U21 Football Championship

Rossa – 0-04   Tir na nOg- 7-11

First round results would have suggested that today’s meeting of Rossa and Tir na nOg was going to be a close affair with both having recorded wins over St. Pauls and Glenavy but Rossa’s win over their neighbours was much more convincing.

Tir na nOg had only a point to spare over St. Paul’s and travelled to Shaw’s Road today knowing they needed a win to finish top of the group but few would have predicted the margin of victory they were to gain on their second visit into the city on two consecutive weekends.

Aaron McNeilly pointed the visitors ahead and when Ciaran Dobbin followed with a goal the Whitehill men were well on their way. Dobbin was to prove a real handful for the Rossa defence with his pace and direct running and after Emmet Murray pointed he added his second goal.

Points from Ciaran Dobbin, Aaron McNeilly and a Darren McCormick goal extended the Tir na nOg lead with Rossa only managing three points up to this stage of the game and when Darragh Fegan added a fourth goal for the Randalstown side the writing was firmly on the wall.

Leading 4-5 to 0-4 at the half way stage the visitors had this one in the bag but they refused to ease their foot of the pedal on the restart as Peter Cullen struck goal number five and after Joe Webb had tagged on a point, Ciaran O’Neill got in for goal number six as the visitors scored almost at will.

There was to be no let-up however with Darragh Fegan adding his second and Tir na nOg’s seventh major and the visitors finished as they had started, in complete control as Ciaran Dobbin, Ciaran O’Neill, Emmet Murray, Joe Webb and Darragh Fegan added unanswered points.

Tir na nOg team – Joe  Webb, Mark Porter,  Declan Mallon, Thomas Porter, Ciaran O’Neill, Peter Cullen, Aaron McNeilly, Darragh Fegan, Darren McCormick, Emmett Murray,  Aidan Tolan, Ciaran Dobbin, Daniel Hastings, Stephen Carey.

Tir na nOg Scorers   Ciaran Dobbin 2-02, Darragh Fegan 2-01, Ciaran O’Neill 1-01, Aaron McNeilly 0.03, Peter Cullen 1-00, Darren McCormick 1-00, Emmett Murray 0-02, Joe Webb 0-02.

This win ensure Tir na nOg a place in the A quarter-final and by my reckoning they will be joined by St. John’s, All Saints, Moneyglass and St. Brigid’s and Dunloy will join them if they overcome the challenge of Cargin and Glenravel in their respective mid-week games.

The remaining two places, I understand will go to the two highest runners up with Kickham’s Creggan certain to be one of them following a big win over Cargin in Toome today. Rossa look likely to occupy the last place despite today’s defeat.