Antrim Minor Football League Division 1
Portglenone 3-9 Tír na nÓg 1-21
Tír na nÓg bounced back from their defeat to Aldergrove last week to beat Portglenone in their penultimate game in Division 1 of the Antrim Minor Football League at O’Cathan Park on Tuesday evening. The win puts the Randalstown side joint top of the table with Aldergrove on 20 points, but the St James side lead on head to head, which means Tír na nÓg must get at least a point out of their game in hand against St Brigid’s if they are to take the title.
In Tuesday evening’s game in Portglenone you got the impression early on that the boys in blue had turned up for their coronation and when they took an early lead with a Emmett Murray goal those thoughts were strengthened, but they were soon to realise that they would be made to work hard for the win as the Casements lad came back with a bang and two goals from centre-forward Conor Marron had them in front by the tenth minute. When man of the match Oisin Doherty added three points to one from Tír na nÓg’s Ciaran O’Neill the Casement’s lead was out to three, but to their credit the Randalstown side raised the tempo and points from Conor Crosey, Paddy Dougan, Colla McDonald (2) and Ciaran O’Neill had them three ahead by half time. (1-9 to 2-3
Tír na nÓg controlled the second half but Doherty kept them honest with a series of good scores and a goal from the midfielder midway through the half brought them back into contention. With Colla McDonald, Emmet Murray and Ciaran O’Neill popping over points for the boys from Whitehill they were able to keep their opponents at arms-length, despite four more points from Doherty and in the end they had six to spare.
Tír na nÓg: Adam Reid, Shane Hinfey, Joshua Higgins, Rory Mullan, Ryan Crilly, Ethan Higgins, Conor McCamphill, Cormac Devlin, Ciaran O’Neill, Connor Crossey, Emmet Murray, Eamon Og McAllister, Paddy Doughan, Conor Hastings, Conor McDonald.
Subs – Daniel O’Neill, Randal McDonnell
Portglenone: 1. Aidan Mc Aleese ,2. Ruairi Mc Aleese 3. Ruairi Mc Guigan 4. Kevin O’ Kane 5. Dylan Hawksford 6.Ruairi Hagan 7. Ryan Mc Erlean 8. Daniel Mc Nicholll
9. Oisín Doherty 10. Jack Mc Aleese 11. Connor Marron
12. Sean Byrne 13. Ciaran Mc Aleese 14 . John O Kane
15. Jack Addison
Referee – Gerard Dougan
