Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship Group 2
Ahoghill 2-10-1-17 Lámh Dhearg
Kevin Herron reports from Ahoghill
Lámh Dhearg came back from eight points down early in the second half to ensure they got their Championship campaign off to a winning start with a 1-17-2-10 win over Ahoghill in Clooney on Friday evening.
Up until the 36th minute, Ahoghill were almost faultless and led the 2017 Champions 2-09-0-07 thanks to goals either side of the break from James O’Connell.
An inspirational move saw Marc Jordan burst forward and keep his composure to give his side a lifeline and thereafter the Hannahstown men didn’t look back- hitting a further six unanswered points to lead, and a further four unanswered to secure a win that wasn’t on the cards for two thirds of the encounter.
Ahoghill made came out the traps quickest on their home turf and were 0-03 to the good within the first five minutes.
Ronan Graham swung an angled shot over the bar for the opener, Fionnbar O’Neill doubled his sides lead and James O’Connell dropped a high effort between the posts build on the early positivity.
The Lámhs were up and running for the evening when Conor Murray squeezed a shot inside the near post and Marc Jordan then received a lay-off and shot over.
The game’s opening goal arrived after 10 minutes in Clooney. Ronan Graham did well to maintain possession under pressure and fed the ball off, a pass was guided into the path of Shay Madden and his quick lay-off found James O’Connell to sweep low to the net and give his side a 1-03-0-02 lead.
Conor Paul Crossey claimed an advanced mark and converted and Ronan Graham free ensured the hosts had extended their lead by the midway point in the half.
Lámh Dhearg replied with three unanswered scores of their own. A foul on Conor Murray allowed Declan Dunne to convert his first free of the evening.
Paddy Mervyn then found Declan Smyth on an overlapping run and Smyth nudged an angled effort over and Shaun McManus then split the posts after a patient and probing move.
O’Connell increased his tally, pointing after a nice interchange with Thomas McGlone- only for Marc Jordan to reply with a fisted score at the other end.
At the break Ahoghill would lead by four courtesy of a further James O’Connell point- this time coming from a free.
Lámh Dhearg would suffer a fresh set-back before time was called in the half as referee Mark O’Neill black-carded Declan Dunne with the last action of a half that the hosts led 1-07-0-06.
The sides traded scores upon the game’s resumption, Gerard Graham measured a shot over the bar against the wind- only for Declan Lynch to hit back at the other end.
Lámh Dhearg suffered further adversity four minutes after the restart when Ahoghill were awarded a free.
James O’Connell’s effort dipped and looked to have been gathered by John Finucane, though a last-minute dart from an Ahoghill forward across his line of sight saw the goalkeeper spill the ball over the line and the hosts were now 2-08-0-07 ahead.
Crossey doubled his personal tally for the evening in the aftermath and Ahoghill were eight ahead and still had a numerical advantage for another four minutes.
The pendulum swung on 38 minutes when Marc Jordan provided the visitors source of inspiration that was much needed.
With the hosts vying for a third goal, Finucane gathered under pressure and fisted the ball out wide and away from danger where Paddy Mervyn took up the reins and spotted Jordan.
A popped pass released the Antrim star who took off on a speedy attacking run, bore down on goal and side-footed past Noel Crossey and into the net to make it 2-09-1-07.
A high press forced a near immediate turnover from the resulting kick-out and substitute Paddy Cunningham steered the loose ball into the path of Conor Murray.
Murray headed for goal sensing a quickfire second, but Noel Crossey made himself big and denied the corner-forward, the ball broke to Jordan whose first-time effort on the ground was blocked and after a further scramble the ball was returned to Jordan- who opted to settle for the point.
The visitors returned to their full complement on 41 minutes and Declan Dunne made an immediate impact upon his return- sending a 45’ over the bar to bring his side back to within a goal.
Momentum was firmly with the Hannahstown side and by the midway stage in the second half they had battled back to level for the first time in the game.
Eoin McKeown dropped an angled shot over the bar and a quickfire double from marauding full-back Ben Rice had the sides level at 2-09-1-12 with a quarter of an hour remaining in Clooney.
It took until the 49th minute for Lámh Dhearg to eventually forge ahead for the first time through a Paddy Cunningham free.
They had the chances to add to their 1-06 unanswered but failed to make the most of it and their momentum was briefly halted when Patrick Graham swung a magnificent shot over the posts to level with six-minutes remaining.
Lámh Dhearg hit the front again through a score from captain Terry McCrudden and then doubled their advantage with a fine effort from McKeown that dropped over.
Declan Lynch doubled his account on the 60th minute and Ahoghill needed to find a goal to secure at least a share of the spoils.
Try as they might, it wasn’t forthcoming and instead Paddy Cunningham provided his sides insurance score.
The craftsman used his guile and experience to force a side-line ball in the corner deep inside Ahoghill territory and subsequently swung the ball over from the resulting set-piece to ensure that his side ran out 1-17-2-10 winners at the conclusion.
Ahoghill: N Crossey, S McKeever, J Magee, G Graham (0-01), F O’Neill (0-01), E Brady, Donal Graham, P Graham (0-01), T McGlone, D O’Neill, S Madden, Diarmaid Graham, CP Crossey (0-02), R Graham (0-02, 0-01f), J O’Connell (2-04, 1-01f). Subs: PJ O’Connell for S Madden (53).
Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, R Murray, B Rice (0-02), F Mervyn, E McKeown (0-02), D Lynch (0-02), M Hynds, P Mervyn, M McElgunn, D Smyth (0-01), S McManus (0-01), M Jordan (1-03), T McCrudden (0-01), D Dunne (0-02, 0-01f, 0-01 45’), C Murray (0-01). Subs: P Cunningham (0-02, 0-01f, 0-01s) for M McElgunn (24), M McGarry for F Mervyn (35), P Fitzsimons for R Murray (46), C Maxwell for D Smyth (52), A McAufield for B Rice (55).
Referee: Mark O’Neill (Armoy)
