ACFL Division 1

Casements 2 – 13  v  1 – 05 Glenravel

Casements finished this game against visitors Con Magees with a last five minute flourish from Oisin Doherty which yielded a goal and two points to put the gloss on a workmanlike display by last years league winners and the currently unbeaten hosts Portglenone in this Round 8 league encounter at cold and windy O Kelly Park.

Both teams were missing a handful of likely championship starters, and managers McKeever and Downey got another chance to look at their squad depth, although the latter did see enough from county panelists Eoin Hynds and Calum Higgins to offer cause for optimism that Con Magees should emerge stronger when they have a full panel to choose from.

An excellent early point from Ronan Kelly opened the scoring but it took a further ten minutes until Casements got back on the scoreboard when Michael Hagan managed to scramble the ball past Johnny Fyfe for the games opening goal.

Sean McKay opened the visitors account with a good score, which Eoin Hynds doubled up on a few minutes later to cut the deficit. However the next four in a row came from four different Portglenone forwards who were linking up nicely, albeit spurning several gilt edged goal chances. Hynds doubled his own tally just before the break to reduce the margin to five, with plenty still to play for in the second half.

The second half fayre was a mixed bag, both teams looking good in spells and six different Casements players getting on the scoreboard to keep sizeable distance between themselves and Glenravel. An Eoin Hynds penalty and a fine point from Declan Traynor kept Con Magees in the hunt, but the hosts are a bit further down the road in their wellbeing, and when Casements needed to up the ante they were able to do so with relative ease.

Conor McNeill, Sean McKay and Niall Hynds kept up the fight for the visitors and the midfield pairing of Eoin and Niall Hynds put in a good shift throughout. Their older brother Cathal will add value in this sector, as will a couple of scoring  forwards of the calibre of Ryan McQuillan and Eamonn Fyfe when these teams collide later in the season.

Casements are just taking one step at a time, and going through team and panel building exercise of their own, with an eye on a bigger prize.

Best for them on this occasion was their collective defence, who once again conceded six scores or less in an hours football, and up front Oisin Doherty who finished strongly to catch the eye in a faster moving forward line that really could have scored another three or four goals in this particular contest. As it was six different scorers contributed to a better second half display which will keep the contest lively for future selection.

For the victors Ruairi Hagan once again looked very solid at centre half, and the returning from injury Caolan Tierney looked sharp for the fifteen minutes he was on the pitch, as Portglenone maintain their impressive unbeaten run.

Scorers;

Portglenone; Oisin Doherty 1 – 05, Michael Hagan 1 – 00, Ciaran McKenna 0 – 02, Ronan Kelly 0 – 02, Conall Delargy 0 – 01, Aidan McAleese 0 – 01, Conor McGhee 0 – 01, Stephen Kelly 0 – 01.

Glenravel; Eoin Hynds 1 – 02, Declan Traynor 0 – 01, Sean McKay 0 – 01, Niall Hynds 0 – 01.

ACFL Division 1

Kickham’s Creggan 0-9 Aghagallon 0-4

On a blustery night with both teams short a few regulars, it didn’t affect the determination and skill as both sides gave it their all. Kickhams started the sharper with Dominic and Joe McAteer kicking a point each in the first and fourth minute.

Aghagallon then replied with Mark McGuinness striking a fine point in the 9th minute followed by three pointed frees from Gareth Magee in the 15th, 20th and 26th minute.

Joe Mc Ateer hit Kickhams last point of the half to leave the half time score Kickhams 0-03 to Aghagallon 0-04.  

The second half started well for Aghagallon with Magee hitting his fourth pointed free in the second minute but as it turned out this would be the visitors last score of the match.

With Patrick McAuley starting to dominate at mid-field, Tiernan McAteer came on in the second half after a long layoff and made an immediate impact with a superb point in the fourth minute against a turbulent wind.

Not to be outplayed his brother Dominic scored an equally impressive effort one minute later as the home side started to get on top. Creggan pushed forward again and in the sixth minute the hard working Sean Duffin broke clear to split the posts after a superb bit of interplay with Hugh Mc Nulty.

The Kickham’s defence with Ricky Johnston standing strong and Oisin Kerr orchestrating the rest of the defence, kept Aghagallon scoreless. 

The Kickham’s finished strongly with Dominic and Tiernan Mc Ateer on target and in the 31st Joe Mc Ateer finished of the scoring with another superb point to leave the final score. Kickhams 0-09 Aghagallon 0-05

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 8^th 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 7^th and 12^th 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 6^th 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 6^th point of the evening but when Emmet Murray finished to the net for his second and his side’s third goal in the 25^th 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)

O’Neill ACFL Division One

Lámh Dhearg 1-09-1-09 Ahoghill

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown

Neil O’Connell swept over an injury time leveller as Ahoghill fought back from 6-points down in their 1-09 apiece draw with Lámh Dhearg at Hannahstown on Wednesday evening.

The hosts looked to have taken control of proceedings when Terry McCrudden netted, and Paddy Cunningham then dropped over a point from play to give them a 1-09-0-06 advantage with little under a quarter of an hour remaining.

Ahoghill closed to within a single point after James Magee scrambled home and the visitors had to remain patient with O’Connell levelling with a last kick of the ball.

Conditions were difficult for both sides on a blustery evening on the hill and it was Lámh Dhearg who settled quickest with Conor Murray side footing over and Terry McCrudden then doubling the advantage after taking a layoff from Murray.

Ronan Graham steered over for Ahoghill approaching the midway point in the half, but Conor Murray took a pass from Ben Rice and shot over on the turn and Mark Lowe then produced a stunning point to make it 0-04-0-01.

The visitors closed the deficit through a fine Thomas McGlone effort that dropped over the posts.

Adam Murray clipped an angled shot inside the posts in reply and Declan Smyth then curled a magnificent shot inside the posts following a strong burst forward from Terry McCrudden.

McGlone doubled his account for the half with a shot that evaded a few lurking in the area as Lámh Dhearg held a 0-06-0-03 advantage at the interval.

Ahoghill began the second period brightly and cut the deficit to a single point. James O’Connell hoisted over and after Fionnbarr O’Neill’s shot crashed off the large post, Daniel O’Neill popped over.

A converted Paddy Cunningham free got his side off the mark for the half and points were traded in the aftermath between James Magee and Adam Murray.

The opening goal of the contest arrived after 47 minutes. Paddy Cunningham laid the ball off to Terry McCrudden whose shot dropped underneath the bar and Aiden Graham failed to keep it out as the Hannahstown side shot 1-08-0-06 ahead.

Paddy Cunningham extended the lead within 60-seconds, dropping over from play as Ahoghill trailed by six with 12 minutes remaining.

They reduced the deficit with two scores inside of sixty-seconds. James O’Connell claimed an advanced mark and converted.

Another placed ball was converted by Ronan Graham within a minute to give his side a glimmer of hope.

That hope grew on the 56^th minute when a high ball dropped underneath the crossbar, the danger weas partially cleared and a scramble ensued before James Magee stabbed home to make it 1-09-1-08.

Ahoghill spurned two chances of an equaliser in the aftermath, whilst the Lámhs also squandered the chance to claim the insurance score.

Deep into injury-time Eoin McKeown conceded a free in the wide position and the visitors had the chance to draw level.

Aiden Graham decided to come forward and offer a viable option to James O’Connell who swung a pass into the path of Neil- who swept over to tie the game up for the first time.

Referee Mark O’Neill decided bring proceedings to a close and blew his whistle after Gerard Smyth’s kick out as the sides shared the spoils at the conclusion.

Lámh Dhearg: G Smyth, R Murray, M McGarry, F Mervyn, D Smith (0-01), B Rice, D Martin, M Lowe (0-01), C Boyd, D Murray, T McCrudden (1-01), R Diamond, P Cunningham (0-02, 0-01f), C Murray (0-02), A Murray (0-02). Subs: P Fitzsimons for C Boyd (40), E McKeown for R Diamond (45), A McAufield for M McGarry (50), N McGarry for D Murray (57), M Finnegan for M Lowe (60+2).

Ahoghill: A Graham, S McKeever, D Graham, H O’Donnell, P Dougan, F O’Neill, B Graham, T McGlone (0-02), R Graham (0-02, 0-01f), E Brady, D O’Neill (0-01), J Magee (1-01), J O’Connell (0-02, 0-01m), N O’Connell (0-01), CP Crossey. Subs: M Graham for H O’Donnell (HT), C McDonnell for S McKeever (58).

Referee: Mark O’Neill (Armoy)