Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship, Group Two-
Lámh Dhearg 0-10 Naomh Éanna 0-10
Lamh Dhearg sealed their place in the quarter finals of Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship as group winners when they fought back from three points down in the last ten minutes to earn a draw with St Enda’s in Hannahstown. The result denied the Glengormley men passage to the last eight, that and the fact that Casements won their game against local rivals Ahoghill in Portglenone.
When they were three up with ten minutes to go it looked like Naomh Eanna were going to go through to the exclusion of their hosts, but the 2017 champions showed some character to battle back and earn the draw that gives them top spot with Casements finishing second.
Conditions at Hannahstown were not ideal of good football and mistakes were common in the opening quarter as both sides missed chances to take the lead. Lamh Dhearg looked the more likely after having the Lion’s share of possession in those early stages and it was Naomh Eanna who were first to trouble the scoreboard operator when Fionn Nagle swung over a great point from play and seconds later top scorer Odhran Eastwood took advantage of a defensive error to put the visitors two clear.
However the home side were always dangerous and they opened their account soon afterwards when Conor Murray tipped a high dropping ball over the St Enda’s crossbar and the evergreen Paddy Cunningham, who was to end with seven to his name, brought them level with the first of his six pointed frees. Odhran Eastwood briefly restored the visitors lead, but the Lamhs were starting to dominate and two quality points from Murray and Cunningham saw them push on to lead by 0-5 to 0-3 by the time referee Ray Matthews sounded the half time whistle.
Still the Hightown outfit must have been fairly pleased with their position as they turned to play with the breeze at their backs in the second half and their optimism appeared to be justified as early scores from Odhran Eastwood and centre back James McAuley brought them. When midfielder Michael Morgan pointed them ahead things looked good for the St Enda’s and when Eastwood tagged on two excellent points, and McAuley shot a second they looked nailed on to make it through to the knock out stages with just ten minutes of normal time to play.
To their credit Lamh Dhearg showed great character when the chips were really down and Paddy Cunningham rolled back the years as he started the comeback with pointed free, before being involved in the move that lead to March Jordan’s point which cut the deficit to the minimum. Cunningham drew his side level before putting them back ahead, and though the excellent James McAuley brought St Enda’s level again entering injury time, their great efforts came up just short and the Hannahstown men controlled matters in the dying minutes to secure top spot.
LÁMH DHEARG: J Finucane; Ross Murray, P Mervyn, M McGarry; E McKeown, D Lynch, B Rice; M Jordan (0-1), P Fitzsimons; D Smith, S McManus, E Matassa; P Cunningham (0-7, 6 frees), D Martin, C Murray (0-2).
Subs: A McAufield for E Matassa (44), A Murray for D Martin (46), F Mervyn for B Rice (50).
NAOMH ÉANNA: T Gilmour; C McKeown, D McNulty, K Jennings; C Lyttle, J McAuley (0-3), R O’Neill; M Morgan (0-1), F Nagle (0-1); R Carr, D Walsh, C Morgan; E O’Hare, S O’Connor, O Eastwood (0-5, 2 frees).
REFEREE: Ray Matthews (Rossa)