ACFL Division 1

Erin’s Own Cargin 1-09 Casement’s Portglenone 2-06

A late Pat Shivers point earned Cargin a share of the points with the visiting Casement’s in a fully contested encounter before a good attendance in Toome on Tuesday evening in a re-arranged league fixture.

Casement’s looked destined to collect the of the points as they led by five at the end of the third quarter but Cargin, having struggled for most of the opening period came back strongly in the latter stages to gain a share of the spoils.

A 45^th minute point from a Paddy Kelly free and looked enough to give the Casement’s a rare victory over the reigning county champions but with John Carron, Justin Crozier and James Laverty leading a late comeback that Shivers point was enough to earn the home side a draw.

Casement’s have made a good start to the season and travelled to Toome knowing that another win would strengthen their position at the top of the league table.

The visitors with the advantage of the northerly breeze in the first half were quickly out of the start traps and a foul on Oran McGarry was penalised as Ronan Delargy despatched the resultant free between the posts.

John Mc Keever’s men had started well and Paddy Kelly punished an unforced error by despatching long range between the posts to see the Bannsider’s move 0-02 to 0-00 ahead.

Cargin looked hesitant from early in the tie but they opened their account through a Ciaran Bradley point in the 9^th minute and the wing man was to figure prominently a few minutes later.

Gerard McCorley intercepted another well laid Casement’s attack and when the leather was passed through Ronan Gribbin to Ciaran Bradley his left sided advance and delivery to Tom Shivers saw the full forward finish to the back of the net.

The home side were ahead for the first time but that lead was not to last as they continued to give away possession and a well laid counter attack saw Casement’s Oran McGarry fire past John McNabb for his side’s opening goal.

Portglenone had their proverbial tails up and with the home side continuing to cough up possession, the visitors took advantage as Paddy Kelly added another pointed free and when Conor Mc Ghee was first to a lofted delivery to punch to the net, the ‘Ports’ were 2-03 to 1-01 ahead.

A foul on the advancing Kevin Mc Shane opened the way for Tom Shivers to add a point to the Cargin total but in the event the visitors were to have the last say in proceedings with a late, Ronan Kelly point to leave them 2-05 to 1-02 ahead at the break.

Cargin had the benefit of the breeze for the second half and a smart start saw Tom Shivers raise early white before John McNabb came forward to add a pointed free following a foul on Ciaran Bradley.

A good start by the home side but Casement’s responded and another Paddy Kelly point saw them increase advantage again and enjoy a 2-06 to 1-04 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Cargin were facing a rare defeat on home soil and John Mc Keever’s table toppers were good value for their lead  but the tide was about to turn as the home side’s defence closed shop and their attack came to life.

It was backs to the wall for the visitors in the last quarter as the Toome men gained in stride with Pat Shivers leading the offensive.

A foul on Justin Crozier was punished when Shivers despatched the resultant free between the posts and then John Carron nipped in to add a fisted point and the Casement’s advantage was reduced to a couple of points as the game clock ticked onwards toward completion.

Casement’s were under the cosh in the latter stages and Ronan Gribbin reduced the deficit to the minimum before Pat Shiver’s became the Cargin  hero with a 61^st minute point to earn his side a share of the spoils.

Cargin: John Mc Nabb (0-01), Sean og Quinn, Kevin Mc Shane, Gerard Mc Corley, Justin Crozier, James Laverty, Paudie Mc Laughlin, John Carron (0-01), Mark Kelly, Conan Johnston, David Johnston, Ronan Gribbin (0-01, Pat Shivers (0-030, Tom Shivers (1-02), Ciaran Bradley (0-01)

Casements: Rian O’ Neill, Ronan Delargy, Daniel Mc Nicholl, Jonny Convery, Caolan Tierney, Niall Delargy, Conor Mc Ghee (1-00), Stephen Kelly, Niall Mc Keever, Caolan Mc Kenna, Paddy Kelly (0-04), Conall Delargy, Ronan Kelly (0-02), Michael Hagan, Oran Mc Garry (1-00)

Referee: K Parke (St Enda’s)

ACFL Division 1

Aghagallon 1-08 Kickhams 1-12

The recent revival of league champions, Kickham’s Creggan continues and on Sunday they travelled to Aghagallon and recorded a good win over a St. Mary’s side, currently sitting second in the league.

Kickham’s made the trip up to Aghagallon on Sunday not expecting much from the match after losing a few more senior players to injury. It didn’t get much better with Aghagallon hitting 4 unanswered points in the 3rd, 5th, 14th and 15th minutes to lead 0-04 to 0-00 at the midway point of the first half.

The ever reliable Dominic McAteer got them of the mark in the 17th minute and Matthew Rodgers added his first of the day on 18 minutes. Aghagallon replied with their last point of the half before Sean Duffin came back with two excellent points on the 26th and 28th minute to leave Kickham’s trailing by a point on the short whistle. 

The second half saw the Creggan men come out of the blocks with a vengeance as Liam Quinn and Matthew Rodgers fired over points apiece before a fantastic lob from Conor Small finished in the back of the Aghagallon net.

Aghagallon were under the cosh and it took them 12 minutes to register their opening score but Kickham’s responded through full back Ethan Carey-Small who kicked a fine point

 Sean Duffin and Mathew Rodgers added two more to bring their personal totals to 3 points each and the momentum was very much with the visitors.

Again Aghagallon came back with 2 points before Diarmuid Mulholland got his first score after an excellent pass from Dominic McAteer and Joe McAteer chipped in with a point on 28 minutes.

Aghagallon replied with a screamer of a goal on 32 minutes to leave just a goal in it but a nice controlled move up the field found Diarmuid Mulholland free to kick the insurance point. 

This win moves Creggan into fifth place in the table and with one game to come, away to St. Brigid’s before the split a top six place is very much up for grabs.

O’Neills Sportswear ACFL Division One 

Lámh Dhearg 1-08-2-09 St Brigid’s 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

St Brigid’s climbed off the bottom of the table thanks to late goals from Jack Dowling and Paul Bradley in their 2-09-1-08 victory over Lámh Dhearg at Hannahstown on Sunday evening. 

Having previously won once in their previous four meetings, victory against St Galls last time out ensured that St Brigid’s headed for Hannahstown with a spring in their step and with results through from the afternoon ties- knowing victory would see them climb off the bottom of the table against their hosts that were going for a sixth straight league win. 

The visitors began the game on the front foot and found themselves two points ahead thanks to a John Toner point and a floated effort that dropped over the bar from substitute Paul Bradley- who replaced injured Peter Lundy in the early stages. 

Lámh Dhearg hit the front on six minutes with the game’s opening goal from a deflected Matthew McElgunn shot that deceived Declan Heery in the St Brigid’s goal. 

Bradley tied things up with a fantastic shot that sailed between the posts, only for Conor Murray to drop over a reply at the other end. 

St Brigid’s hit the front for the second time courtesy of converted frees from Enda Downey and Bradley, with Murray receiving a layoff from Owen McKeown and swinging a high shot over to restore parity as half time loomed. 

It was the visitors who would head in at the break with a slender lead thanks to an angled Enda Downey point that gave them a 0-06-1-02 lead. 

Lámh Dhearg started the second period brightly and levelled almost immedicably through a burst forward from Ben Rice- who would guide his shot between the posts. 

Half-time substitute Kieran Fay-Kelly then kicked a superb free from the ground to edge his side ahead again and Owen McKeown would double his sides lead. 

Showing a burst of pace and his trademark mazy run, McKeown then swung his shot over to give his side a 1-05-0-06 lead. 

It took until the midway point in the half for St Brigid’s to hit back through Calum Webb, though Adam Murray kicked a sensational angled point to instantly restore their two-point buffer. 

James Smith made it a single point game with a converted free, but Conor Murray then dropped over his third point of the evening to give his side a 1-07-0-08 lead. 

Lámh Dhearg would end the game a man light after referee Sean Laverty cited Fionn Mervyn after a coming together off the ball. 

St Brigid’s would make effective use of their numerical advantage late on and took the lead for the third and final time. 

A high looping ball looked to be heading over the bar to reduce the deficit, though it bounced, and substitute Jack Dowling was quickest to react, and he fisted the ball over Gerard Smyth and into the net to give his side a 1-08-1-07 lead. 

The visitors played out the remaining minutes on their terms and a fisted point from Oran Downey doubled their advantage. 

Shaun McManus would line up a shot that rose over the bar to reduce the gap in injury-time before St Brigid’s sealed the win. 

Heery’s kick out was won cleanly and the resulting mark steered into the path of Paul Bradley, he played a one-two with Oran Downey before bearing down on goal and squeezing his low effort past Smyth and into the corner of the net to seal a 2-09-1-08 win. 

It moved St Brigid’s off the bottom of the league where they are in a four-way tie with St Enda’s, Rossa and Tir na Nog. 

Defeat for the Lámh’s mean they must at least claim a point from their final league encounter with Rossa to ensure a place in the top-six come the league split next midweek. 

Lámh Dhearg: G Smyth, F Mervyn, P Larkin, Ross Murray, D Smith, B Rice (0-01), M Hynds, E Stanley, M McElgunn (1-00), D Martin, S McManus (0-01), O McKeown (0-01), T McCrudden, C Murray (0-03), A Murray (0-01). Subs: K Fay-Kelly (0-01f) for E Stanley (HT), N McGarry for D Martin (41), C Boyd for M McElgunn (46), D Larkin for A Murray (56), M McGarry for R Murray (60+2). 

St Brigid’s: D Heery, F McKernan, C King, S Campbell, J Morgan, R Carleton, C Webb (0-01), J Toner (0-01), P King, J Louge, O Downey (0-01), P Lundy, E Downey (0-02. 0-01f), J Smith (0-01f), R McErlean. Subs: P Bradley (1-03, 0-01f) for P Lundy (3), J Dowling (1-00) (HT), C McNicholl for R McErlean (46). 

Referee: Sean Laverty (St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass)

ACFL Division 1

Tir na nOg 2-14 St. John’s 1-10

Tir na nOg produced a splendid performance to overcome the challenge of St. John’s at Whitehill on Sunday to keep their chances of survival very much alive.

The Randalstown side produced a splendid finish to the game as they came from one behind after 21 minutes to score an unanswered 2-2 and kill off the challenge of a St. John’s side who have hit a poor run of results recently.

Darragh Fagan from a ‘45’ and Conchur Adams from a free out on the wing exchanged early scores before Fagan and Aaron McNeilly moved the Whitehill side 0-3 to 0-1 ahead with 12 minutes gone.

Play swung from end to end in this full blooded encounter as the excellent Conchur Adams pointed a free and added another from play to tie the contest for the second time and at this stage there was little between the sides.

The end to end action continued with Christy Sheerin for the home side and Stephen Tierney with a great point for St. John’s, following a strong solo from his own half, exchanging further scores and it was going to take something special to separate these two well matched sides.

Brandon Mclarnon, Paul McCloskey and Eamon Og McAllister for Tir na nOg and the superb Adams 0-2 for St John’s kept the score board ticking in the period leading up to half time with the South West side taking a narrow one point lead into the interval.

There was no let-up in the intensity as the action got underway for the second half with Eamon Og McAllister bringing a cheer from the good home support as he moved his side two ahead.

That lead would last only two minutes however as Conall Quinn got in for a well worked goal for the visitors and when Conal McGlade and Conal Gough added points by the 8^th minute, the momentum had swung decisively in favour of the Johnnies.

Tir na nOg rallied however as they kicked five points on the bounce through Aaron McNeilly, Eamon Og McAllisdter, Oliver McAtamney 0-2 and Caoimhin Duffin to move one ahead at the end of the third quarter.

It still looked anybody’s game as Conchur Adams pointed a free in the 19^th minute and followed with another with nine minutes remaining and the Corrigan side must have fancied their chances at this stage but it was Tir na nOg who produced a storming finally to the game.

Centre-half, Ciaran O’Neill led the charge as he pointed to equalise in the 22^nd minute and four minutes later the home side were awarded a penalty which keeper, Sean Paul McAtamney stepped forward to fire past his opposite number, Steven Magennis.

The home side were rampant as a few Johnnies’ heads went down as Ciaran O’Neill fired over his second point before getting on the end of a move that started from deep in defence to finish to the net in injury time.

This win leaves Tir na nOg as one of four sides on 8 points ahead of St. Brigid’s, Rossa and St. Enda’s on score difference and with only three points separating bottom and 5^th in  the table the race for the title and the fight to avoid relegation looks like going right down to the wire.

 Tir na nOg: 1 Sean Paul McAtamney, 2 Ryan Crilly, 3 Ciaran McGrellis, 4 Brandon McLarnon, 5 Paul McCloskey, 6 Ciaran O’Neill, 7 Caoimhin Duffin, 8 Christy Sheerin, 9 Sean Duffin, 10 Aaron McNeilly, 11 Eamon Og McAllister, 12 Oliver McAtamney, 13 Kevin Sheerin, 14 Darragh Fagan, 15 Emmet Murray

St. John’s: 1 Steven Magennis, 2 Ciaran Garland, 3 Jack Bohill, 4 Conor Dyson, 5 Conal McGlade, 6 Ciaran Johnston, 17 Michael Dudley, 8 Conor Hand, 9 Simon McDonagh, 11 Conal Gough, 12 Conchur Adams, 13 Andy McGowan, 14 Conall Quinn, 15 Stephen Tierney, 16 Matthew Leydon, 18 Lorcan Heenan, 19 Ronan Quinn, 20 Darragh McCallin, 22 Conan McKinney, 23 Joshua Robb, 25 Darragh McGuinness

Referee: Eamon McAuley (Cargin)

ACFL Division 1

St Mary’s Ahoghill 3-08 St Enda’s 1-06

A hat-trck from ace marksman James O’ Connell, the first in the 9^th minute initiated by a smart Danny O’ Neill initiative, and the second emanating from a Martin Graham fetch was to sow the seeds for an Ahoghill victory over St Enda’s in the Clooney sunshine on Sunday past.

The third arrived around the three quarter mark to seal the deal just a few minutes after the visitors had found the net at the other end through Mickey Morgan, and put to bed any notion of a St. Enda’s comeback.

Chris Mc Glone’s charges have enjoyed a good run this term and with a dozen points secured thus far are close to a place in the top six instead of their usual fight to stave off relegation.

With the breeze at their backs in the opening period the Ahoghill men were soon to make a mark as Glengormley based St Enda’s visited on Sunday as James O’ Connell split the posts a couple of minutes into proceedings.

The Hightown men were without their county players but spurned an early opportunity to employ the scoreboard attendant as the stiff breeze intervened to push the ‘45’ wide of the target.

The home side had better luck at the other end a couple of minutes later as James O’ Connell firmly punished an indiscretion on mid-fielder Paddy Graham when he despatched the 40 metre free kick between the posts.     

The Clooney lads were dominating in the early minutes and Gerard Graham came forward from corner back to grab a superb point before Danny O’ Neill flick found Graham and he placed James O’ Connell to finish to the net for the game’s opening goal.

The Clooney men increased their advantage with another James O’ Connell point in the 14^th minute before the visitors opened their account through a Mickey Morgan point.

The resultant kick out was intercepted by Gerard Graham and he sent a quick delivery into the ever alert James O’ Connell and the corner man made no mistake with his second goal of the game.

O’Connell’s goal moved St. Mary’s 2-04 to 0-01 ahead before centre back Eamon Brady nipped forward to add another white and as the game entered the last ten minutes the Clooney side were in control.

St Enda’s mid fielder Sean Murray defied the breeze to add a second point to his side’s total in the 28^th minute but in the event the last score of the half fell to the home side’s corner back, Gerard Graham who came forward to split the posts again in the 30^th minute.

Ahoghill faced the brisk breeze in the second half but Gerard Graham made his way forward again in the 33^rd minute to add another stylish point to his personal haul.

The visitors were badly in need of scores and a well organised approach saw mid fielder Sean Murray launch the leather towards the posts for corner man Mickey Morgan to punch to the back of the net.

This score lifted St. Enda’s with substitutes Conor Walsh and Fionn Nagle adding impetus and for a time they took the game to their opponents who were forced onto the back foot for a time.

Ahoghill responded to Morgan’s goal and James O’ Connell intercepted a planned St Enda’s excursion forward and with net minder Mick O’ Boyle out of position he returned the ball to the now unmanned net to move his side 3-08 to 1-02 ahead.

The Hightown side kept going to the end with substitute, Fionn Nagle firing over three points and Colin Mc Grath adding another but in the event these scores came too late to affect the result and at the long blast St. Mary’s had claimed the points which may well ensure them a place in the top six.

Ahoghill: Noel Crossey, Seamus Mc Keever, James Magee, Gerard

Graham (0-03), Fionnbar O’ Neill, Eamon Brady (0-01), Diarmuid Graham, Tom Mc Glone, Padraig Graham, Danny O’ Neill, Donal Graham, Bernard Graham, James O’ Connell (3-04), Shea Madden, Martin Graham

Subs

PJ O’ Connell

Ryan Martin

Conor Mc Garry    

St Enda’s: Mick ‘ Boyle, Conor Maxwell,  Diarmuid Mc Nulty, Owen Kennedy, Eogan O’ hir, Conan Lyttle, Ronan O’ Neill, Sean Murray Fiontan O’ Connor, Colm Mc Grath (0-01), Colm Mc Cabe, Ronan Kalla, Mickey Morgan (1-01), Ronan Mc Bride (0-01), Sean McBride, Aaron Robinson.

Subs

Fionn Nagle (0-03)

Conan Myer

Referee: D Mc Keown (St Galls)