Antrim Football League – Div One
Tir na Nog 2-08 Cargin 2-24
Cargin top the table at the conclusion of the Division One league following a
last round win gained over the hard grafting men from Whitehill before a
good crown on a perfect sod on Wednesday evening in what was to be a
proverbial ‘game of two halves’.
The home side aware that only a win would possibly ensure a place in
the top grade for another term without a ‘play off’, emerged from the
start off in a positive mode, despite a smart getaway from their
visitors. Cargin raised three white flags in the opening few minutes, but
an early goal despatched by Emmett Murray plus points
apiece from Manus Smith and Daniel Martin served notice that the Ogs
were not to go down without a fight.
Such early positivity within the ranks of the ‘Jackman’ led side was not
as a momentary token gesture as the home side continued to ask
questions of their visitors, and even after Tomas
Mc Cann, not one to ever lurk in the shadows, found the net for the
men in green, following assistance from the ever busy Sean O’ Neill found the net.
The Toome men, having topped the league pile for quite a time, had
poked their noses ahead following the three pointer and by the 20th
minute.
They went on to open a healthy looking eight point gap when Michael Mc Cann, PJ
Quinn, Brendan Laverty and Tomas Mc Cann, raised respective white flags,
in answer to just one at the other end by Aaron Mc Neilly.
The visitors did look to take charge in the latter stages but the hard
grafting home side served well by Aaron Mc Neilly, Daniel Martin, and
their net minder Aidan Toland were having none of that.
The goalkeeper, who was to make several outstanding saves over the
sixty minutes, had displayed his prowess in the opening period whilst white flags
raised in sequence at the other end by Barry Mc Cormick and Oliver Mc
Atamney and a fine Josh Higgins long range effort, reeled the visitors in and when Manus Smith
found the net the Whitehill men were back on terms at the short whistle on 2-06 to 1-09.
The home fans must have taken great heart from their team’s second quarter comeback and were looking forward to the second half, but the county champions burst from the start traps when match official Darren Mc Keown’s got the second half underway and two minutes in, a PJ Quinn point
put them back in front.
The Whitehill men did look to provide answer to their visitors as the second
period progressed but with the imperious Gerard Mc Cann and John
Carron dominating in the central zone and the always hard grafting Sean
O’ Neill working hard to serve the front men, white flags raised in
sequence by Michael Mc Cann and Benen Kelly pushed them 1-13 to 2-06 ahead.
The home side led in rear guard action by Barry Mc Cormick, Ciaran O’
Neill and Josh Higgins did work hard to thwart the intentions of their
visitors, but the Erin’s Own men were firmly in command they stretched their lead to 1-17 to 2-06 by the 50th minute.
Tir na nÓg did work hard to repel their visitors but Cargin
had the whiff of victory in their nostrils and Benen Kelly added a point with
Tomas Mc Cann following with a ‘two pointer’ fetched from 60 metres
and they stretched their lead to ten. (1-19 to 2-06)
When Sean O’ Neill dashed forward to find the net
following with a point a minute later, the only thing in question was the size of the winning margin.
Having been on the defensive for most of the second period the
home side did look to provide a positive finish and indeed such was
delivered with back to back white flags raised by Barry Mc Cormick and
Darren 0’ Kane, but the last say on the scoreboard was provided
by the excellent Sean O’ Neill to see Cargin complete on the winning
trail at 2-24 to 2-08.
Referee Darren Mc Keown
Teams
Tir na Nog
Aiden Trowland, Declan Mallon, Ciaran Mc Grellis, D Mc Larnon, Paul
Mc Closkey, Ciaran 0’ Neill (0-01), Barry Mc Cormick (0-01), Josh
Higgins (0-01), Oisin Mc Atamney (0-01), Aaron Mc Neilly (0-02), Daniel
Martin, Emmett Murray, Calub Smith, Dara Feagan, Manus Smith (1-02)
Subs
Barry Magee (0-01)
Darren O’ Kane
Conor Hastings
Ryan Crilly
Brendan Devlin
Cargin
Shea Laverty, Niall Quinn, Charlie Mc Cann, Brendan Laverty (0-02),
Benen Kelly(0-02), James Laverty (0-01), Jack O’ Neill, John Carron,
Gerard Mc Cann, David Johnston (0-02), Sean O’ Neill (1-04), PJ Quinn
(0-03), Marty Kane, Michael Mc Cann (0-03), Tomas Mc Cann (1-07 2#)
Subs
Callum Gribbin (0-01)
Patrick O’ Neill
Darren Mc Daid
Oran Molloy
Cian Scullion
