Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship, Group 1
Lámh Dhearg 2-24-0-05 Naomh Eanna
Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown
Lámh Dhearg joined Dunloy at the summit of group 1 in the Antrim Senior Football Championship after defeating Naomh Eanna in their opening round clash at Hannahstown on Saturday evening.
It is the third time that the duo have been drawn together in the same group in recent years with both sides registering a victory in their double meeting in 2021 and drawing last year’s encounter on the hill.
Visitors St Enda’s travelled to Hannahstown without the services of Peter Healy, Fionn Nagle and Odhran Eastwood amongst others.
The hosts came flying from the traps with Marc Jordan popping over the opener after a trademark burst from deep, Conor Murray doubled the lead moments later and Paddy Cunningham dropping over from a fine Declan Lynch switch.
Murray added to his personal tally with an angled point and Cunningham converted his first free of the evening in the aftermath.
A goal almost arrived a quarter of an hour in, Declan Smith floated a high ball that Conor Murray got a fist to- but his goal-bound attempt crashed off the underside of the bar and was scrambled clear.
Defence turned to attack for St Enda’s, and they kicked their first score of the half through a Sean McBride shot that dropped over.
A foul on Paddy Cunningham afforded the lethal free-taker the chance to restore the hosts five-point advantage and he obliged.
Their lead was extended when Declan Smith and Ben Rice kicked nice points, Paddy Cunningham added his third from the placed ball and Conor Murray held off his man and shot over on the turn under pressure to open up a 0-10-0-01 lead.
More would follow before the break with Cunningham adding another point from a free and his second from play, Conor Murray notched his first free and Declan Smith conjured up a second point of the half.
Sean McBride would convert a close-range free in between times, but his side faced an uphill task at the break, trailing 0-14-0-02.
Despite playing against the elements in the second period, Lámh Dhearg picked up where they left off.
Paddy Cunningham swung over his third from play, Marc Jordan blasted over, and Daniel Murray clipped over after a turnover.
The opening goal arrived on the 37th minute after Pearse Fitzsimons broke the kick-out and let Marc Jordan take up the reins.
Jordan bore down on goal and saw his low shot parried by Sean Nagle, and Fitzsimons scrambled the loose ball home to make it 1-17-0-02.
St Enda’s talisman McBride curled over a fantastic point in reply only for Marc Jordan to double his account.
The visitors should have found a goal of their own after breaching the Lámhs defensive rear-guard, though Gerard Smyth spread himself well and denied Odhran McKenna.
To their credit, St Enda’s didn’t let the heads drop and they kicked successive points for the first time in the aftermath of a third Declan Smith point.
Sean McBride took his tally for four with a second converted free before Conor Maxwell laid the ball into the path of Tomas Gilmour to swing over.
Lámh Dhearg would finish strongly as Ben Rice fisted over, substitute Callum Fegan took an offload and kicked his first point and Declan Lynch found range.
Their work-rate didn’t stop as Eoin Matassa forced a turnover high up field and shot over and a second goal arrived with little over 60-seconds of regulation time to go.
Marc Jordan linked up with Callum Fegan, ran towards goal and slotted to the bottom corner to make it 2-23-0-05.
Substitute Ciaran Boyd would finish the scoring for the evening as the hosts got off the mark at the first time of asking.
The Lámhs will hope to make it two from two when they make the short trip to Crumlin in little under two-week’s time, while St Enda’s will hope to get back on track on home soil against Dunloy.
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LÁMH DHEARG: G Smyth, B Rice (0-02), M McGarry, R Murray, E McKeown, D Lynch (0-01), D Smith (0-03), P Fitzsimons (1-00), M Jordan (1-03), D Murray, S McManus, E Matassa (0-01), P Cunningham (0-07, 0-04f), C Murray (0-05, 0-01f), T McCrudden. Subs: F Mervyn for R Murray (28), C Fegan (0-01) for P Cunningham (44), D Martin for D Murray (44), C Boyd (0-01) for S McManus (49), M Lowe for E McKeown (52).
NAOMH EANNA: S Nagle, E O’Hare, D McNulty, C McKeown, R Hamilton, C Lyttle, N Heatley, C Maxwell, S Murray, F O’Connor, T Gilmour (0-01), C Morgan, S McBride (0-04, 0-02f), L Murray, R Kelly. Subs: O McKenna for F O’Connor (27), C McCabe for C Maxwell (46), A McCann for T Gilmour (49).
REFEREE: Darren McKeown (NAOMH GALL)