Senior Football Championship Group 3.
Moneyglass 2 – 09 – 1 – 17 Portglenone
This senior championship Group three game between local clubs Moneyglass and Portglenone drew a reasonable crowd, and they were treated to an entertaining game with the resulting prize for the winners being a guaranteed place in the Quarter finals. In the end Casements did enough on the day, but not before being tested by the hosts who despite missing quite a few regular starters played a full part in this lively contest.
A blistering start from the hosts saw them open up a four point lead in the first quarter, two points from the feet of Colum Duffin and a goal from the fist of impressive Conleth McCann gave their vocal home support cause for optimism as John McKeever’s men took a while to settle down and get a foothold in the game. Points from Aidan McAleese Ronan Kelly and Oisin Doherty got the visitors off the mark and kept them in touch, but Moneyglass weren’t going away, and when full forward Aidan McErlain got his hands on a long delivery from Paul Duffin, and transferred quickly to James McCormick, the corner back cooly picked his spot and rolled the ball past Portglenone custodian Kevin Mullan to once again restore a four point cushion.
Conleth McCann and the lively Sean Boyd added further scores and it took three excellent frees from Casements Ronan Kelly and Aidan McAleese, and another from play from Oisin Doherty to keep the deficit to just two in favour of Moneyglass at the break.
It took a few harsh words from Portglenone management to shake up their charges during the interval and this had the desired effect. A well worked move was cooly despatched over the bar by Michael Hagan as Casements gradually started to get on top of proceedings. Paddy Kelly announced his arrival by stroking over a trademark free kick from around the forty metre mark, and suddenly the game was all square.
Both teams traded points in the 8th and 9th minute, courtesy of Aidan McAleese and the hard working Dermot Busgy McErlain who was possibly the most impressive player on view. Paddy Kelly smashed an opportunist goal chance off the crossbar and over for a point after cheekily intercepting a misplaced pass from Moneyglass keeper, but Smiley Duffin tied the event once more with a free kick.
With a quarter remaining and the sides level no one wanted to blink. Niall Delargy finished off a well worked team movement to go in front by one. And then, in one passage of play, the game changed.
Winning a highly contested ball in defence, Casements were driving forward with intent when an off the ball incident occurred. Ray Matthews allowed play to continue, the result was a well worked weave of possession which Aidan McAleese palmed into the Moneyglass net and suddenly Casements were four up.
In the follow up celebrations Moneyglass had two players dismissed after the referee had consulted with his umpires and with them went any fading chances of a St. Ergnat’s comeback
Now four points down and with just 13 men, ironically Moneyglass played some of their best football, prising the Portglenone defence wide open several times. Sean Boyd was causing all sorts of bother with his pace and twisting turns and was unlucky to see a goal bound effort bounce off a post and drift wide.
Another Ronan Kelly point brought his personal tally to six on the day, and when Michael Hagan and Dermot McAleese tagged on another brace, it was all over, bar the shout.
On the day Casements did enough, but in truth a five point winning margin flattered them, and John McKeever will know that his men will need to be better if they are to challenge for the McNamee cup. Moneyglass now face a do or die play off against neighbours Ahoghill for a place in the quarter finals in two weeks.
Referee: Ray Matthews.
