Northern Switchgear Antrim SFC Group 4
Sarsfields 1-11 – 4-25 Portglenone
Kevin Herron reports from the BearPit
PORTGLENONE notched up four goals and seven two-pointers as they comfortably saw off the challenge of Sarsfields with a 4-25 to1-11 win over the Paddies at the BearPit on Sunday evening.
The visitor travelled to West Belfast looking to take a firm grip on top spot following their win over Lámh Dhearg first day out, and with the Lámhs defeating Aghagallon on Friday evening, they had the chance to pull two points clear of the duo at the summit.
For Sarsfields, they were playing for pride after their comprehensive defeat away to Aghagallon on their return to the senior stage.
Aidan McAleese opened the scoring with a two-pointer from the sideline after two minutes, but it would take eight minutes for their next score to arrive- again they went for a two through Odhran Doherty and it sailed between the posts.
Sarsfields registered their first score through Jay Maguire, however it was brief restbite as Aidan McAleese kicked his second two-pointer from a free awarded after Cathal McDermott adjudged Philip McPeake to have thrown the ball as he passed it off.
Single points followed from Tom Duffin and Odhran Doherty, while Michael Hagan converted a close range free.
Maguire doubled his account for the half after Cormac Mulligan telegraphed a fine pass in his direction and he bustled through to pop over.
The opening goal of the game arrived after 20-minutes it was no surprise that it fell to the Bannsiders.
Odhran Doherty slipped a pass off to Tom Duffin and he in turn laid off to Ciaran McAleese to slot to the net and make it 1-9-0-2.
The visitors had their second within two minutes, Aidan McAleese played a prominent role as Michael Hagan shot high into the roof of the net.
A fourth two-pointed score and second from play came through Odhran Doherty- his second of the evening and a minute later Dermot McAleese rifled low to the net to make it 3-11-0-2.
The procession continued with Aidan McAleese conjuring his second two-pointer and Odhran Doherty added a further score ahead of Philip McPeake replying on the stroke of half time as Portglenone were comfortably 3-14-0-3 ahead at the interval.
Portglenone picked up where they left off before the break as Aidan McAleese kicked his fourth two-pointer and his sides sixth overall.
Oisin Doherty would open his account for the evening, ahead of back-to-back Sarsfields points in quick succession courtesy of a Garry Lennon free and a Philip McPeake point from play.
Points were traded between Ruairi Hagan and Garry Lennon (free) before Sarsfields breached the Portglenone defence with a goal in the 40th minute.
A lay-off from Tomas Skillen into the path of Cormac Murray opened up a promising scenario and Murray’s low shot spilled underneath Kevin Mullan and into the net to make it 3-18-1-6.
Lennon shot over a further point on the turn as the Paddies were enjoying their most productive period of the evening.
A converted Michael Hagan free was responded to with a Joe McNally point before Portglenone stepped things up again in the final ten minutes.
Single scores from Daniel McNicholl and substitute Michael Kelly came and their final two-pointer was kicked by Ciaran McAleese to make it seven for the evening.
Jay Maguire fisted over from play and added a free in injury-time, with Sean Byrne clipping over between times.
A further two points were exchanged between Stephen Kelly and Garry Lennon from play before Portglenonen netted through Odhran Doherty with the final action as his side ran out 4-25-1-11 winners at the final whistle.
The Bannsiders are well on course for a top place finish if they can avoid defeat to Aghagallon in their final game, while Sarsfields will take on local rivals Lámh Dhearg in their last group encounter.
SARSFIELDS: C Smyth, M McPolin, C Laverty, KB McArdle, P McPeake (0-2), C Murray (1-0), C McDonnell, C McKernan, J McNally (0-1), F Jemfrey, J Maguire (0-4, 0-1f), D Gorman, T Skillen, G Lennon (0-4, 0-2f), C Mulligan. SUBS: C Moley for D Gorman (HT), N McAlea for C Mulligan (37), E Mervyn for C Laverty (43), P Murray for F Jemfrey (54), N Ferris for KB McArdle (54).
PORTGLENONE: K Mullan, D McNichol (0-1), J Convery, D McAleese (1-0), C McGhee, R Hagan (0-1), A McAleese (0-8, 4×0-2pt, 2×0-2ptf), P Graffin, Oisin Doherty (0-1), T Duffin (0-1), C McAleese (1-2, 1×0-2pt), Odhran Doherty (1-7, 2×0-2pt), M Donnelly, M Hagan (1-2, 0-1f), C Lynch. SUBS: S Kelly (0-1) for D McAleese (HT), C Tierney for J Convery (HT), P Kelly for P Graffin (38), S Byrne (0-1) for T Duffin (blood sub 44’), M Kelly for M Hagan (52).
REFEREE: Cathal McDermott (TIR NA NOG)
