ACFL Division 1
Moneyglass 2-16 Tir na nOg 1-21
This bottom of the table division 1 clash took a time to come to life with hosts, St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass appearing to be heading for their second victory of the season when they led 1-10 to 0-6 at the half way stage against a Tir na nOg side seeking their first win of the present campaign.
Colum Duffin was the man who did the majority of the damage during an opening half where the hosts looked lively and were on top for most of the opening 30 minutes.
Duffin weighed in with 1-5 of his side’s first half total and proved a real handful for an off the pace Tir na nOg defence with his goal coming after 22 minutes while Seanchan Duffin, Sean Boyd 0-2 and Dermot McErlain were the other first half scorers for the home side.
Emmet Murray whoes second half goal ignited a Tir na nOg comeback
Tir na nOg had struggled during those first half exchanges and it took 16 Minutes for Darragh Fagan to raise their first white flag with Eamon Og McAllister adding a second and then raising an Orange flag.
Ryan Crilly brought the visitors total to 0-5 at the Whitehill men finished the half better and Fagan concluded their scoring to leave seven between the sides at the break.
There was marked improvement from the Randalstown side as the second half action got under way with Eamon Og hitting an early point and Emmet Murray got them right back in contention when he fired to the net in the 4th minute.
Sean Boyd and Eamon Og exchanged points and there was a further exchange between Colum Duffin and Caleb Smith before Darragh Fagan struck a fine 2 pointer to put his side right into contention.
Further scores from Ryan Crilly and another Orange flag effort from the sweet striking Fagan had the visitors ahead by the 16th minute and Caleb Smith hit another as Tir na nOg began to take control.
A Colum Duffin goal in the 19th Minute threatened to resurrect the St. Ergnat’s challenge but they would add only two further points as the Whitehill side finished strongly.
Caleb Smith, Ciaran Logan and Emmet Murray were all on target with Moneyglass replying through Conleth McCann and Aidan McErlain but that would be as close as they got.
A good game of football between two sides who will now find themselves in the end of season relegation play-offs but both will feel that they are capable of beating the drop after a season where injuries and absentees have played a big part in their poor league form.
Moneyglass: 1 Rory Gribbon, 2 Callum Murray, 3 Seamus Devlin, 4 James McCormick, 5 Eunan McErlain, 6 Tiernan McCormick, 7 Connor O’Kane, 8 Seanchan Duffin, 9 Conleth McCann, 10 Sean Boyd, 11 Dermott McErlain, 12 Aidan McErlain, 13 Sean McGlinchy, 14 Colum Duffin, 15 Caolan Boyd
Tir na nOg: 1Kevin Coogan, 20 Ciaran McGrellis, 3 Brandon McLarnon, 4 Jude Storrie, 5 Ryan Crilly, 6 Ciaran O’Neill, 7 Ciaran Logan, 8 Cormac Devlin, 9 Oliver McAtamney, 10 Sean McKeown, 11 Eamon Og McAllister, 12 Paureic Redmond, 13 Caleb Smith, 14 Darragh Fagan, 15 Emmet Murray
Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)