ACFL Division 1B
St. Enda’s 0-6 Tir na nOg 3-9
Tir na nOg moved a giant step closer to division 1 survival with a resounding win over fellow relegation strugglers, St. Enda’s at Higfhtowon on Wednesday night.
Both sides went into this game realistically knowing that they needed a win to stave off the threat of relegation and on the evidence of tonight’s performance the Glengormley side look in serious danger of making the drop while The Randalstown men have given themselves a fighting chance.
St. Enda’s won the toss but elected to play into the fresh breeze that blew from the clubhouse end and early on it was the Hightown side who made the running and mid-fielder, Philip Curran pointed them ahead after 9 minutes.
Darragh Fagan fired over the equaliser after Sean Paul McAtamney had come off his line to deny Ronan O’Neill who looked in for a St. Enda’s goal.
The opening goal did arrive but it was at the other end when a patience build up by the visitors resulted in Aaron McNeilly getting in behind the home defence and he fired past Michael O’Boyle to give his side a lead they would not lose for the remainder of the game.
That goal came in the 17th minute and two minutes later Darragh Fagan had stretched the visitors lead to five with a point from play and another from a free as Tir na nOg began to play with a bit of freedom.
Odhran Eastwood, who was St. Enda’s main scoring threat throughout, pulled one back from a free in the 24th minute but Aaron McNeilly concluded the scoring from a free for the Whitehill side to leave it 1-4 to 0-2 at the break.
With the slight breeze now at their backs, St. Enda’s needed a good start to the second half but in the event it was Tir na nOg who were quickly out of the starting blocks as Barry McCormick pointed after 40 seconds.
The home side were feeding off scraps as the visitors defence continued to dominate but Odhran Eastwood got them on their way from a pointed free with Darragh Fagan replying from a free at the other end.
Eastwood was busting a gut to get his side going and he looked in for a goal in the 9th minute but his well struck shot was superbly pushed over by Sean Paul McAtamney in the Tir na nOg goals.
The same player added another point to close the gap to four as Naomh Eanna enjoyed a short period of supremacy but Tir na nOg made a decisive response with Eamon Og McAllister firing to the net at the other end to move them seven ahead after 12 minutes.
Ciaran O’Neill, who had a good game for the visitors set up McAllister for his goal and two minutes later Darragh Fagan fired home a third and it was as good as over, despite their being 15 minutes still to play.
Donal Walsh pulled one back for Naomh Eanna in the 16th minute but it would be their final score and the rampant visitors could afford the luxury of missing a penalty with Aaron McNeilly firing his spot kick over.
McNeilly was excellent over the hour and he added another from play with corner back, Brandon McLarnon getting forward to split the uprights after a strong run from defence to conclude the scoring.
A precious brace of points for Tir na nOg which sees them climb to third place in division 1B on 13 points, one place behind St. Galls who defeated St. Ergnat’s at Marian Hill and also have 13 but have a game in hand.
This defeat leaves Naomh Eanna firmly fixed to the bottom of the table and with away games to St. Brigid’s, Moneyglass and St. Gall’s to come they look in serious trouble.
Nothing has been decided yet however and with two teams to be relegated the battle is likely to go on until the final game of the season.
Naomh Eanna: 1 Michael O’Boyle, 2 Conor Maxwell, 3 Diarmuid McNulty, 4 Killian Jennings, 5 Owen Kennedy, 6 Conan Lyttle, 7 Ronan O’Neill, 8 Philip Curran, 9 Fionntan O’Connor, 10 Ronan Kalla, 11 Donal Walsh, 12 Joe Maskey, 13 Michael Morgan, 14 Fionn Nagle, 15 Odhran Eastowood
Tir na nOg: 1 Sean Paul McAtamney, 2 Ryan Crilly, 3 Ciaran McGrellis, 4 Brandon McLarnon, 5 Ciaran O’Neill, 6 Barry McCormick, 7 Caoimhin Duffin, 8 Sean Duffin, 9 Oliver McAtamney, 10 Aaron McNeilly, 11 Eamon Og McAllister, 12 Kevin Sheerin, 13 Aodhan Tolan, 14 Darragh Fagan, 15 Christy Sheerin
Referee: Eamon McAuley (Cargin)
