Northern Switchgear SFC Group 2
Casements 1-16 Ahoghill 1-9
Casement’s Portglenone recovered from their defeat to Lamh Dhearg to secure a place in the Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship quarter-finals when they defeated neighbours, Naomh Muire Ahoghill in a hard hitting encounter at Kelly Park on Saturday.
Any notion that the Clooney side were there to just fulfil a fixture were quickly dismissed as both sides went at it tooth and nail from the throw in and the visitors giving as good as they got for most of the hour.
Casement’s went into an early two point lead through Odhran McGarry and Oisin Doherty but Ahoghill replied with points from Conor Crossey, Eamon Brady and an excellent score from James O’Connell to edge ahead with only nine minutes gone.
Paddy Kelly with his first point of the night levelled matters with Ronan Graham replying immediately to move the visitors ahead once more before a fisted point from Kelly tied the contest again at the end of the opening quarter.
The exchanges were fast and furious and not for the faint hearted as these old rivals continued to produce a contest worthy of any championship encounter as James O’Connell restored the visitors lead for the third time.
Back came the Portglenone side and Caolan Tierney fired over to leave it 0-5 to 0-5 and Ruairi Hagan edged them ahead for just the second time in the game with a great point in the 18th minute.
There was absolutely nothing between the sides at this stage and James O’Connell brought them level yet again as both sets of supporters roared their approval at what they were witnessing on the field.
Slowly the home side began to get on top and Paddy Kelly pointed a couple of frees to move them two in front but Conor Crossey set up Martin Graham for a good point at the other end to bring back to one with five minutes remaining to the break.
Those final minutes of the half would see John McKeever’s side put a bit of daylight between themselves and the opposition as Odhran McGarry, Oisin Doherty with a superb effort and Paddy Kelly from an injury time free moved the Casement’s three in front at the break, the Ahoghill reply coming from James O’Connell.
The league champions introduced Kevin O’Kane for Daniel McNicholl at the start of the second half and Paddy Kelly converted his fifth free and sixth point of the game within 45 seconds to move his side four in front.
Ahoghill responded and a strong run from Dan O’Neill through the heart of the Casement’s defence looked like producing a goal but Ryan O’Neill came off his line to smother the Ahoghill man’s effort.
Paddy Kelly had been faultless with his free taking and he continued to punish indiscretions by the visitors defence as he extended his side’s lead to five in the 7th minute and it looked to be slipping away from Chris McGlone’s side.
Ahoghill were having none of it however with Paddy Graham charging through the centre of the home defence but his well struck shot sailed over when a goal looked eminent.
The visitors were enjoying plenty of possession at this stage and Ryan O’Neill had to claw away a tantalising delivery with his namesake, Fionnbar O’Neill challenging.
It had been nine minutes since either side raised a flag with Ahoghill looking the more likely to break the duck but it was Portglenone who would go some distance to putting the game to bed in the minutes that followed.
Paddy Kelly and Conor Magee fired over points and then a defence splitting move culminated in Oisin Doherty firing left footed to the corner of Cahair O’Kane’s net and suddenly there was nine points between the sides with ten minutes remaining.
Paddy Kelly increased that lead to ten but St. Mary’s quite simply refused to give up and when Ryan O’Neill spilled a James O’Connell delivery into his own net the visitors had been handed a lifeline.
It would prove to be the game’s final score however and a further 8 minutes failed to produce a score but certainly didn’t lack intensity with the hits going in fast and hard.
Portglenone finish their Group 2 fixtures in second place, despite a mighty effort up the road by St. Enda’s at Hannastown which saw them draw 0-10 to 0-10 to eventual Group winners, Lamh Dhearg.
