Ulster Intermediate Football League
Tir na Nog (Antrim) 0-14 Tir na Nog (Armagh) 1-11
Geordie McGuckin reports from Whitehill
Action pics: Dessie O’Neill
A late Aaron Mc Neilly point in added time secured a share of the points for the home side as the Randalstown men came from off the pace to snatch a draw with their Portadown based visitors in the Ulster Intermediate league affair up at Whitehill on Sunday.
In a game that was organized as part of the Whitehill club’s Centenary celebration day, the Armagh side had dallied a while in their new environment to find the posts as it too all of 25 minutes of endeavour and a clutch of missed opportunities before a Pat Lamph point opened account but such added touch paper to the start switch and prompted late revival and a 1-03 to 0-05 interval advantage.
The Whitehill men did return to parity on the board shortly into the second portion when Aaron Mc Neill stroked a 50 metre free kick between the posts but such was not to last, and when the ever dangerous Jamie Mc Alennan picked up a well-directed cross field delivery to add a 49th minute point to ensure a three point advantage the boys from the County Armagh looked in charge.
The home side powered onwards by a resilient defensive structure and the addition of replacements Kevin Kerr and Pearce Sheerin were not about to make concession and when the hard grafting Leigh Martin was grounded on his way to the posts well in time added Aaron Mc Neilly was unerring from the placed effort earned, stroking firmly between the posts to ensure a 0-14 to 1-11 finish and the points shared.
Although County Armagh based Tir na Nog started in their Ulster league assignment at the home of their Antrim based namesakes in a hurry despite a plentiful supply of the leather they were to find the Whitehill posts elusive for most of the opening period.
The Portadown side had spurned what looked several easy enough openings to make a mark before they found the target and a couple had gone astray before both Dara Feagan and Leigh Martin raised white flags apiece for the home side.
Dara Feagan who was consistently out in front for delivery throughout, opened his account in the 5th minute after claiming a Caomhinn Duffin delivery and after Leigh Martin doubled the tally on the scoreboard a foul on the former saw him pick himself up and send the resultant placed effort between the posts.
As the Portadown visitors added to their wides tally the home side were to prove equally wasteful in front of the target with the slippery conditions not helping. The Armagh side did get going eventually as Pat Lamph’s 24th minute stylish finish was top class.
The shackles removed the Portadown lads pushed on as they followed with a 27th minute goal.
Jordan Mc Cooe’s precision delivery found his centrally based partner stationed on the edge of the square and the latter fisted the leather over the advancing Randalstown netminder Michael Dempsey.
The home side struck back to get on terms as Aaron Mc Neilly and Dara Feagan grabbed back to back points but the last say was to belong to the Armagh lads and a Mark Davidson point secured a 1-03 interval lead.
Little separated the sides in the opening minutes of the second half as Leigh Martin and Paul Carville swapped points and similarly when an Aaron Mc Neilly 37th minute point allowed the home side to draw abreast a quick reply from Jonathan Mc Gurgan soon restored his team’s lead (1-05 to 0-07).
A close encounter with the uplift in quality obvious and again after another excellent approach and a finish from the hard grafting Leigh Martin closed the gap again a quick reply ensued and back to back points from Jamie Mc Alennan and second period replacement Shea Skelton saw the Armagh men a couple clear at 1-07 to 0-08 at the 42nd minute.
A Kevin Sheerin point saw the gap between the sides reduced again to the minimum but when replacement Leo Montero signaled his arrival with a similar score at the other end, and Jonathan Mc Gurgan added one from play, the Orchard county men had gone three clear at the end of the third quarter.
A 46th minute Pearce Sheerin point saw the home side back on the comeback trail and after that was negated by a quick reply at the other end from the ever vigilant Jamie Mc Alennan a foul on replacement Emmett Murray was suitably punished when Kevin Sheerin sent the placed effort between the posts.
As the game entered the last ten minutes the home side, aided by a few subtle changes, gained traction and another Kevin Sheerin point reduced the deficit to the minimum and with the wind now in their sails the home side looked for a strong finish.
The visitors had their backs to the wall as the Whitehill Blues made advance and only the width of the post prevented them taking the lead as Christy Sheerin made came close.
The home side persisted in their efforts and when another advancement was foiled at the expense of the ‘45’ Niall Cassidy came forward to plant the hard earned award directly between the posts to level the issue.
The game clock had ticked onwards to time added when the visitors moved forward for the always available Jamie Mc Alennan to claim a Jordan Mc Cooe cross and send it over the bar for what looked like a winner.
The home side were not to settle for such however and a last gasp attack saw Leigh Martin upended on his way to the posts. Aaron Mc Neilly was presented with the chance to save the day and he didn’t waste the opportunity as he sent the resultant free firmly between the posts to claim a share of the spoils, and the long blast which promptly followed saw the sides finish on par at 0-14 to 1-11.
Referee M Mc Geehan (Doire)
Teams
Tir na Nog Randalstown
Michael Dempsey, Barry Magee, Niall Cassidy (0-01), Oliver Mc Atamney, Caomhinn Duffin, Daniel Martin, Ciaran Logan, Ryan O’ Neill, Christy Sheerin, Ciaran O’ Neill, Aaron Mc Neilly (0-03), Dara Feagan (0-03), Kevin Sheerin (0-01), Leigh Martin (0-04)
Subs
Pearce Sheerin (0-02) for R O’ Neill
Ronan O’ Neill for C Logan
Kevin Kerr for C O’ Neill
Emmett Murray for D Feagan
Dara O’ Kane for O Mc Atamney
Tir na Nog Portadown
Paul Flynn, Shea Bush, Adam Smith, Joe weir, Conan Judge, Stephen Mc Cann, Conor Mc Cormick, Jordan Mc Cooe, Joe Hendron (1-01), Jonathan Mc Gurgan (0-02), Mark Davidson (0-01), Pat Lamph (0-01), Paul Carville (0-01), Peter Wilson (0-01), Jamie Mc Alennan (0-02)
Subs
Daniel Mc Donald for A Smith
Mark Davidson for Shea Bush
Conleth Magee (0-01) for P Wilson
Shea Skelton for C Judge
Leo Montero (0-01) for J Mc Gurgan