O’Neills Sportswear ACFL Division One
Rossa 0-14-0-14 Lámh Dhearg
Kevin Herron reports from Pairc Rossa
Lámh Dhearg ensured a top-half finish for the league split after an evenly matched Belfast derby with Rossa finished all square at 0-14 apiece on the Shaws Road on Wednesday evening.
The Hannahstown outfit knew that they required at least a point to avoid finishing in a congested bottom half of the table ahead of the league split at the conclusion of the evenings fixtures.
The visitors were first off the mark through a well taken Adam Murray point, though they’d find themselves behind to converted frees from Thomas Morgan and Stephen Beatty.
Parity was restored when Conor Murray was felled in an attacking position and he converted the resulting free himself.
Morgan and Murray traded further points from the placed ball before Adam Murray moved his side ahead again after Niall Crossan’s kick was intercepted the corner-forward dropped a shot over.
Gerard Walsh would conjure up his side’s first score from play to make it 0-04 apiece midway through the half.
The theme of the opening quarter of an hour continued as Declan Lynch edged the Lámhs in front once more, only for Stephen Beatty to convert his second free of the evening in response.
further points were traded between Conor Murray and Thomas Morgan (free) and a fantastic Morgan effort from play would see his side take a narrow 0-07-0-06 lead at the interval.
Lámh Dhearg immediately restored parity upon the resumption, Adam Murray laid off to namesake Conor and he squeezed a high shot inside the posts.
Declan Dunne would kick a superb free off the deck and Declan Lynch dropped over his second of the evening to move the Hannahstown side 0-09-0-07 up.
Diarmuid Rogan swung over to get the hosts up and running and Gerard Walsh restored parity midway through the half- moments after Owen McKeown had been black-carded as Lámh Dhearg had to play the majority of the final quarter a man light.
Rossa would make the most of their numerical advantage and found themselves two to the good for the first time.
Stephen Beatty and Walsh guiding frees between the posts to lead 0-11-0-09 with ten minutes remaining.
Lámhs substitute Paddy Cunningham kicked his first free since his half time introduction and Declan Dunne sent over a further effort from the deck as the sides were tied once more, with McKeown returning to the play.
A superb shot from the outside of the boot by Declan Lynch sailed between the posts to edge the visitors ahead, though Darren Grego fisted over a leveller in response.
Paddy Cunningham dropped an angled free inside the posts, but Gerard Walsh kicked an impressive placed ball from the deck to ensure it was level pegging once more.
Cunningham looked as though he had secured the points with his third converted free in injury-time. Rossa weren’t finished though and had the chance to level through a free at the other end- which Beatty tapped over.
In the end the sides would share the spoils after a fascinating contest and the point was enough to ensure that Lámh Dhearg finish the top half and avoid a frenzied finish in the bottom six in the split.
A win wouldn’t have been enough to see Rossa move into the top half, though their point moved them a point clear of the trio at the bottom of the table.
Rossa: N Crossan, J McGurk, P Moyes, C Orchin, J Morris, R Gowdy, R Grant, G Walsh (0-04, 0-03f), E McMenamin, P Short, T Morgan (0-04, 0-03f), D Grego (0-01), M McEnhill, S Beatty (0-04f), D Rogan (0-01). Subs: M Mallon for M McEnhill (51), L Carr for D Rogan (55), C Boyle for C Orchin (57).
Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, P Larkin, M McGarry, R Murray, D Smyth, D Lynch (0-03), M Hynds, P Mervyn, C Murray (0-04, 0-02f), C Maxwell, O McKeown, N McGarry, D Martin, D Dunne (0-02f), A Murray (0-02). Subs: P Cunningham (0-03f) for N McGarry (35), E Stanley for A Murray (60+2).
Referee: Mark O’Neill (Glen Rovers, Armoy)
