ACFL Division 1
Tir na nOg 3-10 Rossa 0-9
When Tir na nOg turned round at half time leading by 7 points the question was, would 7 points be enough, given the strength of the breeze they were turning to face in the second half.
Those doubts were quickly dispelled however when Darragh Fagan rose to fist a hanging delivery to the Rossa net in the 8th minute and a slick moving home side would go on to dominate proceedings.
It took the Whitehill side a time to settle in the difficult breeze but once ace marksman, Aaron McNeilly found his range they began to find the target.
McNeilly pointed three frees between the 7th and 12th minutes before Emmet Murray got in to finish from close range and a difficult angle for the game’s opening goal with 12 minutes gone.
Rossa were getting forward occasionally but were finding the posts an elusive target as McNeilly and Eamon Og McAllister added two more minors before Colm Fleming finally opened the Rossa account from a pointed free in the 23d minute.
McNeilly with his fifth of the half and Fleming with his second exchanged further points in the run in to half time to leave the Whitehill side leading 1-6 to 0-2 at the break and good value for their lead.
If Rossa were to make any inroads into the Tir na nOg lead it was vital that they get off to a good start to the second half and Diarmuid Rogan got them on their way with a point in the 6th minute after Colm Fleming’s free came back of the crossbar.
Those hopes were quickly dashed however as Darragh Fagan rose to fist a Ciaran O’Neill delivery past Michael McEnhill in the Rossa goal, two minutes later to move the home side 10 ahead.
Rossa did try to respond as Corey Walsh and Colm Fleming replied with points but Emmet Murray and Eamon Og responded with point at the other end to keep them in control by the end of the third quarter.
Fleming from another free kicked the visitors 6th point of the evening but when Emmet Murray finished to the net for his second and his side’s third goal in the 25th minute it was all over.
Aaron McNeilly and Darragh Fagan kicked late points to press home Tir na nOg’s superiority with Rory Grant and Corey Walsh replying with points for the Shaw’s Road side but the game was well beyond them at this stage.
This win moves Tir na nOg onto 12 points and into sixth place in the table while Rossa have six point from 8 starts but should move up the table when they get their county contingent back on board.
Tir na nOg: 1 Sean Paul McAtamney, 2 Brandon McLarnon, 3 Ciaran McGrellis, 4 Ryan Crilly, 5 Barry McCormick, 6 Ciaran O’Neill, 7 Paul McCloskey, 8 Joshua Higgins, 9 Oliver McAtamney, 10 Aaron McNeilly, 11 Cormac Devlin, 12 Emmet Murray, 13 Eamon Og McAllister, 14 Darragh Fagan, 15 Conor Hastings.
Subs: Declan Mallon, Ethan Higgins, Barry Magee
Rossa: 1 Michael McEnhill, 2 Niall Crossan 3 Oisin McVicker, 4 Fiacra McDonald, 5 Patrick Moyes, 6 Richard Gowdy, 7 Ruairc Murray, 8 Cormac McGettigan, 9 Rory Grant, 10 Corey Walsh, 11 Thomas Morgan, 12 Diarmuid Rogan, 13 Adam Devlin, 14 Conor O’Neill, 15 Colm Fleming
Subs: Conor Finn, Ronan Maguire, Shea Flynn
Referee: Colin Thompson (St. John’s)
