ACFL Div 2
Tír na nÓg 1.12 (15)
Dunloy 0.16 (16)
Cuchullain’s Dunloy moved themselves above last night’s opponents, Tir na nog and All Saints into third place in the league following and excellent win over the Randalstown men at Whitehill. The visitors looked in trouble when they trailed Tir na nOg by five at the half way stage and the smart money would have been on the home side to push on for a win.
In the proverbial game of two halves the visitors went on to outscore the opposition 0-12 to 1-3 in the second half but were forced to endure a few anxious moments when Ciaran Dobbin brought the Whitehill side to within a point in injury time.
It was Dunloy who were first off the mark when Seaan Elliott pointed them ahead after two minutes but Caoimhin Duffin levelled matters with five minutes gone. The exchanges were fairly even during the opening ten minutes as Conal Cunning for Cuchullain’s and Ciaran O’Neill exchanged further minors but slowly Tir na nOg began to get on top.
Lee Martin, Aaron McNeilly and Martin with three on the trot (1 free) moved the home side five in front by the 20th minute and they looked to be gaining control. Dunloy replied with points from a Keelan Molloy free and another from play by Christopher McMahon but Tir na nOg finished strongly with Sean Redmond and Caoimhin Duffin adding late points to leave them five ahead at the break.
Half Time Tír na nÓg 0.9 Dunloy 0.4
It was a different Dunloy after the break as they began to control the contest with Callum Scullion and Gabriel McTaggart prominent in the middle of the field and their full-forward line starting to open up the home defence with their pace and sharpness.
Conal Cunning got them on their way direct from a ‘45’ in the 5th minute and followed by another from play and points from Seaan Elliott and Shane Dooey left just one in it at the end of the third quarter with Tir na nOg failing to add to their half time total at this stage.
Keelan Molloy made it all square before Shane Dooey gave the visitors the lead for only the second time and the first since the opening minutes but Lee Martin finally stopped the rut to level matters for the third time with Tir na nOg’s first point of the half with ten minutes remaining.
Any hopes that Martin’s point would lift a despondent Tir na nOg were soon dispelled however as Dunloy continued to dominate as Shane Dooey, Keelan Molloy moved the visitors two in front but Lee Martin responded once more to leave just one in it with five minutes remaining.
Cuchullain’s had the scent of victory in their nostrils however as Keelan Molloy and Seaan Elliott moved them three ahead before Ciaran O’Neill replied with a point for the home side to keep their fading hopes alive.
It looked as good as over when Declan Smyth moved forward from defence to put the visitors three in front and when the flying Seaan Elliott added another, a minute into injury time there looked to be no way back for the Whitehill side.
Tir na nOg were handed a lifeline however when they were awarded a penalty which Ciaran Dobbin tucked away and in a dramatic finish they had an attempt at an equaliser drop short of the target but that was the final play of the game.
Dunloy now move onto 16 points, three behind second placed St. Ergnat’s and one ahead of All Saints who lost to the Moneyglass side last night while Tir na nOg will welcome the Ballymena men to Whitehill on Sunday with both hoping to get back into winning ways.
Tír na nÓg: 1 SP. McAtamney 2. C. Logan 3. N. Cassidy 4. P. Cullen 5. D. McCormick 6. C. Duffin 7. C. McKeown 8. B. McCormick 9. M. Duffin 10. S. Redmond 11. A. McNeilly 12. J. O’Mahoney 13. C. O’Neill 14. K. Sheerin 15. L. Martin 17. K. Kerr 18. D. Martin 19. D. O’Kane 20. C. Sheerin 21. E. Óg McAllister 22. D. Mallon 23. S. Duffin 24. D. Fagan 25. C. Dobbin
Subs used: C. Dobbin for J. O’Mahoney (HT), C. Sheerin for C. Logan (48mins), E. Óg McAllister for S. Redmond (53mins), D. Fagan for L. Martin
Scorers: C. Duffin (0.2), C. O’Neill (0.2), L. Martin (0.6- 3 frees), A. McNeilly (0.1), S. Redmond (0.1), C. Dobbin (1.0)
Dunloy: 1 Sean Doherty,2 paddy Kinsella, 3 karl O’kane, 4 Conor Kinsella, 5 Ryan McGarry, 6 Declan Smith, 7 Aaron Crawford, 8 Callum Scullion, 9 Gabriel McTaggart, 10 Nigel Elliott, 11 Keelan Molloy, 12 Christopher McMahon, 13 Seaan Elliott, 14 Shane Dooey, 15 Conal Cunning