ACFL Division 1

Casements 1 – 14    Lamh Dhearg 0 – 03

Hannahstown travelled to Kelly Park for this second round division one league encounter and were simply no match for a well drilled Portglenone team who backed up their win at St Galls last week with a solid all round display yesterday.

The home side raced into an early lead and stayed there throughout the contest, with token resistance coming from the much depleted Red Hands. A trio of points  from in form Aidan McAleese, and additional contributions from Ciaran Mc Kenna, Conall Delargy, Niall Mc Keever, Michael Hagan and Kelly cousins Stephen and Ronan kept the scoreboard ticking over. The visitors managed a brace of their own from Terry McCrudden but at half time John McKeever was telling the bench to get warmed up and expect game time as he continues to rotate the squad in this early part of the season.

When Niall McKeever out caught Declan Lynch on the edge of the square only two minutes after referee Ray Matthews restart, and fired low to the corner past the helpless John Finucane, this contest was effectively over.

A superb Ryan Convery point for the hosts was the highlight of this second period which was spoiled by a lengthy delay when the ever impressing Kevin OKane was caught with a robust challenge which necessitated being stretchered off for a nasty injury.

James McLarnon marked his senior debut for Portglenone with a fine score at the end of this lopsided affair to keep himself in his managers thoughts, but for the Lamhs it’s a case of needing to get their top players back and available as soon as possible if they have any ambition of being competitive in this division.

Casements have a trip to Creggan up next and on this form should give a good account of themselves.

Scorers. N McKeever 1-1, A. McAleese 0-4, C McKenna 0-2, R Kelly 0-2, C Delargy 0-2, R Convery 0-1, M Hagan 0-2 

Casements: 1 Ryan O’Neill 2 Johnny Convery 3 Kevin O’Kane 4 Conor McGhee 5 Caolan Tierney 6 Daniel McNicholl 7 Ryan Convery 8 Niall Delargy 9 Niall McKeever 10 Ciaran Mckenna 11 Michael Hagan 12 Stephen Kelly 13 Conall Delargy 14 Aidan McAleese 15 Ronan Kelly 

ACFL Division 1

St. Mary’s Aghagallon 3-7 St. Enda’s 0-7

The Aghagallon project under the guidance of Pete McGrath continues to grow momentum and on Sunday they had too much guile and knowhow for a St. Enda’s side who were always chasing the contest.

Right from the time when Eunan Walsh fired home a 7^th minute penalty for the home side it was looking ominous for the Glengormley side as Hugh Hannon had already opened with a point in the first minute.

St. Enda’s opened their account from a Fionn Nagle free in the 8^th minute and Nagle was on target again following a Mark after Niall McShane replied to his opening score with a point for Aghagallon and the visitors were having to work very hard for their scores against a well organised home defence.

Their task became even more difficult when Caolan Farr ran onto a great over the top pass from Hugh Hannon to blast the ball to the net in the 17^th minute and put St. Mary’s six ahead and Johnny Hannon added a point as the home side continued to dominate.

Tomas Gilmour relieved the pressure as he converted a ‘45’ for the visitors in the 23d minute and Niall McShane for Aghagallon and Ronan O’Neill, with a great long range point for the Hightown side concluded the first half scoring to leave it 2-4 to 0-4 at the break.

St. Enda’s needed a good start to the second half if they were to claw back the home side’s lead but it was Aghagallon who continued on the front foot with Marc McAfee and Niall McShane extending their lead with early points.

The home side continued to soak up anything that St. Enda’s could throw at them and were ready to break at speed when the opportunity arose and a bit of frustration began to creep into the visitors play with referee Cathal McDermott issuing a number of yellow cards.

Veteran mid-fielder, Phillip Curran pulled one back for the visitors but the Glengormley side were feeding on crumbs and Jack Lenehan replied with a great long range point to keep the gap at eight and it was hard to see a way back for the Hightown men.

To their credit they kept going to the end and Tomas Gilmour converted a free before Ronan Kella got his name on the score card with a good point but the final score of the game fell to Aghagallon substitute, Conor Magill who got in for a late goal to put the icing on a solid performance from the home side.                                                                                                                                              

Aghagallon: 1 – Luke Mulholland 2 – Ciaran Maginnis 3 – Aidan Mulholland 4 – Pat Branagan 5 – Eunan Walsh 6 – Jaime Lamont 7 – Paudy Gowdy 8 – Jack Lenehan 9 – Caolan Farr 10 – Jonny Hannon 11 – Pauric Maginnis 12 – Marc McAfee 13 – Niall McShane 14 – Enda McCartan 15 – Hugh Hannon

St. Enda’s: 1 Michael O’Boyle, 2 Killian Jennings, 3 Colm McGrath, 4 Diarmuid McNulty, 5 Ronan O’Neill, 6 Conan Lyttle, 7 Owen Kennedy, 8 Phillip Curran, 9 Michael Morgan, 10 Ronan Kalla, 11 Tomas Gilmour, 12 Cormac Morgan, 13 Aaron Ibinson, 14 Fionn Nagle, 15 Callum Morgan

Referee: Cathal McDermott (Tir na nOg)

ACFL Division 1

St. Brigid’s 1-12 Moneyglass 3-16

St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass collected their first win in division 1 when they travelled to Musgrave Park on Sunday and recorded a resounding victory over St. Brigid’s. The Marian Hill side pushed Aghagallon all the way last week before losing narrowly and on this performance they will give plenty of teams their fill of it as the season progresses.

Goals from Patrick McCormick after 13 minutes and Conall Prenter, three minutes from the break had Hugh Carey’s side in cruise control at the break when they led 2-8 to 0-5 and when Tiernan McCormick struck the visitors third in the opening minute of the second it was as good as over.

The visitors were quickly off the mark as Colm Duffin and Paul Duffin pointed them into a two point lead after six minutes and Dermot McErlain struck a third before Toirealach Brolly pulled one back for St. Brigid’s.

Patrick McCormick fired home the game’s opening goal with 13 minutes gone to move his side five ahead before James Smith closed the gap to four with St. Brigid’s second point of the game after 15 minutes but the momentum was very much with St. Ergnat’s.

 They responded with points from Tiernan McCormick, Dermott McErlain and Conor Boyd before James Smith got his second and his side’s third for a St. Brigid’s side who were struggling to contain a rampant Moneyglass.

It provided only temporary respite as the visitors came roaring back and a couple of Colm Duffin points sandwiching a second goal from Conall Prenter with Smith hitting a late point for the visitors but even at this stage it was hard to see the home side coming back.

McCormick’s goal on the restart made the mountain facing the home side impossible to climb and while they did fare better during the second period they never really looked like getting back into contention.

Indeed by the time they got their opening score of the half through their best player, James Smith in the 39^th minute, Moneyglass had extended their advantage further through Conleith McCann (0-2) and two more from mid-field dynamo Colm Duffin (0-2) and it was now an exercise on damage limitation.

James Smith, Fergal Meenagh and Smith again struck three unanswered points in St. Brigid’s best spell of the game but any notion of Moneyglass taking their foot of the pedal were quickly dismissed as the ‘Blues’ came back with points from Paul Duffin and Tiernan McCormick.

James Smith, who was St. Brigid’s bright spark in an otherwise outclassed side brought his personal tally to 0-9 with three late points but it was Moneyglass who finished as they had started with Patrick McCormick, Colm Duffin and Tyler Cassidy adding points.

The Musgrave Park men were missing quite a number of key players but this should not take anything away from this Moneyglass performance and it will provide the newly promoted side with the confidence and the momentum they need as they face what will surely be tougher days ahead in their league campaign.

St. Brigid’s: 1 Declan Heery, 2 Finn McKernan, 3 Conor King, 4 Joseph McCarney, 5 Sean McKernan, 6 Reduben Carleton, 7 Toirealach Brolly, 8 Jack Dowling, 9 Fergal Meenagh, 10 Peter Lundy, 11 James Smith, 12 Conor Slevin, 13 Marcus Lynch, 14 Donal Bradley, 15 Rory McErlean

Moneyglass:  Gary Murray, 2. Callum McStocker, 3. Fearghal Duffin, 4. James McCormick, 5. Paul Duffin, 6. Peter McCormick, 7. Paddy McCormick, 8. Colum Duffin, 9. Dermot McErlain, 10. Kevin McCann, 11. Conor Boyd, 12. Tiernan McCormack, 13. Jack McCoy 14. Conaill Prenter, 15. Connlaodh McCann, 16. Danny McErlain, 17. Frank Duffin, 18. Connor O’Kane, 19. Tyler Cassidy, 20. Aidan McErlain, 21. Sean Boyd, 22. Ronan Campbell, 23. Charlie McCloskey Subs: Aidan McErlain for Conall Prenter, Conor O’Kane for Kevin McCann, Tyler Cassidy for Conor Boyd, Frank Duffin for Jack McCoy

Referee: Brendan Toland (Lamh Dhearg)

ACFL DIVISION 1

St. John’s 2-13 Creggan 2-8

An excellent goal from Laughlin McCurdy late in the game lit up a dull evening as St. John’s made it two from two with this win over Creggan in an evening throw in at Corrigan Park, the game put back to accommodate Antrim’s NHL game against Laois earlier in the day.

The first half was a bit of a slow burner with both sides taking a time to find their feet on a slippery sod but it was St. Johns who were first to register through Conall Quinn and Conhur Adams who was to have an impressive hour in the corner for the home side.

Dominic McAteer pulled one back for the visitors but the early momentum was with the Corrigan men with mid-fielder, Conal McGlade pointing from play and then converting a ‘45’ to move his side three in front.

McAteer closed the gap to two with a Creggan free but St. John’s were beginning to get on top and Paddy McBride, returning from a lengthy injury, struck a couple of fine points as half time approached with McAteer replying with his third of the day to leave it 0-6 to 0-3 at the break.

The first half had been punctuated with some heavy hits and the issuing of a number of yellow cards and Creggan were given the opportunity to draw level early in the second half when they were awarded a penalty with Jack Bohill receiving yellow for his sins and Conor Small firing home the resulting penalty.

A couple of points from the excellent Ryan McNulty in reply to one from Tiarnan McAteer edged the Johnnies noses in front before a well worked goal from Conor Hand put them four ahead and they appeared to have weathered the early second half storm.

Before the cheering had died Creggan came racing back with an unreal major of their own with Kevin Rice applying the finish and the game was back in the melting pot and the league holders seemed to be settling to the task.

Once again the men from the Whiterock found a response however with Conhur Adams hitting a couple of good points and Liam McCann striking a long range effort for the Kickham’s in reply but it would be St. John’s who would turn the screw down the finishing straight.

Paddy McBride added a couple of fine scores and Lochlan McCurdy lit up a dull evening with a superb goal and McNulty added their final point with Conor Small and Dominic McAteer replying with consolation scores for the visitors.

St. John’s: 1 Matthew Leydon, 2 Ciaran Garland, 3 Adrian Oliver, 4 Jack Bohill, 5 Luke Peden, 6 Ciaran Johnston, 7 Sean Wilson, 8 Ryan McNulty, 9 Conor Hand, 10 Paddy Nugent, 11 Conal McGlade, 12 Andy McGowan, 13 Conchur Adams, 14 Conall Gough, 15 Conall Quinn, 16 Steven Magennis, 17 Simon McDonagh, 18 Paddy McBride, 25 Matthew Mallon 28 Laughlin McCurdy

Creggan: 1) Oisin Kerr, 2) Dylan Hymphy, 3) Ricky Johnston , 4) Jake Mc Ateer, 5) Sam Maguire, 6) Aiden Maguire, 7) Joe Mc Ateer, 8) Liam Mc Cann, 9) Kevin Rice, 10) Diarmuid Mulholland, 11) Tiarnan Mc Ateer, 12) Liam Quinn, 13) Conor Small, 14) Dominic Mc Ateer, 15) Odhran Mc Larnon

ACFL Division 1

Rossa 2-5 Ahoghill 0-10

St. Mary’s Ahoghill will reflect on a first half that they mostly controlled but didn’t convert enough chances as the reason for their demise in this close encounter in the ACFL Division 1 at Shaw’s Road today.

Ahoghill played with the breeze in a first half where they were well on top but only scored 0-5 and Rossa’s goal from Colm Fleming in the 18^th minute was the score that ultimately decided the game in the end.

The home side only managed two scores themselves during the opening 30 minutes but added 1-4 in the second half and a second goal from Fleming from the penalty spot was enough to see Hugh McGettigan’s men over the line.

Patrick Graham and Eamonn Brady kicked the visitors into a two point lead after only four minutes as St. Mary’s made the early running but they failed to build on that early lead and Colm Fleming finally got Rossa off the mark from a free in the 13^th minute.

Diarmaid Graham and Brady again replied for the Clooney side but they were caught again by a Rossa counter attack and Fleming fired home the game’s opening goal with 18 minutes on the clock.

St. Mary’s were enjoying plenty of possession but were having difficulties in turning good approach work into scores but moved ahead again through a Ronan Graham point in the 24^th minute but it would prove to be the final score of the half.

The visitors looked to have a tough task on hand as they turned into the breeze for the second half but James O’Connell gave them renewed hope when he extended their lead to two with a good point from play in the opening minute.

They received a setback however when Noel Crossey was penalised for a foot block a minute later with the referee pointing to the penalty spot and Fleming converted the resulting award to give his side back the lead.

Fleming pointed a free to extend the Rossa lead and Mick Byrne came forward to add another as Rossa experienced their best period in the game before Bernard Graham replied with a point for the visitors in the 17^th minute.

The momentum was with Hugh McGettigan’s side however and points from Thomas Morgan and Eoghan McMenaman moved them four ahead with seven minutes remaining and they seemed to be home and safe but Ahoghill were not yet finished.

They came back strongly in the closing stages with Diarmaid Graham, Ronan Graham and Tom McGlone hitting late points to close the gap to the minimum but that was as close as they got with Rossa holding on for their first win of the campaign.

Rossa: 1 Mick Byrne, 2 Connor McGowan, 3 Ciaran Orchin, 4 Matthew Mallon, 5 Padraig Moyes, 6 Richard Gowdy, 7 Conal McDonald, 8 Eoghan McMenaman, 9 Jack Morris, 10 Darren Grego, 11 Niall Crossan, 12 Thomas Morgan, 13 Colm Fleming, 14 Ben McCauley, 15 Darra Rocks.

Ahoghill: 1 Noel Crossey, 2 Seamus McKeever, 3 James Magee, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Eamonn Brady, 7 Diarmaid Graham, 8 Patrick Graham, 9 Thomas McGlone, 12 Bernard Graham, 13 Conor Paul Crossey, 14 Ronan Graham, 15 James O’Connell, 17 Donal Graham, 18 Gerard Graham, 20 Daniel O’Neill, 22 Colla McDonnell, 24 Ryan McPeake, 25 Conor McGarry,  

Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)