ACFL Division 1
Lámh Dhearg 0-09-0-09 Cargin
Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown
Lámh Dhearg and Cargin shared the points on the opening day after playing out a 0-09 apiece draw at Hannahstown this afternoon.
The fixture was a repeat of last year’s opening league encounter- which the Toome outfit won convincingly upon the return from the latest lockdown.
10-months on and it was all change in terms of management personal, with Deaglan Bunting at the helm of Lámh Dhearg and Ronan Devlin replacing Damian Cassidy in the Cargin dugout.
Devlin’s men got the early scores on the board and led through a well taken David Johnston point, before Ciaran Bradley seized upon two kick-outs in succession and on both occasions fed Pat Shivers for simple conversions.
The Toome men should have hit the net after four minutes when a quickly taken free was brought under control by Gerard McCann, McCann passed it off the shoulder to Michael Clarke whose thunderous drive came off the underside of the bar and out.
Lámh Dhearg found their first score of the afternoon through Daire Larkin after a nice build-up between Eoin McKeown and Paddy Mervyn.
Shivers kicked his third of the half in response before the hosts began to claim a foothold in proceedings.
Paddy Cunningham converted his first free of the afternoon and Kevin Quinn then engineered a score following some patient play.
Cargin restored their two-point advantage through a fourth point from marksman Shivers- who peeled off his marker and swung over following Ciaran Bradley’s inch-perfect pass.
The hosts responded positively and restored parity, Paddy Mervyn joined the attack and steered over a score with Declan Straney then taking a knock-on from Paddy Cunningham before driving the ball over.
Just before the interval Shivers produced a magnificent, angled point to conjure up his fifth of the half and give his side a narrow 0-06-0-05 lead at the midway point.
Cargin extended their lead early in the second half through Pat Shivers first free of the afternoon.
The Lámhs carved out their first goal opportunity on 38 minutes when Paddy Mervyn fisted to Declan Straney who quickly found Declan Lynch on the edge of the square, but Lynch’s goal-bound shot was turned behind by John McNabb in the Cargin goal.
Paddy Cunningham got his side off the mark from the resulting 45’ but Shivers landed a fine score at the other end to keep his side 0-08-0-06 to the good.
Midway through the half a second goal chance went abegging for the hosts, Declan Lynch was again denied by McNabb and in trying to clear the danger- David Johnston palmed the ball onto the post, a scramble ensued with Daniel Murray and Marc McGarry attempting to stab the ball home- but referee Kevin Parke spotted an infringement, and the visitors were off the hook again.
Cunningham narrowed the margin with his second converted free of the afternoon and the hosts restored parity for the second time after Declan Lynch guided the ball between the posts to make it 0-08 apiece.
It looked as though Cargin had done enough to secure victory when a quickly taken free released Shivers, who galloped forward and angled the ball over for his eighth point of the afternoon.
However, substitute Anto Byrne drew a close-range free at the other end and Paddy Cunningham dually converted the free to draw for the final time at the end of an entertaining opening day encounter.
Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, F Mervyn, M McGarry, M Hynds, D Smyth, P Mervyn (0-01), B Rice, D Straney (0-01), D Lynch (0-01), R Diamond, E McKeown, C Maxwell, P Cunningham (0-04, 0-03f, 0-01 45’), D Larkin (0-01), K Quinn (0-01). Subs: A McAufield for D Larkin (28), D Murray for D Smyth (38), A Byrne for R Diamond (52), N McGarry for C Maxwell (58).
Cargin: J McNabb, S Og Quinn, K O’Boyle, G McCorley, M Keegan, J Crozier, R Devlin, J Carron, G McCann, C Bradley, M Kelly, D Johnston (0-01), M Clarke, R McKernan, P Shivers (0-08, 0-01f). Subs: C Johnston for M Keegan (38), B Devlin for S Og Quinn (56), D McKeever for K O’Boyle (60).
Referee: Kevin Parke (Naomh Eanna)