O’Neills ACFL Division One
All-Saints Ballymena 1-15-1-14 Lámh Dhearg
Kevin Herron reports from Quinn Park
All Saint’s held off a late Lámh Dhearg rally to claim a 1-15-1-14 win and make it four wins from their first five.
The hosts were off the mark inside the opening minute as Patrick Ferris guided a shot inside the large posts, but Niall McGarry hit back instantly.
Lámh Dhearg raced into a three-point lead as Ryan Murray converted a free and Declan Lynch and Terry McCrudden followed up with points from play.
McCrudden swept a shot inches wide of the post and the crossbar denied him a second time a moment later.
Instead, All Saints closed the gap through James McDonnell’s point and a high angled shot from Connell Lemon that sneaked inside the posts.
Ryan Murray opened his account from play and then dropped a superb two-pointer over the bar to give his side a 0-7-0-3 lead.
The hosts were guilty of lacking composure in the opening half but Sean McVeigh converted a free and McDonnell doubled his tally.
On the 25th minute the game’s opening goal arrived, Paddy McAleer carried the ball forward and cut in along the by-line before slipping the ball to Sean McVeigh for a simple palm to the net to give his side a 1-5-0-7 lead.
McAleer would extend his side’s lead from a converted free as All-Saints held a slender advantage at the interval.
Parity was restored inside the opening 60-seconds of the restart as Calum Fegan-Lappin landed a delightful two-pointed score.
Back-to-back Connell Lemon points had the Saint’s ahead again and James McDonnell kicked his third point of the evening in the aftermath.
Kavan Keenan then drove forward and unleashed a two-pointed shot that sailed over, with a further Ronan McKillop point opening up a 1-12-0-9 lead.
Lámh Dhearg steadied themselves with McCrudden kicking his second score of the evening, substitute Mark Finnegan converted a free and Evan Stanley swung over a magnificent point.
Three-unanswered scores in response saw All-Saints re-establish their six-point advantage going down the home straight.
Conor Stewart steered a shot over, Ronan McKillop angled a shot between the sticks and Paddy McAleer doubled his account from the placed ball to move the hosts into a commanding 1-15-0-12 lead.
Quickfire points from Mark Finnegan and Ben Rice gave the visitors renewed hope, but Calum Fegan-Lappin saw red in the closing stages and any potential comeback would need to be completed with a numerical disadvantage.
Deep into added time Colm McDonald awarded Lámh Dhearg a penalty that was initially kept out by Connor Brennan in the All-Saint’s goal, however Mark Finnegan’s rebounded goal was the last action of the evening as the hosts held out for a narrow win at Quinn Park.
All-Saints: C Brennan, M Downey, K Keenan (1×0-2), C O’Brien, P Ferris (0-1), S O’Callaghan, J McDonnell (0-3), E Killough, C Stewart (0-1), C Lemon (0-3), P McAleer (0-2f), B McDonnell, C Campbell, S McVeigh (1-1, 0-1f), R McKillop (0-2).
Lámh Dhearg: G Smyth, Ross Murray, P Mervyn, M McGarry, B Rice (0-1), D Lynch (0-1), D Martin, P Fitzsimons, M Jordan, C Fegan-Lappin (1×0-2), R Murray (0-4, 0-1f, 1×0-2), C Boyd, N McGarry (0-1), T McCrudden (0-2), A Murray. Subs: F Mervyn for M McGarry (28), E Stanley (0-1) for C Boyd (HT), M Finnegan (1-2, 0-1f) for P Fitzsimons (41), R Diamond for N McGarry (41), S McCarthy for A Murray (50).
Referee: Colm McDonald (St Galls)