ACFL Division 3

Éire Óg 3-14  – Ciceam Ard Eoin 2-16

Two goals deep into injury time saw Éire Óg snatch a unlikely victory over Ardoyne in an eventful Division 3 encounter at Woodlands on Wednesday evening.

Ardoyne arrived knowing only a win would keep their slim title hopes alive and for long periods it looked as though they would leave with the points. However, an incredible late turnaround from the home side saw Éire Óg claim victory by the narrowest of margins and end Ardoyne’s league aspirations.

The hosts made the brighter start. Ronan McKeown opened the scoring inside the opening minute before Matt Hanna finished confidently to the back of the net after sustained early pressure. Despite dominating possession and territory during the opening exchanges, Éire Óg failed to capitalise fully, registering four wides in the first ten minutes.

Gradually Ardoyne settled into the contest. Points from their influential number 14 and number 10 brought them back into contention before number 9 added another after a swift counterattack. A series of Éire Óg misses proved costly and Ardoyne punished the wastefulness when a goalmouth scramble broke kindly for number 10, who fired to the net to put the visitors ahead.

The sides traded scores with Eoin Dixon and Ardoyne’s number 10 exchanging points before Hanna added his second score of the evening to leave the visitors narrowly in front at 1-04 to 1-03.

Ardoyne then enjoyed their strongest spell of the half. Number 11 broke through for a fine point before landing an excellent two-pointer. Another score from number 13 stretched the lead as Éire Óg continued to struggle with their shooting accuracy.

To their credit, the home side rallied before the interval. Connor Dixon converted a free and followed up with a point from play before Eoin Dixon struck with the final attack of the half to leave just two points between the sides at the break, Ardoyne leading 1-08 to 1-06.

Éire Óg emerged from the restart with renewed purpose and turned the game around as they rattled off five unanswered scores. Eoin Dixon leading the charge as he opened the second-half scoring before converting a superb two-point free. Connor Dixon then capped a flowing move with a two-pointer of his own as the home side moved three points clear.

Ardoyne responded impressively. Two scores from number 10 and another from number 9 levelled matters before a lapse in concentration in the Éire Óg defence proved costly. A quickly taken free found number 14 in space and he made no mistake, blasting to the net to restore Ardoyne’s advantage.

Although Éire Óg introduced fresh legs, scoring opportunities continued to go astray, including a gilt-edged goal chance. Ardoyne looked to have taken control as number 10 and number 24 added points to stretch the lead to five.

Yet the home side refused to surrender. Eoin Dixon struck for another two-pointer and, after both sides exchanged scores, the deficit remained manageable. Ardoyne’s number 10 and number 14 added further points, leaving the visitors seemingly in command as normal time expired.

With the game entering injury time, Éire Óg launched one final attack. Excellent work down the wing by Ciarán Rice created the opening and his delivery across the square found substitute John Erskine, who finished emphatically to the net.

Seconds later Connor Dixon delivered a dangerous high ball into the Ardoyne goalmouth. Amid the ensuing scramble, substitute Ciarán Cahoon reacted quickest to force the ball over the line and complete an unexpected comeback.

The sides will meet again later this season in the group stages of the Junior Championship so it should hope to be another engaging encounter

Éire Óg: Aaron Thomson, Barry McDaid, Brian O’Malley, Malachy McIvor, Karl McKenna, Ciarán Rice, Conor McKenna, Eoin Dixon (0-07 – including two 2 pointers), Patrick Maxwell, Dermot Burns, Adam McKenna, Luca Mulholland, Matt Hanna (1-01), Ronan McKeown (0-01), Connor Dixon (0-05 – including one 2 pointer). Subs used: James O’Connell, Conor Cochrane, Stephen Erskine, John Erskine (1-00), Ciarán Cahoon (1-00).

Ardoyne: Scorers: No. 10 (1-07 including one two-pointer), No. 14 (1-04), No. 9 (0-02), No. 11 (0-03), No. 13 (0-01), No. 24 (0-01).