ACFL Division One
Lámh Dhearg 1-08-0-10 Cargin
Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown
Shaun McManus struck the winning point six-minutes from time as Lámh Dhearg claimed their first league win of the season with a hard fought 1-08-0-10 victory over Cargin at Hannahstown on Sunday morning.
Both sides had early goal chances with Rhys Camlin make an outstanding acrobatic save to deny a certain goal.
At the other end Michael Hynes saw his shot clip the base of the post and Adam Murray shot was parried by the foot of Shea Laverty.
It was Cargin who would make the breakthrough on the scoreboard, Ciaran Bradley and Paudie McLaughlin curling over from play and Bradley adding another from a free.
Terry McCrudden would get the hosts off the mark with a point from play a quarter of an hour in, though Bradley re-established his side’s three-point advantage, converting his second free of the half.
The sides traded further scores with Declan Lynch claiming a mark and converting, Bradley replied with a sensational score with the outside of his boot to bring his personal tally to four points.
An injury to Kieran Fay-Kelly saw responsibility for the placed ball passed to Adam Murray and the 18-year-old would close the deficit to a single point thanks to successive kicks.
Just before the break talisman Bradley kicked his second free of the half to ensure that Cargin held a 0-06-0-04 lead at the midway point.
The visitors increased their lead in the early stages of the second period, substitute John McNabb took control of a popped pass forward and guided his shot between the posts.
However, the Lámhs pulled level in fortuitous circumstances. Terry McCrudden’s pass with the outside of the boot was taken down by Adam Murray and Ciaran Boyd tried his luck with a high shot that Declan Dunne tried to help goalward, only from Boyd’s shot to bounce over keeper Laverty and into the net to level the game at 1-04-0-07.
Half-time substitute Dunne may have found a second moments later, though his quickly taken close-range free whistled past the post.
A further goal opportunity went a begging when Niall McGarry fed Carl Maxwell and he immediately picked out the run of Declan Lynch who opted to pop the ball to Conor Murray whose fisted effort was blocked on the goal line.
Ciaran Bradley restored his sides lead through a converted free- his third of the morning, but Ben Rice conjured a magnificent reply to restore parity.
Lámh Dhearg hit the front for the first time in proceedings when Terry McCrudden picked out the run of Carl Maxwell and he shot over to give his side a 1-06-0-08 lead.
James Lavery would tie things up though an impressive point at the other end and Ciaran Bradley then converted his fourth free, bringing his tally to seven in the process.
It was level pegging again in Hannahstown after Conor Murray traded passes with Declan Lynch and then squeezed an angled effort between the posts.
The winner would arrive with seven minutes remaining, Conor Murray combined with Niall McGarry, and he picked out Shaun McManus on the loop to swing over a magnificent point that edged the hosts 1-08-0-10 ahead.
Cargin had the chance to salvage a share of the spoils, but John McNabb dropped a tricky free short against the wind.
A further opportunity would present itself with the final kick of the game, though the ball tailed wide and Lámh Dhearg would survive to claim their first league victory of the season after three attempts.
Lámh Dhearg: R Camlin, N McGarry, C Nolan, D Smith, D Martin, B Rice (0-01), M Hynes, S McManus (0-01), C Murray (0-01), A Byrne, K Fay-Kelly, C Maxwell (0-01), T McCrudden (0-01), D Lynch (0-01m), A Murray (0-02f). Subs: C Boyd for K Fay-Kelly (14), D Dunne for M Hynes (HT).
Cargin: S Laverty, S Og Quinn, R Gribbin, H O’Donnell, B McLarnon, B Laverty, S Og O’Neill, O Molloy, G McCann, J Carron, J Laverty (0-01), C Bradley (0-07, 0-04f), E McGrogan, P McLaughlin (0-01), PJ Quinn. Subs: J McNabb (0-01).
Referee: Kevin Parke (Naomh Eanna)