O’Neills ACFL Division One 

Aldergrove 2-13-1-12 Lámh Dhearg 

Kevin Herron reports from Crumlin 

Aldergrove made it three wins from their opening three games with a deserved 2-13-1-12 win over Lámh Dhearg at Crumlin on Sunday afternoon. 

The hosts went in high on confidence with back-to-back wins under new boss John Rafferty, with Lámh Dhearg hoping to bounce back from defeat at Cargin last time out. 

Aldergrove were off the mark within the first sixty seconds as Oisin Graham curled an angled shot inside the large posts, but Donal Martin levelled things up a few minutes later. 

Martin nudged his side ahead with a splendid two-pointer and a converted Adam Murray free in the aftermath had the Lámhs 0-4-0-1 ahead. 

The hosts cut the deficit through a fine Brian McQullian score and then Christopher McSteen linked up with Eoin Gough to reduce arrears to a single-point. 

Conor Murray opened his account for the afternoon, popping the ball over from Evan Stanley’s pass, however Aldergrove hit the front midway through the half. 

Caiden Lagan charged forward and played a one-two with Seamus McGarry before powering towards the net and finishing past Gerard Smyth to make it 1-3-0-5. 

Scores were traded from the placed ball as Gerard Smyth came up to land a straight-forward 65’ and Seamus McGarry replied from a free – before the lead changed hands again. 

Daniel Murray lined up a shot that goalkeeper Oisin McGarry spilled and it allowed Adam Murray a simple tap-in to give the Lámhs a 1-6-1-4 advantage. 

Successive McGarry points- one from a free and the other from a 65’ tied things up again, with Ben Rice and McGarry trading points from play as the game ticked towards the break. 

On the stroke of half time Aldergrove were reduced to 14-men for a ten-minute period after Referee Ray Matthews black-carded Corey Fogarty for a high challenge on Daniel Murray and in the last act of the half, Conor Murray swung over the resulting free to ensure his side held a 1-8-1-7 lead at the interval. 

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Aldergrove restored parity through a Sean Fay point and their second goal of the game arrived a few minutes later. 

Lámh Dhearg thought that they had netted at the other end but a foul in the build-up lead to a free out and the hosts took full advantage when the ball was moved into the path of Seamus McGarry, and his low drive across the face of goal found the bottom corner to make it 2-8-1-8. 

The deficit was reduced when Terry McCrudden’s dipping shot was pushed over the bar – though McGarry squeezed a shot inside the near post and superb two-pointer from Christopher McSteen followed. 

Substitute Mark Finnegan replied from a converted free, but Ronan Hanna hit back from the same scenario. 

The hosts were reduced to 14-men for the second time after Corey Fogarty was red-carded for an off the ball incident and it wasn’t the last of the afternoon as Aiden Irvine and Conor Murray were giving their marching orders for another flare up off the ball. 

It was too little too late for the Lámhs to try and make the most of their numerical advantage as Aldergrove never really looked under any serious pressure of conceding a second goal that would have set-up a tense finish. 

Mark Finnegan provided his sides late consolation scores from the placed ball with Seamus McGarry adding to his tally in the dying embers as Aldergrove ran out 2-13-1-12 winners at the conclusion to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign. 

Aldergrove: O McGarry, C Lagan (1-0), A Irvine, L Fleming, E Gough (0-1), C McVeigh, C Fogarty, B McQuillan (0-1), Conor Browning, S Fay , O Graham (0-1), C McSteen (0-3, 1×0-2pt), R McCarthy, R Hanna (0-1f), S McGarry (1-06, 0-2f, 0-1 65’). Subs: D Gough for C S Fay(34), C McGarry for C McSteen (46). 

Lámh Dhearg: G Smyth (0-1 65’), Ross Murray, P Mervyn, M McGarry, N McGarry, D Lynch. E Stanley, C Murray (0-2, 0-1f), C Boyd, B Rice (0-1), T McCrudden (0-1), D Murray, D Martin (0-3, 1x02pt), P Fitzsimons, A Murray (1-1, 0-1f). Subs:C Fegan for D Murray (HT) M Finnegan (0-3f) for A Murray (43), S McCarthy for E Stanley (50). 
Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)