ACFL Division 1

Portglenone 1 – 16  Randalstown 0 – 10

Delayed for half an hour to allow rainwater to subside, Brendan Toland declared O Kelly Park pitch playable, but when the game was eventually up and running it took twelve full minutes before Aidan McAleese opened the scoring for the hosts. Three excellent Ronan Kelly points extended that lead until Josh Higgins stopped that sequence with a superb long-range effort to open the visitor’s account. Dermot McAleese replied almost immediately, and Ronan Kelly tapped over his fourth of the opening twenty minutes to open up an early six point gap.

For a brief few minutes it looked like the hosts were about to run away with this fourth round league contest, but Big Darragh Fegan knocked over an excellent point to reduce the gap, and just as the half time whistle was due Aidan Tolan fired from distance to add to the tally of the men in blue, reducing the differential at the break to just three points in favour of Casements.

Upon the resumption it was the hosts who broke quickest out of traps, Ronan Kelly and Dermot McAleese the men who applied the finishing touches. The contest was spirited but played in good sporting manner as Brendan Toland allowed the game to flow despite the slippery underfoot conditions. Randalstown signalled intent with a couple of scores of their own, first from Ciaran O`Neill followed by another from Darragh Fegan who was impressive throughout, to remain within touching distance and keep this entertaining contest competitive.

With the halfway point of the second half emerging, there was still only three points to separate the clubs on the scoreboard. Then Casements hit a ten minute purple patch.

Ronan Kelly is playing some football at the minute, and two further scores from him brought his individual total for the evening to eight points. Two more from lively Michael Hagan, busy Paddy Kelly, and the always hardworking captain Dermot McAleese effectively put the contest beyond the visitors. To their credit they remained competitive until the end, finishing strongly with several  terrific long range efforts from rangy Darragh Fegan, but when Casements Stephen Kelly blasted to the net after the best move of the game, this game was effectively over as a contest, and in the end the hosts ran out convincing nine point winners to extend their impressive start to the season.

Darragh Fegan, Emmet Murray, Aodhan Tolan and Oliver McAtamney stood out amongst the blue, and on the night Casements defence stood tall, whilst Niall McKeever, Aidan McAleese, Dermot McAleese, and particularly in form Ronan Kelly caught the eye.

Scorers:

Casements; Ronan Kelly 0 – 08, Stephen Kelly 1 – 01, Dermot McAleese 0 – 03, Michael Hagan 0 – 02, Paddy Kelly 0 – 01 Aidan McAleese 0 – 01.

Randalstown; Darragh Fegan 0 – 06, Josh Higgins 0 – 02, Aidan Tolan 0 – 01,Ciaran ONeill 0 – 01.