Smyth leads the way for Ballycastle

O’Neills ACHL Division One

Rossa 1-11-0-17 Ballycastle

Kevin Herron reports from Pairc Rossa

Four-unanswered Tiernan Smyth points in the last ten minutes saw Ballycastle make it back-to-back league wins with a 0-17-1-11 win over Rossa on the Shaws Road on Sunday.

Smyth ended the afternoon with ten points to his name- five either side of the interval. Rossa had left themselves with work to do at the break, though Stephen Beatty’s goal sparked a fightback that saw the hosts back on terms going down the home straight. Only for Smyth to settle things.

Having had a bye in the last round of fixtures, Rossa went into the Easter Sunday encounter hoping to claim their first win of the campaign at the second time of asking.

Action from Sunday’s Ballycastle v Rossa league game at Rossa Park, Belfast. Pic by Bert Trowlen

The Shaws Road outfit were defeated in their league opener against Portaferry, the side that Ballycastle defeated in their last outing and the North Antrim side were hoping to make it successive league wins on the spin.

Rossa were first off the mark through a converted Aodhan O’Brien free, but Cailin O’Connor responded with a tremendous point from a tight angle at the other end.

Playing with a strong wind advantage in the opening half, Ballycastle went in front. Ronan McCarry landing a free and Neal McAuley then floated one over from distance to open up a 0-03-0-01 lead.

A foul on Eoin Trainor lead to O’Brien reducing the deficit and the hosts restored parity when Thomas Morgan swung an effort over the black spot.

Points were traded through Tiernan Smyth and Aodhan O’Brien- both coming from the placed ball.

McAuley struck his second and likewise Tiernan Smyth doubled his tally for the day shortly after, however Thomas Morgan twisted inside and jinked out before popping a shot between the large posts.

Ballycastle would extend their lead to six with five unanswered points. Lorcan Donnelly flicked over to start the purple patch, Tiernan Smyth dropped over a 65’ and followed that up with another brace of converted frees, the last of the scores coming through Ronan McCarry.

Stephen Beatty would reply with a point in injury-time and although his side would be playing the wind advantage in the second period, they had a lot of work to do, trailing 0-11-0-06.

The visitors stretched their lead through a converted Tiernan Smyth free shortly after the resumption.

First half substitute Eoghan McMenamin got his side up and running in the second period and the hosts were back in business on 36 minutes.

Thomas Morgan claimed possession and headed goal wards, despite his shot being parried by goalkeeper Ryan McCarry- Stephen Beatty was on hand to poke the loose ball over the line.

Although there were appeals to the contrary- referee Lorenzo McMullan awarded the goal and Rossa were just two behind (0-12-1-07).

Momentum was with home side and points from O’Brien and Morgan ensured that it was level pegging with little over a quarter of an hour remaining.

Ballycastle restored their slender lead through a point from substitute Feargal McKiernan, only for McMenamin to quickly cancel it out and restore parity at the other end.

It was the last time the sides were to be level as Tiernan Smyth would prove the difference in the last ten minutes.

Ballycastle’s talisman hit four unanswered points, all coming from frees from a variety of ranges and angles to ensure his side were four ahead in injury-time.

An Aodhan O’Brien point from range was all that Rossa could respond with as they fell to their second league defeat of the campaign.

For Ballycastle it is back-to-back wins, which sees them in a four-way tie at the summit at this early stage.

Rossa: D Armstrong, A Orchin, C McGuinness, N Devlin, P Short, Stephen Shannon, J Kerr, C Shannon, E Trainor, Seaghan Shannon, T Morgan (0-03), A O’Brien (0-05, 0-03f), D Rogan, S Beatty (1-01), O May. Subs:E McMenamin (0-02) for A Orchin (19), M Devlin for O May (46).

Ballycastle: Ryan McCarry, O Kearney, T McIlroy, J McGowan, C Colgan, M Donnelly, R Laverty, N McAuley (0-02), R McCook, C Connor, Ronan McCarry (0-02, 0-01f), C O’Connor (0-01), L Donnelly (0-01), O McAuley, T Smyth (0-10f). Subs: F McKiernan (0-01) for O McAuley (41), R McClean for C Connor (58).

Referee: Lorenzo McMullan (Bredagh)