ACFL Division 1

Portglenone 0 – 12   Randalstown 2 – 09

Tir Na nOg’s recent excellent run of form and push for a top four league place took another step in the right direction with a hard earned victory over last year’s league champions Portglenone at Whitehill on Saturday.

The saying ‘goals win games’ rang true once again, a well worked goal twenty seconds before the interval by Emmet Murray was enough to send Randalstown in a point ahead at the interval, and not to be outdone in the best time to hit the net, in the very last action of the game big Darragh Fegan pouncing on a wayward kick out by Casements stand in netminder Brian McManus to grab the two valuable points on offer.

A minute before that Eamon Og McAllister skimmed the ball over the crossbar when a goal looked more likely as the visitors pressed harder in the latter stages of the game.

In between times there was little to separate the sides, and whilst never a classic the game kept the attendance on their toes throughout with two honest teams providing some excellent passages of play and a few memorable scores.

In the end it was the visitors push for top four recognition and place in the play offs that made the difference, the desire to take something from the game that bit more evident than the hosts who tread that path a year ago.

Darragh Fegan took the Man of the Match plaudits with a goal and six points to his credit, amongst these several excellently taken long range frees. Barry McCormack and Eamon Og McAllister led the ‘Hill’ from the front, assisted by valuable contributions from marauding full backs Brandon McLarnon, Emmet Murray, Josh Higgins and Ciaran McGrellis.

Casements have now lost four games from their last six, but there is no sign of panic from John McKeevers men who have more than half a dozen likely championship starters to return to the fold as they set their sights on the one prize that has continued to elude them.

Jonny Convery posted a solid hour for Casements, and other players who looked busy included Hagan brothers Michael and Ruairi, Caolan Tierney, Conall Delargy, Aidan Mc Aleese and the lively Sean Byrne.

Randalstown may need a point at Cargin to achieve their playoff aspirations, depending on results elsewhere, whilst it now looks like Portglenone need to win their last two matches to do so, and on recent form this looks far from certain.

Scorers

Casements;

Michael Hagan 0 – 03, Sean Byrne 0 – 02, Conall Delargy 0 – 02, Aidan Mc Aleese 0 – 02, Michael Kelly 0 – 01, Ronan Kelly 0 – 01, Paddy Kelly 0 – 01.

Randalstown;

Darragh Fegan 1 – 06, Emmet Murray 1 – 00, Eamon Og McAllister 0 – 02, Josh Higgins 0 – 01.