Casement Social Club Antrim JHC semi final
Glen Rovers Armoy 0-13-1-14 Lámh Dhearg
Kevin Herron reports from Dunsilly
ADAM MURRAY’s 53rd minute goal was crucial in his side defying the odds and reaching the Final of the Casement Social Club Antrim JHC with a 1-14-0-13 victory over Glen Rovers Armoy at Dunsilly on Saturday evening.
Four weeks and a day after the sides met at the same venue and the North Antrim men ran out convincing 0-30-2-14 winners, there was a lot more at stake on Saturday evening with a winner progressing to the decider against Sarsfields in a fortnight’s time.
Trevor Linton was on hand to pop over and give his side the lead inside of 60-seconds only for Adam Murray to hit back at the other end.
A point from Conor McConville had the Red Hands in the driving seat for a short period until PJ McBride accurately found range.
Armoy should have had the games first goal after 5 minutes when Conor Christie sent the ball into the path of Emmett O’Hara, though his low shot was kept out by PJ Herron in the Lámh Dhearg goal.
The Lámhs were beginning to cause problems as the returning Daniel Murray swung over, Gerard Smyth gathered a pass from Micko Herron and popped over ahead of Conor McConville doubling his account from Donal Martin’s lay-off.
Frees were traded between Turlach McBride and Adam Murray, and the Hannahstown side extended their advantage when Paddy Mervyn’s quickly taken free landed for Donal Martin to shoot over.
Armoy closed to within a single point with three scores in a two-minute period towards the end of the opening period.
McBride converted back-to-back frees and Thomas Burns then clipped over. Niall McGarry picked out Jack Trainor to float over, though a fourth converted free of the half from PJ McBride ensured the bare minimum was all the Lámhs would lead by at the interval (0-8-0-7).
Parity was restored within a minute of the restart when John Dilon laid off to Turlach McBride to open his account from play, he would land a further score from a 65’ a few minutes later to nudge his side ahead for the first time since the 2nd minute.
The sides cancelled each other out for long periods of the second half, Adam Murray popped over his second score of play and an angled point from substitute Mark Finnegan had the Lámhs ahead once more.
John Dillon was again involved in winning a break and switching to Eoin Bailey to draw the sides level, a minute later Tarlach McBride converted his fifth of the afternoon to move Glen Rovers 0-11-0-10 up.
A second gilt-edged goal opportunity was missed, Conor Watterson floated a free into the danger area where the ball broke to Turlach McBride and his low effort was parried behind by PJ Herron.
With a quarter of an hour remaining Adam Murray tied things up, landing an angled free. The scoreline remained the same until the 53rd minute when Ciaran Boyd was felled and referee Ray Matthews awarded a free.
Murray stood over the opportunity from around the 65’ and his attempt dropped from the air and into the corner of the net past Conor Watterson to make it 1-11-0-11.
An angled point from Murray stretched the lead out to four briefly until Turlach McBride dropped a shot over from range.
Lámh Dhearg would need to see out the closing stages a man light after Mark Finnegan received his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
Conor Christie landed a 58th minute point that had the gap at two-points, though that was as close as they would come as Lámhs talisman Adam Murray converted his fourth free of the night and he followed up with a point for good measure.
With time running out Turlach McBride had the chance to pull a goal back, but PJ Herron and his defenders did their job on the goal line that wasn’t breached and the final whistle sounded shortly after the danger was cleared as the Hannahstown men were able to celebrate an unexpected victory which will see them contest the Junior Final with Sarsfields in two weeks time.
ARMOY: C Watterson, C Douthart, L Dillon, S Devlin, K McToal, A Devlin, C McKenna, E Bailey (0-1), PJ McBride (0-1), T Burns (0-1), T McBride (0-8, 0-5f, 0-1 65’), E O’Hara, T Linton (0-1), J Dillon, C Christie (0-1). SUBS:E McCaughan for T Linton (57).
LÁMH DHEARG: PJ Herron, SP Gibson, A McGuigan, CF Lappin, F Mervyn, P Mervyn, D Murray (0-1), C Boyd, N McGarry, C McConville jnr (0-2), A Murray (1-7, 1-3f),J Trainor (0-1), G Smyth (0-1), M Herron, D Martin (0-1). SUBS: M Finnegan for C McConville jnr (20), O Waldron for D Martin (52), D Mulholland for G Smyth (56).
REFEREE: Ray Matthews (ROSSA)
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