Homefit Antrim ACFL Div 1.
Rossa 0-9 St Marys Aghagallon 0-11.
Aghagallon staged a strong second half comeback despite playing into the breeze to edge out O‘Donovan Rossa in a tight contest at Rossa Pairc on Sunday. The home side looked in a strong position when they turned round with the breeze in their favour, leading by a single point but the visitors produced a polished second half performance to take the points.
Rossa opened strongly and Dara Rocks fired over but the visitors settled into the game and Niall McShane pointed from distance before Jamie Lamont edged them in front.
A Jonathan Hannon free extended the gap and while Dominic McEnhill responded at the other end, Shane Russell restored the two-point cushion, getting on the end of a quick break.
Rossa began to find their feet however and started to dominate possession with McEnhill converting a free and then Thomas Morgan shrugged off a challenge before splitting the posts to draw his side. level.
The home side continued to press and looked in for a goal but Pat Brannigan made a great block to deny Dara Rocks. McEnhill gathered the rebound however to fire over and edge his side in front.
Eunan Walsh tied the game in first-half stoppage time after claiming a mark and converting but Rossa would take a 0-6 to 0-5 lead at the half with Sean Pat Donnelly splitting the uprights on the turn.
The introduction of Adam Loughran to the Aghagallon attack at the start of the second half was to have a strong influence on proceedings and he didn’t take long to make an impact as he sent over the equaliser in the 5th minute before Jonathan Hannon pointed a free into the wind to give the visitors the lead.
Eunan Walsh then doubled their advantage, kicking a free into the teeth of the breeze before Adam Devlin responded with a beauty of a score for Rossa.
The momentum was with Aghagallon however and Shane Russell looked to be in for a goal but Cricky McGuinness made a vital block but Russell did manage to kick the point of the day shortly after, converting from a tight angle way out on the right with the outside of his right boot.
Niall Patterson then got on the end of a precise pass from Loughran and Walsh blasted over after a strong run to put four between the teams.
Rossa were struggling to get their hands on the ball at this stage but a McEnhill free and a fine score from Thomas Morgan closed the gap to two and set the scene for a storming finish.
However, Aghagallon managed the game well and kept the ball inside the Rossa half to give the hosts no opportunity to get forward in search of a match-winning goal as the visitors claimed the win.
ROSSA: Mick Byrne; Conor McGowan, Stephen Shannon, Niall Crossan; Patrick Moyes, Chris McGuinness, Matthew Mallon; Cormac McGettigan, Sean Pat Donnelly (0-1); Dara Rocks (0-1), Dominic McEnhill (0-4, 3 frees), Darren Grego; Adam Devlin (0-1), Thomas Morgan (0-2), Michael Armstrong.
Subs: Conal Shannon for D Rocks (46), Ben McAuley for A Devlin (51)
AGHAGALLON: Damian O’Hagan; Pat Brannigan, Aidan Mulhollan, Daryl McAlernon; Ciaran Maginnis, Jamie Lamont (0-1), Paul Mulholland; Oisin Lenehan, Niall McShane (0-1); Enda McCartan, Ruairi McCann, Jonathan Hannon (0-2 frees); Niall Patterson (0-1), Eunan Walsh (0-3, 1 mark, 1 free), Shane Russell (0-2).
Subs: Adam Loughran (0-1) for E McCartan (HT), Michael McStravick for S Russell (54)
REFEREE: Patrick Tumelty (Lámh Dhearg)
