Casement Social Club, Antrim Junior Hurling Championship Group 1 

Ardoyne 0-17-0-20 Lámh Dhearg 

Kevin Herron reports from Fennell Park 

Pics by Philip of PMC.jpeg

Lámh Dhearg edged to a 0-20-0-17 victory in the all Belfast derby in the first game of the Casement Social Club Antrim Junior Hurling Championship against Ardoyne at Fennell Park on Friday evening. 

Coming off the back of their Division 4 triumph, the hosts would have to look no further than their opponents for some Championship inspiration following their success after the Lámhs reached the semi final stage of the Junior Championship following their Division 4 title win in 2021. 

Lámh Dhearg wouldn’t fall behind over the course of the game, but were unable to generate clear day light, only leading by as much as five-points at one stage. 

The Hannahstown men went in front when Donal Martin picked out Adam Murray from a sideline ball and Murray laid it off to Odrán Waldron to swing over the opening score. 

A converted free from Patric McGreevy levelled things up and both sides’ next scores came from the same scenario, Adam Murray and McGreevy both landing points. 

Adam Murray converted his second free of the evening after Sean-Paul Gibson was hauled down and he tapped over, though Patric McGreevy found younger sibling Micheál to pop over and make it 0-3 apiece. 

The Lámhs pulled two clear for the first time after Murray dropped over his third free of the half and Donal Martin then flashed a shot over following a nice exchange with Mark Finnegan. 

An angled McGreevy free halved the deficit though Fionn Mervyn guided a shot over on the run and Mark Finnegan opened his account, gathering a free from Aidan McGuigan and swinging an angled shot between the posts. 

After Niall McGarry was blown for overcarrying, Patric McGreevy swept the resulting free over, and a second score followed quickly as Patrick Heaney won the break at midfield and shot over to make it 0-7-0-6. 

Lámh Dhearg would re-establish their three-point lead by the break with talisman Adam Murray sending two further frees over the bar to ensure his side were 0-9-0-6 ahead at the short whistle. 

The second period began like the first as both teams cancelled each other out and equally shared the first four scores. 

Niall McGarry and Donal Martin stretched their sides’ advantage, only for replies from Matt McKillen and Patrick Heaney in between times. 

A second Odrán Waldron point was closely followed by an impressive Mark Finnegan attempt off the back foot that dropped over the bar to open up a five-point cushion (0-13-0-8). 

Ardoyne’s response was terrific and they hit five of the next seven scores to leave themselves very much in the game with a quarter of an hour remaining. 

A fifth McGreevy free kickstarted their purple patch and Patrick Heaney landed his third point of the evening. 

Momentum was briefly halted after Adam Murray clipped a point from range, though another two Patric McGreevy frees narrowed the margin (0-14-0-12). 

Points were exchanged by Odrán Waldron and McGreevy (free) and a further free from their talismanic free-shooter left the bare minimum separating the sides. 

Adam Murray opened up a bit more daylight, converting back-to-back placed balls but his side survived a huge scare with 10-minutes left. 

Daniel Murray’s attempted pass was cut out by Dean Goodall- who strode forward and unleashed a shot that PJ Herron was unable to hold onto and Cormac Barnes looked prime to fire the loose ball to the net, only for Tiarnan McKenna to scope the ball clear in the nick of and preserve his sides advantage. 

Murray cut inside and fizzed over his second point from play of the night, it remained a score game though with Patric McGreevy converting the last of his 10-point haul. 

The last four scores were shared with Mark Finnegan and Murray (free) creaking their side further towards victory and Patrick Heaney and Micheál McGreevy hitting back to ensure Ardoyne were within a goal at the conclusion. 

There wasn’t a major in the offing however as Lámh Dhearg ran out 0-20-0-17 winners at the conclusion and are the early pace-setters in the group ahead of Saturday’s clash between Belfast Saints and Armoy. 

ARDOYNE: C O’Neill, P Clarke, P Baker, C Keown, D Moore, D Goodall, C Wallace, M Cromie, P McGuigan, M McKillen (0-1), J Callinan, P Heaney (0-4), C Curran, M McGreevy (0-2), P McGreevy (0-10f). SUBS: C McShane for J Callinan (HT), C Barnes for C Curran (40), A Stewart for D Goodall (52). 

LÁMH DHEARG: PJ Herron, C Camlin, A McGuigan, T McKenna, F Mervyn (0-1), P Mervyn, A Ferris, J Trainor, N McGarry (0-1), SP GIbson, A Murray (0-10, 0-8f), O Waldron (0-3), M Finnegan (0-3), M McGarry, D Martin (0-2). SUBS: D Murray for M McGarry (24), M Herron for A Ferris (41), G Smyth for O Waldron (55). 

REFEREE: Niall Clifford (Cuchuliann’s, Armagh)

TO SEE MORE OF PHILIP’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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