Reserve Football Shield
Dunloy 3-9 Moneyglass 2-10
Dunloy edged out Moneyglass in this Reserve Football Shield encounter at Pearse Park last night despite a sparkling performance by the visitors Tyler Cassidy who contributed 1-6 of his side’s 2-10 total and proved a real handful for the Dunloy defence over the hour.
The Cuchullain’s had their own hero in Anthony Smith who scored 2-2 on the night for the home side and clinched the contest with a goal from the penalty spot in injury time in a game that was in the balance right up to the final whistle.
The visitors led by two at the break and were the better team throughout most of the opening half and after falling behind to a Barry McCloskey goal and a point in the opening minute, they came back strongly to take control.
Frank Duffin, Tyler Cassidy, Conor O’Kane and Cassidy again fired over points to level matters by the 10 minute and they went on to dominate the second quarter. Cassidy 0-2, Aidan McErlean and Jimmy Duffin made it 8 on the bounce for a sweet moving St. Ergnat’s before Anthony Smith struck with a Dunloy goal in the 23d minute to close the gap to one.
Smith’s goal was Dunloy’s first score for 21 minutes and when Aidan McErlean replied with a goal at the other end, a minute later the balance of power looked to have swung back in favour of the Marian Hill side.
It was Dunloy who finished the half on the front foot however with point from Barry McCloskey and Anthony Doran to close the gap to two at the short whistle with all still to play for in the second half.
Tyler Cassidy extended the Moneyglass lead to three in the 35th minute but it was the home side who began to take control and the visitors would not register again until six minutes from time as Dunloy slowly reeled them in.
Anthony Smith, Tom McFerran, Peter McQuillan and McFerran again fired over points to edge them one in front after 53 minutes but that man Cassidy responded with a 54th minute goal for the visitors to leave them two in front as the clock ticked down.
Tyler Cassidy’s late point for St. Ergnat’s in response to Kevin McQuillan and Frankie Cochrane for Dunloy looked to have clinched it for the Moneyglass but Anthony struck with an injury time goal for the home side from the penalty spot to grab victory for the Pearse Park side.