ACFL Division One
Tir Na nOg 1-13-0-16 Lámh Dhearg
Report and pics by Kevin Herron
Lámh Dhearg fought back from seven points behind at the break to secure an unlikely point from their opening ACFL Division One clash with Tir Na nOg at Randalstown on Sunday afternoon.
Despite the sides matching each other stride for stride in the opening quarter, Tir Na nOg led 1-10-0-06 at the break with Darragh Fagan netting his sides opening half strike following a slip from Lámhs keeper John Finucane in the build-up.
Conor Murray carried the majority of his sides fight throughout with 10-points over the course of the hour and he was helped by substitute Mark Finnegan- who provided four-points from the bench as the Hannahstown side battled back into contention in a much improved second period.
The hosts won the toss and opted to play against the elements in the opening half and kicked the first score through Oliver McAtamney.
Ciaran Boyd replied for the Lámhs- who kicked a further two scores in the aftermath. Declan Smyth was alert to the resulting kick-out and cut the ball out and found the run of Conor Murray to put his side infront.
Murray doubled his sides advantage from a free and as the Hannahstown outfit had settled into things nicely.
Tir Na nOg would restore parity shortly after. McAtamney kicked a magnificent point to double his account and a converted Aaron McNeilly point then tied things up.
Free-takers Murray and McNeilly traded further efforts from the placed ball before the midway point in the opening half.
Aaron McNeilly dropped over a fantastic angled score to edge his side ahead for the second time and it was a lead they wouldn’t relinquish until the second period.
Points from Eamon McAllister and Darragh Fagan (free) extended Tir Na nOg’s advantage and they found the games only goal ten minutes before the break.
Joshua Higgins sent a fine pass forward with the outside of the boot to allow Eamon McAllister to chase. Lámh’s keeper John Finucane came out to try and cut the loose ball out and slipped, McAllister got there first and lofted the ball goalwards with Darragh Fagan on hand to poke into the empty net and make it 1-07-0-04.
Conor Murray replied with a close-range free to bring his tally to three from the placed ball and four overall, but the hosts tagged on three further points without reply.
Paul McCloksey swept over in response, goal scorer Fagan popped over and Aaron McNeilly added his second from play.
A further free from Murray before the break narrowed the deficit- though the Hannahstown outfit were 1-10-0-06 behind at had work to do at the interval.
The sides traded early second half scores with the inside of the large post helping Conor Murray add to his tally from play and Darragh Fagan seeing his effort curl over in the wind at the other end.
Tir na nOg were reduced to 14-men for a ten-minute period as Alex O”Donnell was black-carded by referee Ray Matthews a few minutes after replacing Ryan Crilly.
Back-to-back conversions from Conor Murray saw Lámh Dhearg make some in-roads and the introduction of substitute Mark Finnegan saw further progress.
Finnegan dropped an angled effort over and then landed two superb quick fire the efforts, both minimally squeezing inside of the posts from opposite sides of the field that made it a two-point game with a quarter of an hour remaining (1-11-0-12).
He then turned provider for Conor Murray slinging another shot inside of the posts and by the 51st minute the visitors fightback was complete with Murray adding reaching double figures from his seventh free of the afternoon.
Momentum was very much with the Hannahstown side and Finnegan edged his side in front for the third time with another impressive point from play.
Having led for 37 minutes, Tir na nOg needed a response and they had the answers. Aaron McNeilly levelled with an outstanding angled free- despite the angle being very much against him.
McNeilly then had the chance to nudge his side back in front from another set-piece, this time from a more straight forward position and he obliged with little more than a minute of normal time remaining.
In a frantic end to proceedings Lámh Dhearg would ensure they would leave Randalstown with a share of the spoils as captain Terry McCrudden steered a shot between the posts.
Tir na nOg would see out time with 14-men again with Darragh Fagan receiving his marching orders for bringing down Adam Murray, though that would be the last incident of note as the sides took a point a peice at the conclusion.
Tir na nOg: SP McAtamney, B McLarnon, C McGrellis, R Crilly, P McCloskey (0-01), B McCormick, A McNeilly (0-06, 0-04f), O McAtamney (0-02), J Higgins, E Murray, E McAllister (0-01), J McCormick, A Tolan, D Fagan (1-03, 0-01f), C Devlin. Subs: A O’Donnell for R Crilly (35), D Martin for A Tolan (48), K Sherrin for B McCormick (56).
Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, N McGarry, M McGarry, B Rice, E McKeown, P Mervyn, D Martin, M McElgunn, C Boyd (0-01), D Smyth, C Murray (0-10, 0-07f), R Diamond, T McCrudden (0-01), J Quinn, A Murray. Subs: M Finnegan (0-04) for R Diamond (37), S McManus for C Boyd (45), D Murray for J Quinn (54), C Lappin for A Murray (60+4).
Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)
