Good opening day win for Tir na nOg in Rasharkin

ACFL Div 2 Result

Rasharkin 0.10 (10) Tír na nÓg 2.14 (20)

Report: Aimee McAtamney

Tír na nÓg Randalstown travelled to Dreen today to face hosts St. Mary’s Rasharkin in the opening game of the All County Division 2 football league. In a hotly contested battle the visitors maintained control of the game for the majority and came out 10 point winners to head back to Whitehill with their first 2 points of the league campaign.

Despite taking the first two scores Rasharkin failed to capitalise on their early possession and once Tír na nÓg found the back of the net in the 10th minute they never looked back.

Tir na nOg’s Leigh Martin in action during his team’s win over Rasharkin. Pic by Damian McKee / Picture Magic Studios

Corner forward Brian Og O’Neill came out of the blocks quickest and started proceedings after just two minutes for the home side, this was quickly followed up by Gérard O’Hagan after a precise pass from mid fielder Tiernan O’Boyle. Aaron McNeilly broke the line and went on the attack only to be pulled down and Darragh Fagan stepped up to covert the resultant free. On the counter attack Ciaran O’Neill broke out of defence and fed Ciaran Logan who found Leigh Martin and he brought the game back to level peggings.

Rasharkin’s Gérard O’Hagan struck his second point prior to having to leave the field of play after injuring his knee. Tír na nÓg were about to take control of the game when Christy Sheerin took a side line and found Ronan O’Neill who slipped the ball to the waiting Leigh Martin and he made no mistake in finding the back of the net. Tír na nÓg pushed on with three further points from Darragh Fegan, Christy Sheerin and Ciaran Logan after Leigh Martin did well to turn the ball over from a kick out.

Substitute Colm Kennedy played an accurate ball into corner forward Shane Hasson who spilt the posts for St. Mary’s and the visitors were then forced to make a change when Darren McCormick picked up an injury after 20 minutes with Kevin Kerr entering the fray to replace him.

**Rasharkin full back Emmet McFerran in action against Rasharkin. Pic by Damian McKee / Picture Magic Studios**

Indiscipline from Rasharkin saw two fouls on Ryan O’Neill and Kevin Sheerin which free takers Fagan and McNeilly willingly slotted over the bar to take the lead by 6 points. Prior to half Hasson and Lynch both swung placed balls over the bar for the Dreen men and Fagan got his fourth point of the half to put his side firmly on the front foot heading into the second half.

On the restart McNeilly cinverted another free kick after a foul on Leigh Martin before Martin got another of his own. Rasharkin refused to give up and scored a trio of points from Ryan Lynch (f), Shane Hasson (f) and Conor McFerran as they tried to spur on their side and cut the margin to four. Substitute Oliver McAtamney then took a short pass from a 45 to take a well taken score and McNeilly and Lynch traded scores before Pearse Sheerin came off bench to hit a right footed free over the bar for the visitors.

**Tir na nOg’s Christy Sheerin in action against Rasharkin’s Ferghal Kennedy and Thomas McMullan.** **Pic by Damian McKee / Picture Magic Studios**

The last score of the game came deep into injury time when Eamon Og McAllister played the ball to Oliver McAtamney who cleverly slipped in Caoimhin Duffin who finished into an empty net.

Credit to the Tír na nÓg defence who kept a clean sheet and continued to set up attack after attack as well as break down Rasharkin attacks. Man of the match Niall Cassidy enjoyed the freedom of breaking forward from full back, the freedom given to him by the Duffin brothers who willingly stepped back to cover the space.

Round 2 of the ACFL continues on Wednesday 10th April. Rasharkin travel to neighbours Dunloy hoping to pick up their first points of the league and Tír na nÓg host Moneyglass at Whitehill

Tír na nÓg: 1. SP. McAtamney 2. S. Redmond 3. N. Cassidy 4. A. McNeilly 5. C. O’Neill 6. C. Duffin 7. D. McCormick 8. C. Sheerin 9. M. Duffin 10.R. O’Neill 11. D. Fagan 12. C. Logan 13. R. O’Neill 14. K. Sheerin 15. L. Martin 16. E. Og McAllister 17. E. Murray 18. O. McAtamney 19. D. O’kane 20. K. Kerr 21. P. Sheerin 22. J. O’Mahoney

Subs used: K. Kerr for D. McCormick (inj-19mins), E. Og McAllister for Ronan O’Neill (38mins), O. McAtamney for D. Fagan (41mins), P. Sheerin for L. Martin (58mins), D. O’kane for C. O’Neill (63mins)

Scorers: D. Fagan (0.4- 3 frees), L. Martin (1.2), C. Sheerin (0.1), C. Logan (0.1), A. McNeilly (0.3- 3 frees), O. McAtamney (0.1), P. Sheerin (0.1-1free), C. Duffin (1.0)

Rasharkin: 1. A. Hasson 2. P. Kelly 3. R. McFerran 4. F. Kennedy 5. F. Quigg 6. C. Hasson 7. D. Doherty 8. T. O’Boyle 9. T. McMullan 10. J. Quinn 11. R. Lynch 12. G. O’Hagan 13. B. Og O’Neill 14. C. McFerran 15. S. Hasson 17. O. McGarrell 18. C. Kennedy 19. D. McGurk 20. K. O’Boyle

Subs used: C. Kennedy for G. O’Hagan (inj), K. O’Boyle for F. Kennedy

Scorers: B. Og O’Neill (0.1), T. O’Boyle (0.1), G. O’Hagan (0.1), S. Hasson (0.3- 2 frees), R. Lynch (0.3- 2 frees), C. McFerran (0.1)