. S. Duffin 11. P. Sheerin 12. C. Logan 13. D. Mallon 14. K. Sheerin 15. K. McCann 17. C. McKeown 18. S. Carey 19. E. Heffron
Subs used: C. McKeown for C. Fitzgerald (35mins)
Scorers: K. Sheerin (1.10- 10 frees), C. Logan (0.4), P. Sheerin (1.1), S. Duffin (0.1), E. Martin (0.1), K. McCann (0.1)
St. Galls
- S. O’Hara 2. M. Donnelly 3. S. Morrison 4. A. Gribbon 5. R. Irvine 6. J. McDaniel 7. R. Wilson 8. N. O’Neill 9. J. McGreevy 10. T. O’Ciarain 11. A. Gallagher 12. L. O’Ciarain 13. M. Napier 14. C. Burke 15. K. McGreevy
Scorers: T. O’Ciarain (0.7- 5 frees), M. Napier (0.2), A. Gallagher (0.1), N. O’Neill (0.1), R. Irvine (0.1), J. McGreevy (0.1)