ACFL Division One (Round One)
Tir na nOg 1-07 Erin’s Own Cargin 1-13
Cargin opened their league account on a positive note when they travelled up to Whitehill in the opening round of the competition on Sunday and returned home with the points secured at the expense of Tir na nOg.
The home side provided stiff resistance to their visitors for much of the hour and although the Toome men led 1-04 to 0-04 at the interval, thanks to a Tom Shivers goal and four points from the accurate Kieran Close, the home side were still very much in touch.
The Whitehill side with Aaron McNeilly and the impressive Eamon Og McAllister leading the charge, started brightly in the second half and an early goal by the latter ensured parity by the 37th minute.
At such juncture the home side looked on course to cause an upset but with Gerard McCann regaining dominance in the central zone and Gerard McCorley and Sean Og Quinn on top in defence, the Toome men took charge and a late flurry of scores saw them breast the line full value for their win.
County champions Erin’s Own Cargin travelled to Whitehill for a meeting with Tir na nOg with the Toome men assigned in the role of favourites.
The Toome men started positively with Kieran Close much to the fore and they held an interval advantage of 1-04 to 0-04.
It was the home side who were first to register with an early Sean Duffin point with Cargin quick to reply when Kieran Close split the posts. The home side nipped ahead again in the 8th minute as Eamon og Mc Allister scoring from away out on the left wing after a Brandon Mc Larnon delivery to split the posts.
That lead was short lived however as back came the Toome men with Benny Laverty and Justin Crozier combining to send in Kieran Close to raise an 8th minute white flag.
Corner man Close was ever prominent in the visitors offensive and he nipped in to add a third point before a strong Sean Og Quinn advance and a Tom Shivers assist sent the former away to find the net and the visitors had opened a 1-03 to 0-02 lead.
James Laverty added a point at the end of the opening quarter but it was the home side who were to gain in confidence in the second quarter.
Cargin lost their way somewhat in the latter stages and a strong clearance sent Eamon Og Mc Allister away to split the posts in the 20th minute to reduce the deficit.
Tir na nOg pressed in the latter stages of the first half but were denied access to the Cargin posts on a couple of occasions with timely interventions by Kevin O’Boyle and Gerard Mc Corley but a late Aaron Mc Neilly score from distance reduced the Cargin advantage to 1-04 to 0-03 at half time.
The home side made a bright start to the second half and Brandon Mc Larnon was first to provide employment to the score board attendant when he raced up the right hand side to split the posts.
They continued to press and a couple of minutes later a Ciaran O’ Neill delivery sent full forward Eamon Og Mc Allister in to the plant the leather in the back of John Mc Nabb’s net and his side were back on par 1-04 to 1-04.
An upset looked possible at this stage but the Toome men were quick to respond as net minder John McNabb came forward to send Kieran Close in for a point before Padraig Mc Loughlin arrived on the left hand side to add another with a superb finish.
The home side replied with a smart Darragh Feagan 45th minute point but the visitors were quick to reply with Brendan Laverty adding an excellent point before a foul on Ciaran Bradley opened the way for Kieran Close to add to his personal haul.
The die had been cast and with the issue beyond doubt Cargin finished in the positive with late points from John Mc Nabb, James Laverty, Paudie Mc Laughlin, Justin Crozier, and debutant Ben McLernon to see Erin’s Own concluded with a scoreline reading 1-13 to 1-07 and an opening victory secured.
Tir na nOg: S P Mc Atamney, Manus Smith, Ciaran Mc Grellis, Peter Cullen, Ciaran O’ Neill (0-01), Caomhinn Duffin, Brandon Mc Larnon (0-01), Sean Duffin, Darragh Feagan (0-02), Eoin Mc Atamney, Aaron Mc Neilly (0-02), Paul Mc Closkey, Conor Hastings, Eamon og Mc Allister (1-02), Kevin Sheerin
Cargin: John Mc Nabb (0-01), Sean Og Quinn, Kevin O’ Boyle, Gerard Mc Corley, Justin Crozier (0-01), Ronan Gribbin, Gerard Mc Cann, Eunan Quinn, Ciaran Bradley, John Carron (0-01),James Laverty (0-03), Paudie Mc Laughlin (0-02), Tom Shivers (1-00), Kieran Close (1-05)
Ben Mc Lernon (0-01) for K Close
Conan Johnston for T Shivers
Cahir Donnelly for E Quinn
Hugh O’ Donnell for G Mc Cann
Referee: K Parke (St Enda’s)
