Casement Social Club JHC Group 1 

Lámh Dhearg 5-15-6-11 Rasharkin 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

Lámh Dhearg began their Junior Hurling campaign with a hard fought 5-15-6-11 win over Rasharkin in an 11-goal thriller at Hannahstown on Friday evening. 

The hosts had lost the subsequent league fixtures between the sides, but were boosted by the return of Declan Lynch, Michael Herron and Aidan McGuigan from injury. 

Fionn Mervyn floated over the opener for the Hannahstown side, though Conor McKeever replied and a score from Donagh Quigg edged the Dreen ahead. 

An angled Adam Murray point tied things up and Murray then found the first goal of the game with a floated shot that dropped over Liam Tunney and into the net to give his side a 1-02-0-02 lead. 

It was a short-lived lead however as Rashaekin won a free at the other end and rather than settle for a point, Conor McKeever went low and found the net. 

McKeever would give his side the lead for the second time, on this occasion firing over the bar from a free. 

Their advantage lasted around two minutes before a quickfire double had Lámh Dhearg firmly on the front-foot. 

Daniel Murray dropped a high ball into the danger area that Micko Herron gathered, and he stabbed the ball to the net to make it 2-02-1-03.

Within less than 60-seconds Herron turned provider with a lay-off to Daire Cunningham and Tunney was unable to repel the corner-forwards low shot that gave his side a 3-02-1-03 lead. 

Cunningham would depart through injury a few minutes later, but the hosts stayed in control with Daniel Murray floating over a fantastic effort from range and Adam Murray converting successive frees. 

After going over 15 minutes without a score, Conor McKeever led his sides revival before the break with two points from the placed ball before finding the net with an effort that dropped in at the near post from the same scenario to make it 3-05-2-05. 

The sides traded scores before the half was out through Adam Murray (free) and a Donagh Quigg point in reply as a goal separated the duo at the midway point in proceedings. 

Lámh Dhearg extended their lead upon the resumption. Half time substitute Declan Straney made an instant impact, firing over the bar and Aidan McGuigan then followed up with his first of the evening. 

Rasharkin responded through talisman McKeever though, the full-forward collected a high lofted pass, held off the subsequent pressure and dispatched his shot past Rhys Camlin to close the deficit to 3-08-3-06. 

The frantic nature of the game continued as Lámh Dhearg struck back immediately. Michael Herron bore down on goal, but instead opted to a pop pass across the face of goal that substitute Mark Finnegan poked to the net to give restore his sides five-point advantage. 

Donagh Quigg landed his third point of the evening before the scores dried up due to a number of stoppages. 

Midway through the half Adam Murray converted his third free of the contest and he would add another in-between a fantastic long-range point from influential Declan Lynch.  

Conor McKeever brought his personal tally to 2-06 from the placed ball before another goal glut. 

On 52 minutes Adam Murray appeared to have landed a knock-out blow, bursting through, and fizzing a shot to the corner of the net past Liam Tunney. 

Murray’s second goal had his side 5-11-3-08 in front, but less than 60-seconds later and Rasharkin had cancelled it out in slightly fortuitous circumstances. 

Cathair Henderson cut-in down the left-hand side and took aim for an angled point which dipped and dropped into the net amongst a congested six-yard area. 

Talisman Murray chalked up back-to-back points, the first after taking an offload from Micko Herron and confidently firing over. A foul on Herron gave him the opportunity to increase his personal tally and he made no mistake. 

In response Conor McKeever added another from the placed ball and Donagh Quigg produced a fine angled point. 

Points were traded between Daniel Murray and Quigg and an angled Murray point would prove to be his sides insurance, giving the Hannahstown men a 5-15-4-11 advantage four minutes into time added on. 

Rasharkin refused to throw in the towel and Conor McKeever found the net from a free for the third time. 

There was enough time for the full-forward to claim his fifth when an angled pass was floated into the area and he did enough to steer the ball home with the last decisive action of the game. 

Upon Rhys Camlin pucking the ball back into play, Niall Clifford sounded his full time whistle as Lámh Dhearg came out the right side of the 11-goal thriller and join Armoy at the summit of Group 1. 

Lámh Dhearg: R Camlin, C Nolan, O Waldon, M McGuigan, D Murray (0-02), D Lynch (0-01), F Mervyn (0-01), C Boyd, P Mervyn, A McGuigan (0-01), M Herron (1-01), A Murray (2-08, 0-05f), N McGarry, G Smyth, D Cunningham (1-00). Subs: M Finnegan (1-00) for D Cunningham (15), D Straney (0-01) for G Smyth (HT), T McKenna for A McGuigan (58). 

Rasharkin: L Tunney, C Doherty, D Doherty, C Higgins, R O’Boyle, S Hasson, T O’Boyle, E McFerran, D Hasson, C Henderson (1-00), C McFerran, C McKillop, A McKeever, C McKeever (5-07, 3-07f), D Quigg (0-04). Subs: C Maria for C McKillop (HT), C Donaghy for E McFerran (36), C McMullan for A McKeever (46), D McKay for D Hasson (55), J Quinn for C McFerran (57). 

Referee: Niall Clifford (Cuchuliann’s, Armagh)