Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship
Quarter Final
Dunloy 5-15 Lámh Dhearg 3-12
Sunday 20 September
Brendan McTaggart reports from Cargin
Dunloy sealed their place in the last four of the senior football championship with a nine point win over Lámh Dhearg on Sunday evening. This was a contest littered with goals, moments of brilliance by both sides but it was the returning Seaan Elliott that lit up the game from the first whistle.
The Dunloy star hasn’t played any football in 2026 with his last competitive outing coming against Newbridge in the Ulster championship last November. You would never have known however as Elliott purred through the gears, landed two point scores and glided effortlessly over the pristine surface in Toome.
Two of the Cuchullains goals came from his brother, Nigel – both in the first half while second half majors came from Conor Kinsella, Barry McCloskey and Luke McFerran as the reigning champions showed their teeth in an attacking sense.
Lámh Dhearg did expose some defensive frailties in the Cuchullains however and they had a very definite tactic of playing the ball early and long into Conor Murray who was on the edge of the square for long periods. The strength and running power of Marc Jordan and trickery of Ryan Murray always gave the Hannahstown men a threat and while Dunloy will look at two of their goals being either questionable or unlucky, the work by the Red Hands to carve out the chances couldn’t be questioned.
The Lámh Dhearg majors came through Donal Martin in the first half, an own goal early in the second half while Conor Murray’s late goal had the deficit reduced to six points in the last ten minutes. With the introduction of Paddy Cunningham giving them an extra string to their attacking bow in the second half.
Dunloy always had an answer for every question posed of them by the Lámh’s, however and were well worthy of the margin of victory by the final whistle.
Seaan Elliott opened the scoring in the fourth minute of the game by splitting the posts and raising an orange flag. Tom McFerran followed suit before a brace of points from placed ball by Conor Murray restored parity by the close of the opening quarter.
Lámh Dhearg were well on top in the middle third but once Dunloy got to grips with the challenge being asked of them, they put some early daylight between the sides. The Hannahstown men were kept scoreless for 14 minutes while Dunloy reeled off 1-6 unanswered. Seaan Elliott raising a white flag before the opening goal of the game came from his brother Nigel.
Nigel Elliott had made the break and while he was through on goal, he looked to pass to his left but this was partially intercepted. The ball broke into Elliott’s path and he finished with John Finnucane wrong footed in the Lámh Dhearg goal.
Seaan Elliott continued with another scoring burst with a point and two two-pointers in the space of six minutes to take his tally to eight points by the 24th minute.
The Cuchullains were seemingly awarded a penalty in the 25th minute when Nigel Elliott was felled by Finnucane. Getting on the end of a quite brilliant through ball by Keelan Molloy with the outside of his left foot, Elliott took a touch before being brought down. Referee Conal Roberts initially awarded the penalty before changing his decision after consultation with an umpire and giving a hop ball, much to the disbelief of the Dunloy management.
Keelan Molloy split the uprights to take the Dunloy lead to 11 points before the Lámh’s scored their opening goal of the game. Donal Martin was in the right place and the right time to get on the end of a long delivery into the danger area and once again referee Conal Roberts consulted his umpire with the Dunloy players adamant there was a square ball infringement. The goal stood however to leave the score 1-10 to 1-2 in the 28th minute.
The Cuchullains finished the half on top however with Ryan McGarry splitting the posts before Nigel Elliott found the back of the net following great vision from Barry McCloskey in the build up to spot the run by his team mate.
With Dunloy leading 2-11 to 1-2 at the interval, the Hannahstown men introduced Cunningham at the interval and while he had a positive impact, the Lámh’s played with renewed vigour and increased intensity.
They kept Dunloy from scoring for 11 minutes into the second half while scoring a further 1-2 themselves. Points coming from Ben Rice and Pearse Fitzsimons either side of what looked like an own goal. Marc Jordan causing some mayhem and while he passed to his left, the ball came off the head of James Scally before going into the back of the net. In fairness to the Dunloy defender, he was stopping Conor Murray from getting to the ball and had no idea the ball was coming his direction.
The Lámh’s had another glimpse of goal with Ryan Murray going close only for his effort to be cleared of danger by Aaron Crawford but it looked like the Cuchullains had weathered the Lámh Dhearg storm when Conor Kinsella scored their third goal.
Nigel Elliott and Keelan Molloy combining before sending the ball across the goal mouth when Kinsella met it and bundled the ball over the line.
Frees from Conor Murray and Cunningham followed before Keelan Molloy pointed and Barry McCloskey scored Dunloy’s fourth major in the 46th minute. Conor Kinsella turning provider this time for McCloskey and he cut inside before finishing expertly to the bottom corner.
The Lámh’s had another purple patch where they reeled off 1-2 in the space of five minutes. Substitute Jack Davitt and Ben Rice splitting the uprights before Ryan Murray scored their third goal of the evening. Declan Lynch and Paddy Cunningham combining to put Ryan Murray through and he made no mistake.
Dunloy’s response was the mark of champions, however. Points in quick succession from Luke McFerran, McCloskey and Seaan Elliott came before Luke McFerran bundled home his sides fifth major of the evening.
Cunningham took some gloss off the scoreline by landing a two pointer in true Paddy Cunningham fashion – outside of the boot before Callum Fegan-Lappin split the uprights with the last score of the game in injury time.
It was a mix of the sublime and chaos by the Cuchullains who relied more on off the cuff football than we have seen in recent times. Lámh Dhearg made them dig a little deeper than most thought but it’s the Dunloy men who go through to the semi’s and set up a meeting with St Brigid’s.
TEAMS
Dunloy Starting XV: Chrissy McMahon; Reece Cunning, Aaron Crawford, James Scally; Aodhan McGarry, Ryan McGarry, Conor Kinsella; Eoin McFerran, Luke McFerran; Eoin O’Neill, Seaan Elliott, Tom McFerran; Barry McCloskey, Keelan Molloy, Nigel Elliott
- Scorers: S Elliott 0-9 (3tp); N Elliott 2-00; L McFerran 1-1; B McCloskey 1-1; C Kinsella 1-00; K Molloy 0-2 (1f); T McFerran 0-1; R McGarry 0-1
Lámh Dhearg Starting XV: John Finnucane; Marc McGarry, Declan Lynch, Declan Smith; Ben Rice, Paddy Mervyn, Donal Martin; Ross Fitzsimons, Marc Jordan; Eoin McKeown, Adam Murray, Ross Murray; Kevin Quinn, Ryan Murray, Conor Murray
- Scorers: C Murray 0-4 (2f); R Murray 1-00; D Martin 1-00; Paddy Cunningham 0-3 (1f, 1tp); B Rice 0-2; P Fitzsimons 0-1; Jack Davitt 0-1; Callum Fegan-Lappin 0-1
Referee: Conal Roberts (St John’s)
TO SEE MORE OF BRENDAN’S PHOTO’S FROM THE GAME, FOLLOW THE LINK…
https://myalbum.com/album/5g8NNNjNZfLmxC/?invite=36fabe20-57a3-480d-8d62-03db97b80648
