Antrim Football League – Division 1
Casements 0 -14 v 0 -04 Aldergrove
Frankie Delargy reports from Kelly Park
Roger Casements produced a solid, if not spectacular start to the defence of their league title, with a workmanlike performance at Kelly Park.
An Adrian Dougan led Aldergrove gave the current Eddie Fitzsimons cup holders their fill of it for the opening 30 minutes, but a brace of points from the classic feet of Enda Lynn at the start of the second half relaxed the home side and in the end they ran out fairly comfortable winners, outscoring the Crumlin side by 0-11 to 0-1 in that second period.
Casements may have had more possession in the opening quarter, but it took two frees from Paddy Kelly and one from Michael Hagan to unhinge early season gremlins. This advantage was quickly cancelled out though, with the visitors having their best spell of the game, controlling exchanges in the second quarter. Two excellent points from the illustrious boot of Seamus McGarry and a long range effort from Cormac McGarry left the teams trading on equal terms, three apiece, as the whistle blew for half time.
Casements with the wind on their backs began the second half in impressive fashion, those two super points from Lynn enough to deliver a platform for Casements that they would not relinquish. A gap began to open up on the scoreboard with a brace each from Paddy Kelly and Michael Hagan, as Casements finally started putting some nice moves together. Lynn added two more in the 22nd and 24th minute, linking up nicely with his one touch movements and ability to break the tackle opening up gaps in the visitors defence.
Brian McQuillan and Gerad Mallon tried hard to keep up the fight for St James, and the excellent Cormac McGarry added another to his tally, but as the contest fizzled out it was all Casements, with the excellent Hagan brothers Michael (2) and Ruairi keeping the scoreboard ticking over in favour of Portglenone, as the referees Paul Burns clock ticked over to full time.
Casements scorers – Enda Lynn (4) Michael Hagan (4) Paddy Kelly (4) Ruairi Hagan (1) Ciaran McAleese (1).
St James – Seamus McGarry (2) Cormac McGarry (2).
Referee Paul Burns.
