Homefit ACFL Division One 

Lámh Dhearg 1-09-1-09 Rossa 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

Conor Murray netted deep into injury time at Hannahstown to ensure that Lámh Dhearg and Rossa would finish all square at 1-09 apiece after a dramatic conclusion. 

Both sides were on course for a share of the spoils until Rossa were awarded a penalty with time almost up and it was subsequently converted by Colm Fleming as the Shaws Road outfit looked to have secured back-to-back victories on the Hill. 

Although, the Lámhs showed character and resilience and profited from a lapse in concentration with Conor Murray slotting past County team-mate Mick Byrne to ensure both sides would settle for a point apiece. 

Lámh Dhearg went into the first midweek encounter of the campaign looking to get their first two-points on the board after drawing with Cargin on the opening day. 

Hugh McGettigan’s Rossa side had already claimed maximum points against St Enda’s but were hoping to bounce back from defeat against St Galls on their last outing. 

The game began slowly on a cold brisk evening on the Black Mountain, and it took ten minutes for the opening score to arrive. 

Conor Murray played a delightful ball in on top of Daire Larkin- who claimed the mark and swung over to start the evenings scoring. 

The hosts doubled their lead with a confident Declan Lynch effort from range, although Dominic McEnhill burst through the resistance of Padraig Mervyn and split the posts. 

Paddy Cunningham restored his sides two-point advantage from the mark after another piece from excellence from Murray- though Thomas Morgan guided an effort inside the near post in response. 

The familiar theme continued approaching the break with Ben Rice picking out Conor Murray- who landed a fine curling shot and Colm Fleming replying with a converted free for Rossa. 

Murray doubled his account before the break after reaching Carl Maxwell’s pass ahead of Mick Byrne and accurately sending it between the posts to give his side a 0-05-0-03 advantage at the interval. 

Rossa narrowed the gap upon the second-half resumption with his second converted free of the evening but at the other end Paddy Cunningham played a cross field ball to Ben Rice- who played a one-two with Fionn Mervyn and clipped the ball over the bar. 

Thomas Morgan shot over his second point of the evening on the turn, although his side were dealt a blow when Darren Grego was black carded for what referee Mark O’Neill considered a deliberate trip. 

The hosts restored their two-point lead thanks to a third Conor Murray point after Daire Larkin patted Declan Lynch’s ball down to the lively wing-half forward. 

Dominic McEnhill converted a free to narrow the margin to a single point once again and just before the midway point in the half, Thomas Morgan was slipped through for a goal chance- though his effort came crashing off the underside of the bar. 

With little over ten minutes remaining Rossa restored parity through an Eoghan McMenamin floated point to make it 0-07-0-07. 

Lámh Dhearg quickly regained the lead through a simple Ben Rice point, but Richard Gowdy was on-hand to swing over a second equaliser shortly after. 

On 57 minutes Rossa hit the front for the first time in the game after a period of sustained pressure that led to substitute Dara Rocks steering the ball over the bar. 

It was end-to-end stuff as darkness was setting in and it looked as though the points were going to be shared when Cormac Hannan got his angles right and levelled the game up at 0-09-0-09. 

Although Rossa were gifted a golden opportunity to claim the two-points on offer when referee O’Neill adjudged Padraig Mervyn to have blocked a shot down with his foot and signalled for a penalty. 

Colm Fleming seized responsibility and sent John Finucane the wrong way to hammer the ball high into the net and surely win the game at the late stage. 

But Lámh Dhearg went down the other end in search of a leveller and their persistence paid off when they were awarded a free. 

It was a decision that Rossa players disagreed with and as they switched off momentarily to argue their case, the Lámhs swooped and took advantage as Paddy Cunningham picked out Conor Murray to shoot low into the corner past Mick Byrne to draw the sides level at 1-09 each. 

A winner failed to manifest itself and at the end of an absorbing finish, the sides were forced to share the spoils. 

Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, F Mervyn, M McGarry, R Murray, A McAufield, P Mervyn, B Rice (0-02), D Lynch (0-01), A Byrne, C Murray (1-03), R Diamond, C Maxwell, P Cunningham (0-01m), D Larkin (0-01m), K Quinn. Subs: C Hannan (0-01) for K Quinn (3), D Smyth for R Diamond (HT), P Larkin for C Maxwell (42). 

Rossa: M Byrne, C McGowan, C Orchin, N Crossan, R Gowdy (0-01), C McGuinness, M Mallon, C McGettigan, E McMenamin (0-01), C Fleming (1-02, 1-00p, 0-02f), D McEnhill (0-02, 0-01f), D Grego, M Armstrong, T Morgan (0-02), A Devlin. Subs: SP Donnelly for A Devlin (50), D Rocks for D Grego (52). 

Referee: Mark O’Neill (Armoy)

Brothers Mick and Anto Byrne are happy with the outcome as the spoils and bragging rights are shared