O’Neills All-County Hurling League Division Three

Lámh Dhearg 1-13-1-17 Gort Na Mona

By Kevin Herron at Hannahstown

Gort Na Mona came out on top of a closely contested Belfast derby at Hannahstown this afternoon, thanks to a 1-17-1-14 win over Lámh Dhearg.

A converted first-half penalty from Dessie McClean helped the visitors to a five-point lead at the break and that generally remained the margin up until Mark Finnegan rifled home with little under ten minutes remaining to give the Dhearg a lifeline. Gort Na Mona would hold out however to claim their sixth league win – but despite another gutsy display the hosts head into the split routed to the basement of the table.

Gort started brightly on a humid afternoon at Hannahstown as Paddy McCafferty converted free and a the lively Dessie McClean shot over the bar – though Domhnall Nugent claimed a puck-out from Paddy Joe Herron and squeezed his shot inside the post and Cathal Kelly’s effort dropped over the bar to level at 0-02 apiece after five minutes.

McClean and Nugent traded further scores and just before the midway point Paddy McCafferty landed a magnificent score to give the Turf Lodge side the lead for the third time in the contest and from there on in it was won they would fail to relinquish.

On the 15^th minute Gort Na Mona had the chance to increase their lead when referee Hugh Torney felt that Mark Lynch had brought down Dessie McClean and signalled for a penalty. McClean dusted himself down and shot low past Paddy Joe Herron to give his side a 0-03-1-04 lead.

Lámh Dhearg substitute Mark Finnegan saw his shot deflected behind but converted the resulting 65’ – though McClean converted his second free of the half to bring his personal tally to 0-03 and restore his sides four point advantage.

Finnegan cut the deficit with a fine score that sailed over the bar though McClean converted his third free and back to back points from the influential Paddy McCafferty had Gort 0-05-1-08 with the half-time whistle looming.

Mark Finnegan converted a late free to match McClean at 0-03 from the set-piece though his side trailed by five at the interval, 0-06-1-08.

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Gort Na Mona increased their lead through full-forward Chris McErlean within two minutes of the restart – but Domhnall Nugent responded with a superbly executed sideline cut.

The sides traded scores again through Ciaran McMullan and a converted Finnegan free and after charging down Gort Na Mona at midfield the ball was worked to the lively Finnegan who conjured up a second successive score as the hosts had made inroads for the first time in the half.

However back to back scores from deadly Dessie McClean increased Gort’s lead to six – the first from a converted 65’ and the second from a free to give his side a 0-09-1-12 lead.

Gort Na Mona should have really found their second goal on 42 minutes with three glorious chances – Chris McErlean watched on as his shot struck the woodwork, Dessie McClean reacted quickest and just as he looked as though he would find the net Paddy Joe Herron produced a tremendous stop – then Sean Campbell saw his follow-up drop short and into Herron’s hand.

The sides traded scores again through Mark Finnegan’s fourth converted free of the afternoon but Patrick Cournane popped the ball over the bar at the other end.

Paddy McCafferty then landed a superb score to give his side a seven point lead but it was to be Gort’s last until injury-time as Lámh Dhearg rallied.

Domhnall Nugent cut in off the right and shot high over the bar to reduce the deficit to six again and Mark Finnegan successfully converted his fifth placed ball of the afternoon to make it 0-12-1-14 going into the final ten minutes.

Nugent almost gave his side a lifeline but shot into the side netting from an acute angle but with little over five minutes remaining he atoned for his miss as he spotted Mark Finnegan in space and Finnegan let rip with a low drive that beat Kevin Valliday to make it a two-point game and set-up a grandstand finish, 1-12-1-14.

Two-points remained the difference until Patrick Cournane shot over the bar under pressure from Sean Paul Gibson but Lámh Dhearg quickly responded through Ryan Diamond.

Gort finished with a flourish though and two late points from McClean and McMullan secured a 1-13-1-17 victory for the Turf Lodge men.

Lámh Dhearg: PJ Herron, M McGuigan, M Lynch, R Fegan, E Herron, A McGuigan, C Herron, SP Gibson, R Diamond (0-01), P Mervyn, C Kelly (0-01), M McGarry, G Quinn, D Nugent (0-04, 0-02f), D Fox. Subs: M Finnegan (0-07, 0-4f,0-165’) for P Mervyn (14 mins), G Smyth for D Fox (29 mins), S Byrne for G Quinn (47 mins).

Gort Na Mona: K Valliday, C Connelly, G McKenna, C Scullion, C McCann, P McHugh, G Doyle, P McCafferty (0-05, 0-01f), D Boyd, P Cournane (0-02), T McCafferty, D McClean (1-07, 1-04f), S Campbell, C McErlean (0-01), C McMullan (0-02).

Referee: Hugh Tourney (Ballycran)

Pics by Ciarán Ó Brolcháin- Gort na Móna PRO