O’Neills ACFL Division One 

Portglenone 1-15-1-12 Lámh Dhearg 

Kevin Herron reports from Kelly Park 

Sean Byrne struck late on as Portglenone held off a Lámh Dhearg second half rally in their 1-15-1-12 win at Kelly Park on Wednesday evening. 

Early points were traded between Marc Jordan and Stephen Kelly in the opening exchanges but the hosts had begun brighter with Michael Hagan and Aidan McAleese (free) kicking their side into a 0-3-0-1 lead. 

Lámh Dhearg restored parity by the midway point in the half with Owen McKeown and Ben Rice steering individual efforts over. 

The visitors hit the front for the second time after Adam Murray swivelled and shot over and Aaron McAufield then watched as his goal chance flashed wide of the target. 

Aidan McAleese doubled his tally for the half from a placed ball to level proceedings for a third time, but Mark Finnegan scored from the same scenario to edge his side ahead again. 

The sides looked to be heading in level at the break when Ronan Kelly clipped over-though Ryan Diamond popped over a score with the last kick of the half to ensure Lámh Dhearg held a slender 0-6-0-5 lead at the interval. 

It didn’t take the Ports long to tie up the game again through a Ciaran Lynch point early into the second period and Aidan McAleese landed his first from play to give his side the lead for the second time. 

McAleese added another from the placed ball and minutes later John Finucane denied Ronan Kelly from finding the net. 

Approaching the midway point in the second half Portglenone surged further clear with successive two-pointed scores. 

The first a fantastic Michael Hagan shot from play that sailed over from outside the arc and after the resulting kick-out was lost and Enda Lynn was impeded, referee Conall Roberts advanced the free – Lynch added a further two-points from the placed ball to give his side a 0-12-0-5 advantage. 

A fifth McAleese point stretched the lead and with twelve and a half minutes remaining, Lámh Dhearg remained scoreless since the break. 

Their luck would change when Marc Jordan curled a shot inside the posts and substitute Ryan Murray then opened his account. 

With little over ten minutes remaining the Red Hands found a much needed goal after Jordan cut the ball across and Owen McKeown stabbed the ball to the net. 

A point from roving Ryan Convery steadied Portglenone, though Ryan Murray and Owen McKeown both pointed to make it a single score game with five minutes remaining. 

Points were traded between Aidan McAleese and Eoin Matassa to leave a point the difference until the first minute of time added on when a Lámh Dhearg attack deep in the Portglenone half broke down with fatal consequences as the hosts punished them with substitute Byrne slamming the ball home to make it 1-15-1-11. 

Ryan Murray kicked a consolation point with the last action of proceedings but Portglenone were home and dry and finished their league campaign on a winning note. 

PORTGLENONE: D McNicholl, R Convery (0-1), K O’Kane, J Convery, C Tierney, R Hagan, C McGhee, P Kelly, C Lynch (0-3, 1x2ptf), P Graffin, A McAleese (0-6, 0-4f), E Lynn, M Hagan (0-3, 1x2pt), S Kelly (0-1), R Kelly (0-1). SUBS: S Byrne for C Tierney (38), J McAleese for P Graffin (60+2). 

LÁMH DHEARG: J Finucane, Ross Murray, M McGarry, A McAufield, D Smyth, B Rice (0-1), E Matassa (0-1), P Fitzsimons, M Jordan (0-2), R Diamond (0-1), O McKeown (1-2), D Murray, M Finnegan (0-1f), A Murray (0-1), D Martin. SUBS: E Stanley for D Murray (45), C Boyd for R Diamond (48), P Larkin for A McAufield (48), Ryan Murray (0-3,0-1f) for D Martin (49), J Quinn for M Finnegan (55). 
REFEREE: Conall Roberts (St Johns)

ACFL Division 2

Sarsfield’s completed their ACFL Division 2 programme on Wednesday night with a comprehensive victory over Naomh Padraig at the Bear Pit with the Belfast side having already clinched the title when they travelled to and defeated Moneyglass back on the 18^th June.

It’s been a great year for the Stewartstown Road side who dropped only one point on their way to collecting their first Division 2 success for quite a number of years and they will now have their eyes firmly fixed on the Intermediate Championship where they are sure to be serious challengers.

It was also a great year for the club’s Senior Reseve side who clinched the Division 3 Reserve title

TO SEE MORE OF JOE CARBERRY’S PHOTOS FROM THE SARSFIELDS V NAOMH PADRAIG GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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Antrim Football League – Division 1

St Johns 2-10  St Paul’s 1-12  at Corrigan Park.

St John’s secured their place in Division 1 of the Antrim football league for next season when they beat St Paul’s in their final league game of the season at Corrigan Park on Wednesday evening. The victory lifts the Johnnies out of the bottom four and they can now look forward to the championship with that pressure lifted off their shoulders. St Paul’s are now in a play-off position but if they show the workrate and determination that they display in Wednesday’s game they can be confident of avoiding the drop.

After a slow start by both teams Lorcan Phillips opened the scoring for St Paul’s with a point before Ciaran Rodgers-Duffy put them two clear, Things were staring to get a little worrying for the home side when Rogers-Duffy added two more to put them four clear, but St John’s finally got on the scoresheet with a quick double from Ronan and Odhran Quinn but the respite was short lived as St Paul’s came roaring back with a goal from Conor Hughes and when Mark Munce added a point the Shaw’s Road men were six to the good.

With half time fast approaching things looked really good for the visitors but St John’s hit back with a Conal McGlade goal before Conchur Adams reduced the deficit to two at the half time break.

The second half continued at a hectic pace and after Ryan McNulty cut the gap to a single point club legend Paddy McBride put the Johnnies in front with a brilliant goal, but at what cost as the ace forward had to retire injured.

St Paul’s reacted well to the concession of the goal and Rodgers Duffy hit a 2pointer to bring his side back on terms. The same player edged the Shaw’s Road men in front but Conchur Adams tied things up once more when he sent over for the home side. Adams was playing a leading role for the Corrigan Park outfit and after putting them ahead with a 2pointer he added another to stretch the gap to three,

However the Johnnies faithful never really got a chance to rest on their laurels as St Paul’s chipped away at their lead as Lorcan Phillips and Rogers-Duffy found the target and just a single point separated them as the clock went past the hour mark. The tension was high in those final minutes of play but to the relief of the home fans the whistle sounded with them holding that slender one point lead.

St John’s: E R Lambert, R Hannigan, J Bohill, C McEvoy, A Oliver, R Quinn 0-1, E McGurk, P Nugent, C McGlade 1-1, P McBride 1-0, D McKeogh, C Adams 0-4 (0-2F), R McNulty 0-1, O Quinn 0-3 (1x2p).

Subs: O Carleton, D Bracknell, A McGowan, M Leydon, D King, J Wilson, J Robb

St Paul’s: J McAulfield, A Kavanagh, E McGreevy, D O’Sullivan, C Killyleagh, M Munce 0-1, L Phillips 0-2, C Hughes 1-0, P Magee, N McStravick 0-3, C Duffy 0-1, N Ward, S Burns, C Duffy, C Rogers-Duffy 0-5 (0-4F)

Subs: J Rodgers, L Murphy, R McCoy, C McAlea, B Burns, N Crawford

TO SEE MORE OF BERT’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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ACFL Division 1

Ahoghill 1-8 St. Gall’s 4-18

St. Gall’s completed their division 1 campaign with a convincing away win over St. Mary’s Ahoghill in Cloney on Wednesday night. Despite being out of contention for a top four spot the Milltown Row side appear to be in championship preparation as they turned on the style to condemn St. Mary’s to bottom spot in the tables.

It was all but over by half time as first half goals from Gerard O’Neill and a Niall Burns double propelled the visitors to a 3-10 to 0-6 lead as Mark O’Neill blew his half time whistle.

Burns was in sparkling form for St. Gall’s and added two points to his first half total with Ethan Walsh 0-4, Gerard O’Neill, Colm Walsh and Liam O’Loan all on target for the Milltown side.

St. Mary’s kept going but there was an inevitability about the result and much of their recent fight for survival appeared to be missing as Dan O’Neill, Donal Graham, James O’Connell 0-2 and Neil O’Connell 0-2 responding in kind to the St. Gall’s onslaught.

It didn’t get much better for the home side after the break and they would add only two second half points through Colla McDonnell and James O’Connell while the visitors continued to score freely throughout the second half.

Once again it was Antrim county man, Niall Burns who led the way and he would add a further 0-4 to his personal tally to bring his contribution for the evening to 2-6.

Ethan Walsh and Liam O’Loan added to their first half total while a couple of substitutes got in on the scoring act as St. Gall’s emptied their bench.

Ahoghill will have a last opportunity to secure their division 1 status in the bottom 4 play-offs but they are likely to have one eye on the Intermediate Hurling championship where quite a number of those on duty on Wednesday night will again be in action.

St. Gall’s put a run of poor results behind them with this excellent victory and they could be running into form just at the right time for the forthcoming championship and will fancy their chances of giving it a rattle.

Antrim Football League – Div One
Tir na Nog 2-08 Cargin 2-24

Cargin top the table at the conclusion of the Division One league following a
last round win gained over the hard grafting men from Whitehill before a
good crown on a perfect sod on Wednesday evening in what was to be a
proverbial ‘game of two halves’.
The home side aware that only a win would possibly ensure a place in
the top grade for another term without a ‘play off’, emerged from the
start off in a positive mode, despite a smart getaway from their
visitors. Cargin raised three white flags in the opening few minutes, but
an early goal despatched by Emmett Murray plus points
apiece from Manus Smith and Daniel Martin served notice that the Ogs
were not to go down without a fight.
Such early positivity within the ranks of the ‘Jackman’ led side was not
as a momentary token gesture as the home side continued to ask
questions of their visitors, and even after Tomas
Mc Cann, not one to ever lurk in the shadows, found the net for the
men in green, following assistance from the ever busy Sean O’ Neill found the net.
The Toome men, having topped the league pile for quite a time, had
poked their noses ahead following the three pointer and by the 20th
minute.

They went on to open a healthy looking eight point gap when Michael Mc Cann, PJ
Quinn, Brendan Laverty and Tomas Mc Cann, raised respective white flags,
in answer to just one at the other end by Aaron Mc Neilly.
The visitors did look to take charge in the latter stages but the hard
grafting home side served well by Aaron Mc Neilly, Daniel Martin, and
their net minder Aidan Toland were having none of that.
The goalkeeper, who was to make several outstanding saves over the
sixty minutes, had displayed his prowess in the opening period whilst white flags
raised in sequence at the other end by Barry Mc Cormick and Oliver Mc
Atamney and a fine Josh Higgins long range effort, reeled the visitors in and when Manus Smith
found the net the Whitehill men were back on terms at the short whistle on 2-06 to 1-09.

The home fans must have taken great heart from their team’s second quarter comeback and were looking forward to the second half, but the county champions burst from the start traps when match official Darren Mc Keown’s got the second half underway and two minutes in, a PJ Quinn point
put them back in front.
The Whitehill men did look to provide answer to their visitors as the second
period progressed but with the imperious Gerard Mc Cann and John
Carron dominating in the central zone and the always hard grafting Sean
O’ Neill working hard to serve the front men, white flags raised in
sequence by Michael Mc Cann and Benen Kelly pushed them 1-13 to 2-06 ahead.

The home side led in rear guard action by Barry Mc Cormick, Ciaran O’
Neill and Josh Higgins did work hard to thwart the intentions of their
visitors, but the Erin’s Own men were firmly in command they stretched their lead to 1-17 to 2-06 by the 50th minute.
Tir na nÓg did work hard to repel their visitors but Cargin
had the whiff of victory in their nostrils and Benen Kelly added a point with
Tomas Mc Cann following with a ‘two pointer’ fetched from 60 metres
and they stretched their lead to ten. (1-19 to 2-06)
When Sean O’ Neill dashed forward to find the net
following with a point a minute later, the only thing in question was the size of the winning margin.

Having been on the defensive for most of the second period the
home side did look to provide a positive finish and indeed such was
delivered with back to back white flags raised by Barry Mc Cormick and
Darren 0’ Kane, but the last say on the scoreboard was provided
by the excellent Sean O’ Neill to see Cargin complete on the winning
trail at 2-24 to 2-08.
Referee Darren Mc Keown
Teams
Tir na Nog

Aiden Trowland, Declan Mallon, Ciaran Mc Grellis, D Mc Larnon, Paul
Mc Closkey, Ciaran 0’ Neill (0-01), Barry Mc Cormick (0-01), Josh
Higgins (0-01), Oisin Mc Atamney (0-01), Aaron Mc Neilly (0-02), Daniel
Martin, Emmett Murray, Calub Smith, Dara Feagan, Manus Smith (1-02)
Subs
Barry Magee (0-01)
Darren O’ Kane
Conor Hastings
Ryan Crilly
Brendan Devlin
Cargin
Shea Laverty, Niall Quinn, Charlie Mc Cann, Brendan Laverty (0-02),
Benen Kelly(0-02), James Laverty (0-01), Jack O’ Neill, John Carron,
Gerard Mc Cann, David Johnston (0-02), Sean O’ Neill (1-04), PJ Quinn
(0-03), Marty Kane, Michael Mc Cann (0-03), Tomas Mc Cann (1-07 2#)
Subs
Callum Gribbin (0-01)
Patrick O’ Neill
Darren Mc Daid
Oran Molloy
Cian Scullion