O’Neill’s All County Football League Division 1
Lámh Dhearg 2-16-0-08 Glenavy
By Kevin Herron at Hannahstown
Lámh Dhearg bounced back from their weekend defeat to St John’s and inflicted a third straight defeat on new boys Glenavy with a 2-16-0-08 win at Hannahstown this evening.
It is possibly an evening that young Glenavy goalkeeper Edward Nelson will want to forget in a hurry as his first-half kick out was claimed by Paddy Cunningham unopposed and Terry McCrudden rifled home and early in the second-half – Michael Herron hassled and harried the 23-year old into conceding possession and Herron found the net to send Lámh Dhearg on their way to two league points.
The Lámhs were boosted by the return of absentees Brendan McComb, Declan Lynch and Paddy Cunningham – all of whom missed Sundays game with St John’s, while Glenavy manager Colin Toal was forced to withdraw Chris Scullion through injury during the warm up and replace him with Peter Treanor at full-back.
Lámh Dhearg made a bright start despite playing against a strong breeze and after Eoghan McKeown was tripped on route to goal, Paddy Cunningham converted the resulting free.
Kevin Quinn doubled his sides lead after a superb carry and accurate shot which sailed over the bar to put Lámh Dhearg 0-02-0-00 to the good – however Glenavy refused to let their heads drop and were quickly back on terms through a quick fire double from Niall McCann and towering midfielder Patrick Gallagher.
Lámh Dhearg regained their lead on 13 minutes with Kevin Quinn again causing havoc in the full-forward line and popping the ball over for his second of the evening.
Darren Bellew went close with an effort that tailed wide midway through the first-half and from the resulting kick-out – disaster struck.
Glenavy goalkeeper Edward Nelson’s kick out went straight to Paddy Cunningham unopposed, Cunningham resisted the opportunity to have a pop himself and his perfectly weighted pass picked out full-forward Terry McCrudden who bored down on goal and rifled into the corner of the net to give Lámh Dhearg a 1-03-0-02 lead.
Eoghan McKeown claimed the next score after bamboozling the Glenavy defence with his quick twists and turns before Paddy Cunningham converted his second free of the evening as the hosts had conjured up 1-03 without reply.
Ryan Murray was the Lámhs lead marksman against St John’s on Sunday but a couple of early efforts were this evening – however on 22 minutes Murray’s persistence paid off with a fantastic point after cutting in from the right, Terry McCrudden then bagged his first score of the evening as Lámh Dhearg appeared to be running away with the game and were 1-07-0-02 in front.
Ryan Phillips ended Lámh Dhearg’s 1-05 in a row with an excellently converted point but Paddy Cunningham kicked his third free of the half to restore his sides eight-point lead approaching the break.
It looked as though eight would separate the sides at the interval though Glenavy gave Lámh Dhearg some food for thought as Malachi Doherty converted a free and Fergus Cunningham quickly hit a second to reduce deficit to six at the break as the visitors left the field with a bit of a spring in their step despite trailing, 1-08-0-05.
Lámh Dhearg drove at Glenavy early in the second-period – a marauding run from attacking wing-corner back Brendan McComb saw him pop the ball to Paddy Cunningham whose shot dropped short, however half-back Michael Herron hassled and harried Edward Nelson into a spill and found the net to give his side a 2-08-0-05 lead within the first two minutes of the restart.
Declan Lynch combined with Paddy Cunningham for the first point of the half but Glenavy responded to their fresh set-back through successive points from Malachi Doherty and Gallagher – who along with midfield partner Michael Johnson were relishing the dual against Pearse Fitzsimons and Paddy Mervyn.
Paddy Cunningham hit Lámh Dhearg’s second point of the second period from a free and the next score arrived almost midway through the half courtesy of Cunningham from the same scenario.
In between those scores – Lámh Dhearg should have found a third goal on the 40th minute as Eoghan McKeown’s pop off to Paddy Cunningham released Terry McCrudden who sent the ball to the back stick where Ciaran Flaherty was lurking, but the Fermanagh native somehow dragged his shot wide of the goal.
Glenavy hit their final point of the evening on the 46th minute from a converted Fergus Cunningham free to make it 2-11-0-08 – though Ciaran Flaherty atoned for his earlier miss with an excellent point to put nine between the sides.
Lámh Dhearg began to ring the changes and Gerard Slane was next on the score sheet after Paddy Cunningham opted to go short from a free in front of the posts and Slane popped the ball over rather than try and beat the heavily congested Glenavy rearguard.
Cunningham’s final contribution before departing was to convert his sixth score of the evening and claim his second point of the evening from play afterwards as he departed with a personal tally of 0-08.
Terry McCrudden converted a late free to score his second point of the evening and there was no time for the resulting kick-out as referee Fintan McCotter blew his full-time whistle with Lámh Dhearg 2-16-0-08 ahead.
The Lámhs are on the road on Sunday and will hope to make it back to back wins when they take on St Teresa’s at the Glen Road, while Glenavy are on their travels again as they take on Agahagallon (both 3.00 throw-ins).
Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, P Larkin, A McAufield, D Bellew, D Lynch, M Herron (1-00), B McComb, P Fitzsimons, P Mervyn, E McKeown (0-01), C Flaherty (0-01), R Murray (0-01), P Cunningham (0-08, 0-06f), T McCrudden (1-02, 0-01f), K Quinn (0-02). Subs: G Slane (0-01) for R Murray (44 mins), C Nolan for D Lynch (51 mins), C Hannon for P Mervyn (55 mins), R Diamond for P Cunningham (57 mins).
Glenavy: E Nelson, M Nelson, P Treanor, M Hamill, R Phillips, O Hamill, J Philips, M Johnston, P Gallagher (0-02), M Doherty (0-02, 0-01f), T Gallagher, F Cunningham (0-02, 0-01f), M McCourt, D Gallagher, N McCann (0-01). Subs: R Philips (0-01) for M Hamill (9 mins), F Green for P Traynor (39 mins), P Traynor for M Johnson (44 mins), R Forester for J Philips (46 mins), E Henry for R Philips (54 mins).
Referee: Fintan McCotter (Sarsfields)
Pics by Bert Trowlen