ACFL Division 1
Casements 1 – 12 St Marys Aghagallon 1 -08
John McKeever’s Portglenone took another step closer to claiming the Eddie Fitzsimons league Cup with a determined display against Peter McGraths gallant Aghagallon side, coming out winners by four points on a pleasant midsummers evening at O Ceillagh Park.
With the county side Croke Park bound on Sunday both teams were deprived of a handful of star players for this encounter, but the players who took the field were well aware of the importance of the two points on offer. A win for Casements would inch them closer to their first ever league title – a victory for St Marys would blow the race wide open again for themselves and the chasing pack.
Aidan McAleese signalled intent with an excellent score after just thirty seconds for the home side but this was cancelled out by a well worked move by the visitors which Mark McAfee put between the posts to raise the first flag for the South West Antrim men several minutes later.
Robust tackles were the order of the day and an Aidan on each team (McAleese and Mulholland) saw their participation ended early after tough collisions.
A Paddy Kelly point gave the hosts a narrow advantage which was also short lived. A long range Johnny Hannon effort bounced off Ryan O`Neill’s Portglenone crossbar and the alert Gareth Magee was first to pounce and stab the ball into the net to put Aghagallon into an early lead.
The cheers from the visiting support had barely subsided when a quick moving Casements counter attack, through the heart of St Marys defence and finished to the top left hand corner by a piledriver from impressive and hard working Ruairi Hagan.
The contest ebbed and flowed until the half time break. Johnny Hannon, Eunan Walsh, Gareth Magee and Jack Leneghan scores, were matched by minors from the feet of Michael Hagan and Conor McGhee to leave the visitors in front by the absolute minimum at the break.
If the first half fayre could be best described as “cagey” the spectators were treated to a second half that was full on. The effort, intensity and overall quality levels rose several notches with a plethora of hard hits, long range scores and in general terms, excellent passages of football from both teams.
Whatever McKeever said to his troops at half time had an obvious effect as Casements hit the ground running – claiming the next five points in succession during an impressive second half opening spell, decisively turning this contest in favour of the hosts. Some of these scores were eye catching in terms of distance and technique, from the feet of Paddy and Ronan Kelly, Hagan brothers Michael and Ruairi and the exciting and emerging Ciaran McAleese who is in his first season at senior level.
The exchanges were on the edge and there were some excellent duals going on across the pitch, typified by that on the edge of the square from two Paddys, Brannigan and Kelly – neither player shirking an inch.
Casements four point lead was reduced with a superb long range effort from impressive Jamie Lamont to leave just one score between them as the match settled down to its inevitable frantic finish. If Roger Casements have learned one thing in recent seasons it is that the lough shore men from St Marys will go right to the end, and true to form the visitors threw the kitchen sink into a nailbiting last ten minutes. A superb challenge on the edge of the square by Ronan Delargy prevented the impressive Gareth Magee from an emerging one on one opportunity, and Casements breathed again, but the green wave continued. Stout defending by Daniel McNicholl and Jonny Convery regained hard won possession, providing opportunities which which led to important scores from Paddy Kelly and Michael Hagan. St Marys were far from finished and Johnny Hannon and Gareth Magee kept the contest alive as the scoreboard signalled one score between them, albeit a major. Such is the recent history between these sides that no one could rule that out!
That man Eunan Walsh got a run on goal with the tie well into injury time, which necessitated a full length captain’s fingertip block from Niall Delargy to avert the danger. The margins for error were minimal…this ball spilling to anticipating Caolan Tierney, in turn supplying full of running Conor McGhee, for a full length solo run before cleverly picking out Ronan Kelly in the games last play. To the delight of a large home support Kelly opted to fist the ball over the bar for the insurance point, and secure the brace of points on offer.
After a tough hours football Casements emerged victorious and ultimately still in control of their intent to claim early season silverware. John McKeevers men look to have a bit more of an edge to them this season, starting to etch out points in competitive environments that may have proved elusive in recent seasons.
Pete McGrath meanwhile will have seen enough to know that when his full contingent return he will have a panel strong enough to meet bigger challenges that lie await as this season develops.
Teams.
Portglenone; Ryan O Neill, Ronan Delargy, Daniel McNicholl, Jonny Convery, Ruairi Hagan, Niall Delargy, Conor McGhee, Stephen Kelly, Niall McKeever, Ciaran McKenna, Paddy Kelly, Ciaran McAleese, Michael Hagan, Odhran McGarry, Aidan McAleese. Subs used Ronan Kelly.
Aghagallon; D O Hagan, Ciaran Magennis, Aidan Mulholland, Pat Brannigan, Paidi Gowdy, Dan Donnelly, Darryl McAlernon, Jack Leneghan, Jamie Lamont, Stephen Devlin, Enda McCartan, Mark McAfee, Eunan Walsh, Johnny Hannon, Gareth Magee. Subs used, Neil McShane, Pauric Magennis, Hugh Hannon.
