O’Neill’s ACFL Division One
Roger Casements, Portglenone 4-6 Naomh Éanna 0-7
Brendan McTaggart reports from O’Cahan Park, Portglenone
Four goals in the first half, three in four minutes was enough to ensure Portglenone took the league points on offer at O’Cahan Park on Wednesday night. In a first half where the Casement’s were the better side, it wasn’t until the 24th minute that the game swung dramatically in favour of the home side. They led by five points when Damien Gault was denied a goal by a quite brilliant save from Portglenone ‘keeper Ryan O’Neill. Barely 15 seconds later, the ball was in the back of the Naomh Éanna net as Dermot McAleese started the counter and finished the move. A six point swing that knocked the wind from the sails of Naomh Éanna. Portglenone went for the jugular and added their third and fourth goals in the next four minutes.
It was a strong performance from the Casement’s against a depleted Naomh Éanna side who lacked any fluency or control for long periods of the hour. They relied on the ability of Odhran Eastwood, the Naomh Éanna playmaker finishing the match with 0-6 – all from placed ball while Ciaran O’Neill’s excellent first half point was the only score they managed from open play.
Portglenone were dominant in the air around midfield while they won the majority of contests for breaking ball. They kept Naomh Éanna under pressure and the visitors to O’Cahan Park struggled for any out ball.
The Glengormley side faired better after the break, winning the second half four points to one but Portglenone were content to hold on to what they had in the second half. They saw out the second half without any danger of Naomh Éanna launching an unlikely comeback.
The home side got off to the perfect start when they were awarded a penalty in the second minute. A sign of things to come when Dermot McAleese manoeuvred his way through the Naomh Éanna defence only to be brought down by stand in ‘keeper, Phillip Curran. Conall Delargy continued his fine recent form by despatching the resulting spot kick for his first of two goals during the match.
Michael Hagan split the posts soon after for the home side while Naomh Éanna had to wait until the eighth minute of the match for their first white flag, Eastwood with a trademark outside of the boot score to get the visitors off and running.
They could have had a goal of their own soon after, Padraig Hamilton with the chance only for Ryan O’Neill to produce a high quality save to deny him from point blank range. Eastwood converted the resulting ’45 but it was their last score for 21 minutes as Portglenone dominated.
Paddy Kelly converted a 50 yard free in the 17th minute before doubling his tally for the match soon after, this time from play to give Portglenone a four point lead once again. ‘Scotchy’ Hagan split the uprights with his first free of the match before the momentum swung heavily in favour of the home side. James McAuley produced a laser like long range pass from deep to the Naomh Éanna inside forward line. It looked like the Casement’s defence had it under control but a mix up allowed Damien Gault through on goal. How Ryan O’Neill managed to keep his shot out beggars belief but the home side countered and Dermot McAleese had the ball in the back of the Naomh Éanna net barely 15 second later.
A game changing moment but the home side changed it to a game winning moment with their next two attacks. Dermot McAleese once again the architect to carve through the Naomh Éanna defence where Conall Delragy was found in space at the back post and palmed the ball into the net.
Two minutes later, the home side were celebrating another goal. Niall McKeever with the long pass to Niall Delargy in space in the Naomh Éanna half. The Casements defender found Paddy Kelly and while he still had work to do, Kelly found the bottom corner of the Naomh Éanna net to open a 15 point lead and effectively end Naomh Éanna’s hopes of victory in the 28th minute.
Ciaran O’Neill landed the last point of the half on the stroke of half time with a stylish score but it was Portglenone’s half after a devastating five minutes of football.
Half time: Portglenone 4-5 Naomh Éanna 0-3
To say the second half was a sedate affair would be an understatement. Portglenone rarely left second gear and didn’t attack with the regularity or speed they did in the opening 30 minutes. They kept Naomh Éanna at bay with responsible defending while maintaining control of the game by keeping possession.
Hagan opened the scoring in the second half for his third point of the match in the 34th minute but that, incredibly was the home sides last score of the hour. Any chances for the home side to add to their score was fleeting in the time that remained, adding five wides to the five they managed in the first 30 minutes.
Naomh Éanna stuck to their task with Eastwood catching the eye along with Conor McAuley and Niall McKeown but they found the Portglenone defence a tough proposition. Eastwood was their only scorer in the second half as he took his tally to 0-6 for the hour with four further frees but it did little to take the gloss off what was an emphatic victory for the home side.
The win sees Portglenone move up to second place as they travel to Toome on Sunday to face Cargin while Naomh Éanna travel to Lámh Dhearg on the same day.
TEAMS
Portglenone: Ryan O’Neill; Ryan McGuigan, Corey McLaughlin, Ronan Delargy; Niall Delargy, Dermot McAleese, Caolan Tierney; Niall McKeever, Fergal O’Kane; Conall Delargy, Gerard McAleese, Paddy Kelly; Michael Hagan, Ronan Kelly, Ryan Convery.
Scorers: Conall Delargy 2-00 (1-00 pen); Paddy Kelly 1-2 (0-2 f); Michael Hagan 0-3 (1f); Dermot McAleese 1-00; Gerard McAleese 0-1.
Naomh Éanna: Phillip Curran; Killian Jennings, Michael McNamee, Kevin Hillen; Ciaran Thompson, James McAuley, Conor McAuley; Fionntan O’Connor, Niall McKeown; Padraig Hamilton, Odhran Eastwood, Cormac Morgan; Michael Morgan, Damien Gault, Ciaran O’Neill.
Scorers: Odhran Eastwood 0-6 (5 f’s, 1 ’45); Ciaran O’Neill 0-1.
Referee: Eamon McAuley (Erins Own, Cargin)
