Lámh Dhearg 2-14-1-14 Portglenone
By Kevin Herron at Hannahstown
A goal in each half was enough to see Lámh Dhearg grind out a win in their first league outing after defeating Portglenone 2-14-1-14 at Hannahstown this evening.
Paddy Cunningham and Eoghan McKeown struck either side of the referee’s whistle for the county champions who looked to be en route to a comfortable victory, but Portglenone fought their way back into contention and a Dermot McAleese penalty gave them a glimmer of hope – though the hosts hung on in the end to claim their first two-points of the campaign.
Lámh Dhearg were first off the mark at a bright but breezy Hannahstown – corner forward Kevin Quinn popped the ball between the posts after a surging burst forward by Marc McGarry.
At the other end Brendan McComb was colossal as he turned Portglenone over twice in the early stages before departing through a head knock.
Terry McCrudden doubled his side’s advantage after Pearse Fitzsimons rose highest in middle of the field to claim John Finucane’s kick out and the ball was patiently recycled into the full-forwards path.
Portglenone hit through an excellent curling effort from corner-forward Patrick Kelly, but Ciaran Flaherty laid the ball off for the energetic Eoghan McKeown whose shot was direct and between the posts to restore his sides two-point lead, 0-03-0-01.
From the resulting kick-out, disaster struck for the visitors as Brian McManus went short – none of his fellow defenders read his intentions but Paddy Cunningham did and his delicate lob floated over the helpless McManus and into the unguarded goal to give Lámh Dhearg a 1-03-0-01 after 11 minutes.
Kelly hit back with a converted free and by the midway point only the goal separated the sides as influential midfielder Niall McKeever shot curled back inside the post as it momentarily looked to heading wide .
Niall Delargy cut the deficit further with the visitor’s third point on the spin but Michael Herron showed composure as he burst forward centre-half back and landed a super point.
Kevin Quinn restored the Lámhs three-point lead with his second point of the evening and Lámh Dhearg equalled Portglenone’s feat of three successive scores as Darren Bellew converted from a 45’ to make it 1-06-0-04.
Ryan Convery cut the margin again with a fine individual effort and Patrick Kelly converted his second free of the half to leave the goal separating the sides.
The sides traded scores through Eoghan McKeown and Kelly [free] but with the final kick of the first-half Ciaran Flaherty sent the ball between the posts to put the Hannahstown men 1-08-0-07 ahead at the interval.
Patrick Kelly should have narrowed the margin from the restart but his free dropped short and within three minutes Lámh Dhearg found their second goal of the game.
Ciaran Flaherty surged up field and drew in the Portglenone defenders before laying the ball into the path of McCrudden, Brian McManus stood tall and McCrudden found the unmarked McKeown who rifled home to give the Lámhs a 2-08-0-07 lead.
Scores from goal provider McCrudden and Kevin Quinn followed as the hosts were in command and nine ahead with twenty minutes remaining, but Portglenone weren’t about to wilt under pressure and fought their way back into the game.
Michael Kelly hit Casement’s first of the second period and just past the midway point – full-forward Conall Delargy narrowed the deficit to seven.
Kevin Quinn responded with his fourth of the evening but back to back quick fire points from Dermot McAleese left two goals the difference, 2-11-0-11.
McAleese claimed his third of the half as the pendulum had firmly swung in the visitors favour, with little under five minutes remaining referee Darren McKeown signalled for a penalty after Marc McGarry felled a Portglenone attacker on the on route to goal.
Half-forward McAleese took responsibility and despite John Finucane guessing correctly, he tucked his penalty low into the bottom right corner to leave just two-points of a difference, 2-11-1-12.
Terry McCrudden looked to have eased his sides nerves with his third point of the evening and the Hannahstown men’s lead was extended through a converted Paddy Cunningham free, however back to back frees from Patrick Kelly and namesake Martin cut the gap to two points once more.
Paddy Cunningham thought he had made the game save with a shot from a narrow angle that was controversially ruled wide before the umpire at the far post despite the nearest one signalling for a point.
Cunningham had the last laugh however as he coolly floated the ball over from a similar angle to give his side a 2-14-1-14 win at the final whistle and ensure that Lámh Dhearg got the better of Portglenone in the opening fixture of the league for the second time in three seasons.
Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, P Larkin, P Mervyn, M McGarry, D Bellew (0-01f), M Herron (0-01), B McComb, P Fitzsimons, C Murray, E McKeown (1-02), C Flaherty (0-01), G Slane, P Cunningham (1-02, 0-01f), T McCrudden (0-03), K Quinn (0-04). Subs: D Lynch for B McComb (20 mins), C Nolan for M McGarry (57 mins).
Portglenone: B McManus, P McAleese, A McKee, R Delargy, R Convery (0-01), N Delargy (0-01), A Kearney, N McKeever (0-01), S Delargy, M Kelly (0-02, 0-01f), D McAleese (1-03, 1-00f), S Kelly, C Tierney, C Delargy (0-01), P Kelly (0-07, 0-04f).
Referee: Darren McKeown (St Galls)