ACFL Division 1
Casement’s Portglenone 4-15 Gort na Mona 0-09
A flurry of late goals, four in all, was enough to seal a home win for Casement’s as the Bannsider’s secured the points at the expense of Gort na Mona on Wednesday evening at O’Cahan Park.
The West Belfast side returned to the top grade this term following a lengthy spell in exile and signalled their arrival with an emphatic opening round win over St Teresa’s on day one.
Although they did match the home side for most of the opening period and trailed by only two points at the break Sean McKenna’s men were to be left behind as their South West rivals upped the ante in the second half.
Casement’s having amassed a bye ball tally which had reached double figures in a wasteful first thirty minutes started the second period in a more accurate mode and with Niall Mc Keever lording it in the middle and the excellent Gerard Mc Aleese pulling the strings in attack they took control.
The home side had matters well in hand when Paddy Kelly planted the ball in the net in the 47th minute and a further three goals underlined their supremacy to ensure a winning advantage of 4-15 to 0-09.
Having opened their division one account in no uncertain fashion in round one Gort na Mona made the journey to Portglenone hoping to build on their opening day success.
Points on the board and morale high ensured a confident start to proceedings and indeed the West Belfast men held their own in the opening phase with the nimble Padraig McCaffrey causing problems for the home defence.
The sides were level on 0-02 apiece after ten minutes with Ronan Kelly opening the Casement’s account in the first minute before Shane Scullion replied at the other end and when full forward Kelly despatched a 25 metre free between the posts to see his side regain the lead’ Darren Boyd sent a 50 metre free between the posts to tie the scores.
The opening period progressed with little between the sides with the home side most wasteful in attack as strong approach failed to produce the necessary scores.
In contrast the Gorts were being restricted to less in their approach to the target although Padraig McCaffrey was lively and they were still alongside their hosts at 0-04 apiece as the game progressed into the second quarter.
Conal Delargy had delivered a fine score from an acute right sided angle in the 13th minute to conclude a good approach in which Michael Kelly played a part before a fine finish earned the very busy Gerard McAleese another.
The visitors were quick to return fire however and back to back scores from Mc Caffrey saw the scores level at 0-04 apiece.
Casement’s, with Jonny Convery getting to grips with the threat posed by Mc Caffrey and dominance in the central berth ensured they took control for a time and when Caolan Tierney, Gerard Mc Aleese, and Conal Delargy raised respective white flags they looked on their way.
The visitors responded and Padraig McCaffrey collected a well delivered Darren Boyd pass to forward directly between the posts. Although the home side returned quickly back to the offensive they contrived to miss several more gilt edged chances in the latter stages but led 0-07 to 0-05 at the short whistle with a bye ball tally in double figures.
At the outset of the second half the points looked far from certain but in the event the home side were quickly out of the start blocks and as events were to unfold it was obvious that they had found their shooting boots.
Ciaran McKenna had the ball over the bar within a minute and when Paddy Kelly, Ronan Kelly, and Dermot McAleese followed suit they had sprinted into a six point lead at 0-11 to 0-05 by the 36th minute.
Shane Scullion did get one on the board for the visitors when he was first to collect and finish in the 37th minute but with Niall McKeever dominating at mid-field Casement’s responded with points from Ronan Kelly, Paddy Kelly, and Caolan Tierney to put themselves in a commanding position.
Des Mc Lean’s 45th minute point hinted at the possibility of a comeback but that notion was quickly extinguished as Paddy Kelly was placed by a Dermot Mc Aleese delivery to deliver to the net.
Ciaran Mc Kenna added a point to the home side’s tally and although the Gorts replied with a couple of back to back points from wing half back Aiden McDonagh it was as good as over.
The home side had matters well in hand and they finished with a flourish as Paddy Kelly and Ronan Kelly found the net before late replacement Ryan Mc Guigan had the last say when he added a fourth to see Portglenone finish 4-15 to 0-09 winners.
Casement’s: Ryan O’ Neill, Ronan Delargy, Jonny Convery, Ryan Convery, Caolan Tierney (0-02), Niall Delargy, Michael Kelly, Niall Mc Keever, Fergal O’ Kane, Conal Delargy (0-02), Paddy Kelly (2-03), Dermot Mc Aleese (0-02), Gerard Mc Aleese (0-02), Ronan Kelly (1-04), Ciaran Mc Kenna (0-01)
Subs
Ryan Mc Guigan (1-00) for N Delargy (black card)
Michael Hagen for D Mc Aleese (inj)
Coary Mc Loughlin for F O’ Kane
Shane Doherty for P Kelly
Gort na Mona: Chris McErlean, Conor Connolly, Thomas Mc Gouran, Chris Devlin, Chris Browning, David Mc Erlean, Aiden Mc Donagh (0-02),Caomhinn Magee, Padraig Mc Caffrey (0-03), Paul Conlon, Darren Boyd (0-01), Conor Browning, Des Mc Lean (0-01), Brian Burns, Shane Scullion (0-02)
Subs
Chris Carson for C Magee
Paddy Mulvenna for B Burns
Referee: Eamon Mc Auley (Cargin)