ACFL Division 1
St Mary’s Ahoghill 0-11 Tir na nOg Randalstown 0-11
Honours were shared at the end of a close hard fought division one league encounter in Clooney on Wednesday evening last as a late point by Danny O’ Neill in added time earned St. Mary’s Ahoghill a share of the spoils.
O’Neill was certainly a contender for the man of the match award as he ensured his side took something from a close fought encounter involving Ahoghill and their opponents, Tir na nOg, Randalstown.
A close encounter from start to finish was the pre-ordained script already forecast for the meeting of Ahoghill and their fellow South West rivals as they came together on a pleasant Wednesday evening in the division one football league.
The Whitehill men arrived as favourites on their visit to Clooney being well ahead of the St Mary’s men in the table. The visitors held a four point advantage over their hosts in the league and when they led by two with time almost up they looked set for victory.
The Clooney men showed their character in the dying minutes however and an
excellent Ronan Graham point in the 58th minute reduced the deficit to the minimum before centre forward Danny O’ Neill stepped up to add the equaliser, much to the delight of the home support.
Having struggled in recent outings, Chris McGlone’s St Mary’s Ahoghill sought a change of fortune as they lined out against an in form Tir na nOg on Wednesday evening.
A good start to proceeding looked essential for the home side and indeed such was delivered during the first quarter.
Ronan Graham, who was to figure prominently in the dramatic ending, opened account for the home side with an eye catching point in the 5th minute and when a precise delivery by centre back Danny O’ Neill opened the door for an Eamon Brady follow up the home side were on top it seemed.
The Randalstown side were finding the posts an elusive target in the opening minutes and a pointed free by James O’ Connell ensured a 0-03 to 0-00 advantage for St. Mary’s at the end of the first quarter.
The visitors finally got off the mark in the 16th minute as full forward Darryl Feagan despatched a 30 metre free between the posts and by the 22nd minute they had nipped into the lead.
Emmett Murray and the fleet footed Aaron Mc Neilly added points apiece to square the issue and when mid fielder Cormac Devlin added another from distance the visitors were ahead for the first time.
The home side responded and James Magee, and Fionnbar O’ Neill led the way from free kicks in the closing minutes to ensure the Clooney men had earned a slender 0-05 to 0-04 lead at half time.
The Ahoghill lead was short lived as their visitors were to dash away from the start traps at the start of the second half and early points by the towering Darryl Feagan and Christy Sheerin saw them regain their lead by the 38th minute.
Ahoghill responded with a point from Danny O’ Neill but the Randalstown side replied through Darryl Feagan and Aaron McNeilly to move 0-08 to 0-06 ahead as the game entered the final quarter
Ronan Graham added a point to the home side’s total with a precision based delivery in the 46th minute after Ahoghill net minder Cahir O’ Kane made a smart save to deny Ryan O’ Neill at the other end to leave it finally balanced at 0-08 to 0-07.
As the game moved into the last quarter the Whitehill men seized control and Ryan Crilly dashed forward to add a point to the visitors total before Christy Sheerin followed suit and the visitors had gone three points clear 0-10 to 0-07.
Tir na nOg looked on their way to victory but St. Mary’s replied with back to back points from James O’ Connell to reduce the deficit to the minimum but a superb delivery by Christy Sheerin suggested the points were Randalstown bound.
Ahoghill refused to concede however and a superb late Donal Graham point was quickly followed by another from the excellent Danny O’ Neill just on the long blast to earn his side a share of the spoils.
Ahoghill: Cahir O’ Kane, Harry 0’ Donnell, Barry Magee, Sean Mc Keever, Paddy Dougan, Fionntan O’ Neill, Diarmuid Graham, Tom Mc Glone, Neil O’ Connell, Eamon Brady (0-01), Danny O’Neill (0-02),Conor Crossey, Ronan Graham (0-04), James O’ Connell (0-04)
Subs
Colla Mc Donald
Tir na n Og: S P Mc Atamney, Ryan Crilly (0-01), Ciaran Mc Grellis, Brandon Mc Larnon, Paul Mc Cluskey, Ciaran O’ Neill, Ethan Higgins, Josh Higgins, Cormac Devlin (0-01), Eamon Murray (0-01), Eamon Og Mc Allister (0-01), Ryan O’ Neill, Aaron Mc Neilly (0-03), Darragh Feagan (0-03), Christy Sheerin (0-03)
Subs
Barry Mc Cormick
Referee: Ray Matthews (0’ Donavan Rossa)