ACFL Division 1

Erin’s Own Cargin 1-13 O’ Donavan Rossa 1-07

Cargin recorded their third win on the bounce to keep in touch with Aghagallon and Portglenone when they gained the verdict over Rossa in an entertaining encounter in Toome on Wednesday evening.

This pairing will meet again later in the season in the championship and although this one was completed in a calmer atmosphere it was keenly contested and provided plenty to entertain the attendance.

Little separated the sides in the opening phase and it was Tom Shivers, who was to feature prominently throughout, who raised the first flag when sent in on the target by a Mark Kelly fetch and delivery.

The Toome men had the better of things in the opening phase and they had nipped four points ahead by the end of the opening quarter.

Points from the hard grafting David Johnston, Tom Shivers (2) and a special delivery from net minder John Mc Nabb in reply to back to back points from Rossa’s Stephen Beatty, and Eoghan McMenamin made it 0-05 to 0-02 for the home side at the 15^th minute mark.

Rossa came more and more into the game and points by wing back Ruairi Grant and Eoghan McMenamin reduced the home sides lead to a couple, 0-06 to 0-04 as half time approached.

Cargin finished the half strongly however and Tom Shivers sent a 40 yard free firmly between the posts to punish a foul on David Johnston in the 24^th minute and the same player fired home the game’s opening goal after being placed by his sibling, Pat to make it 1-07 to 0-04 as half time approached.

A 29^th minute David Johnston point increase the home side’s advantage but the visitors were to have the last say on the board and a late long range delivery by Liam Carr left six between the sides at the break.

Rossa made the early running as the second half got under way with Michael Mc Enhill and Pearce Shortt driving them forward and Stephen Beatty looked to be in for a goal but he was denied by a superb block from Gerard McCorley in the 35^th minute.

Beatty pointed a free to reduce the Cargin lead in the 37^th minute before Ciaran Orchin’s last minute tackle denied David Johnston a goal at the other end.

Cargin increased their advantage again in the 43^rd minute as David Johnston split the posts with late replacement Michael McCann delivering another a few minutes later as he rose highest in the central zone to collect.

As the game entered the final quarter the visitors grabbed a 46^th minute goal as Stephen Beatty slotted home to give Rossa a glimmer of hope but that hope was soon extinguished.

Pat Shivers came  close with an audacious delivery after the Rossa net minder, Niall Crossan went walk about following a pass from his sibling Tom with the speculative attempt just finishing wide of the posts,

The big man did fire between the posts a minute later and although the city men had the last say on the board with a late point from replacement Paul Close it was Cargin who claimed the points and a third consecutive win.

Cargin: John Mc Nabb (0-01), Sean og Quinn, Gerard Mc Corley, Conan Johnston, Justin Crozier, James Laverty, Ronan Gribbin, Odhran Molloy, Gerard Mc Cann, Mark Kelly (0-01), David Johnston (0-03, Pat Shivers (0-01), Ciaran Bradley (0-01), Tom Shivers (1-05), Enda Mc Grogan

Subs: Michael Mc Cann (0-01), Kevin Mc Shane, Brendan Laverty, Kyle Johnston, Cian Scullion

Rossa: Niall Crossan, Ciaran Orchin, Paddy Moyes, Jack Morris, Richard Gowdy, Christopher Mc Guinness, Ruairi Grant, Pearce Shortt, Michael Mc Enhill, Conor Boyle, Darren Grego, Darragh Rocks, Stephen Beatty (1-02), Eoghan Mc Menamin (0-03), Liam Carr (0-01)

Subs: Paul Close (0-01), Aidan Orchin, Aaron Devlin, Jack Mc Gurk, Matthew Mallon, Ben Mc Auley

Referee: P Nolan (Lamh Dhearg)

Antrim Football League – Division 2

Glenravel 0-13  Sarsfields 0-12

Con Magees, Glenravel emerged victorious in a very even game at Fr Maginn Park in beautiful Spring sunshine. The last time these sides met was in the Intermediate Championship semi final in September last year with the same team winning but that was a totally different game. Both sides were even at half time and only a single point in it at the end, indeed very little ever separated these sides over the hour with the lead changing hands a couple of times. Special mention also to referee Ray Matthews who handled the game well; in truth both sides came to play football which probably eased his job on the night.

The first five points of the evening all came from open play with Philip McPeake scoring for Sarsfields in the opening minute but Eamon Fyfe and Eoin Hynds would level and put Glenravel ahead. Garry Lennon and Eamon Fyfe would exchange points before the former put Sarsfields ahead from a free. Lennon was very accurate with dead balls over the hour. So with ten minutes gone both sides were even at three points each. There followed an eleven minute spell where neither side could raise a flag but on twenty two minutes Lennon would nudge Sarsfields ahead once more. Fyfe and Conor Glenholmes traded points to keep the Paddies narrowly ahead but on the stroke of half time David Higgins pointed to restore parity and the sides retired to their changing rooms all square at 0-05 each.

Rian Lennon gave the home side the lead on resumption but back came the Belfast men with points from Garry Lennon and big midfielder Cormac Murray and they were back in front. Niall Swann surged forward with one of the scores of the game to restore parity but shortly after Brian Healy put the visitors in front again. The second half was just a repeat of the first as the ding dong battle continued with neither side really dominating. The home side however hit a purple patch as we entered the final quarter and with points from Eamon Fyfe, Declan Traynor and David Higgins suddenly there was a two point advantage for Con Magees; the first time in the game that more then a single point separated the teams. Tomas Skillen reduced the deficit to a single point and then with eight minutes left on the clock came a pivotal moment in the game. Garry Lennon surged through the Glenravel defence and offloaded to Sam Walsh who was through one on one with Johnny Fyfe in the Glenravel goals. Fyfe held his nerve and saved a pile driver from Walsh when he looked odds on to score.

Who knows how the  game would have ended if that had been converted. Lennon levelled the game minutes later and then a brace of points from Eamon Fyfe put Glenravel ahead by two as we entered stoppage time. The visitors managed to reduce the gap to the minimum through midfielder Ethan Mervyn but Aiden O’Donnell popped up with a fine score to restore the home side’s two point lead. Sarsfields went desperately in search of scores over the closing minutes but despite  Garry Lennon getting the final score in Fr Maginn Park it wasn’t enough to bridge the gap. So Glenravel took both points but they were hard earned against a very strong  Sarsfields outfit. 

ACFL Division 1

Portglenone 0 – 14  St Johns 1 – 05

Photographs: Colleen Webb

St Johns were the visitors to Kelly Park for this round ten league encounter and despite showing glimpses of form it was the hosts who did enough to claim the brace of points on offer.

The Johnnies have been picking up points recently and fielded a mixture of youth and experience in their selection, and they got off to a dream start when impressive Conchur Adams  sent a speculative lob in the direction of Lochlainn Mc Curdy in the second minute of the match, and the big forward got a fist on it to send into the Casements net for a dream start.

Conor Hand added a point a few minutes later to bolster the excellent start made by the visitors, as the hosts took a long time to settle into this contest. When they got their first score in the twelfth minute it came from a long range Ronan Kelly effort after a patient build up involving a dozen players.

The youthful duo of Hand and Adams were prominent throughout the opening half and their constant movement of Simon McDonagh between midfield and full forward was causing problems, and when St Johns extended their gap with Conall Gough slotted over on twenty minutes, the home  supporters were wondering when their team was going to start stepping up.

A little flourish before half time saw the hosts raise a series of white flags, with scores from Paddy  and Ronan Kelly, Niall Delargy and Michael Hagan. The Johnnies still led, but by the minimum margin and as the teams settled down to commence the second half there was all to play for.

Whatever John McKeever said to his team at half time worked, as they hit the ground running. The very impressive Niall Delargy started the rout as Casements eased into a comfortable lead that they would not relinquish. Conall Delargy Niall McKeever and Ronan Kelly added another trio in quick succession as the scoreboard began to open up in favour of the bannsider’s.

St Johns to their credit battled gamely to the end, and it took a last ditch tackle from Niall Delargy to foil a likely goal opportunity that Stephen Tierney had crafted for himself with only five minutes to go.

As the game fizzled out to its inevitable conclusion Casements were six points to the good on the scoreboard, and John McKeever would be a lot happier with his sides second half showing.

Best for St Johns were Conor Hand, Conall Mc Glade Conchur Adams and hard-working Stephen Tierney who had a good joist with Paddy Kelly from the first whistle. For the hosts Niall Delargy stood out on a night where he seemed to be everywhere, aided by the returning Niall McKeever and hard working Ruairi Hagan, and Ryan Convery.

Casements  – Ryan O Neill Conor McGee Shane Delargy Jonny Convery Ryan Convery Ruairi Hagan Caolan Tierney Niall Delargy Niall McKeever  Stephen Kelly Paddy Kelly Ciaran McKenna Ronan Kelly Michael Hagan Conall Delargy. Sub Used Oran McGarry.

St Johns – Padraig Nugent Ciaran Garland Adrian Oliver Conor Dyson Sean Wilson Ciaran Johnston Luke Peden Fra Mc Caffrey Simon Mc Donagh Conal McGlade Conal Gough Conor Hand Lochlainn McCurdy Conchur Adams Andy McGowan. Subs Used Pearse Donnelly Stephen Magennis Matthew Mallon.

Referee: Dareen McKeown (St. Gall’s)

Antrim Football League – Division 2

Naomh Padraig Lisburn 0-8 Glenavy 1-13

Glenavy travelled to Lisburn on Wednesday evening to take on Naomh Padraig and came away winners by seven points, a result that keeps them in the top six with just one game left to play.

Lisburn were first to strike when full forward Mark Chernek pointed them ahead early in the game and while it took Glenavy until the seventh minute to raise their first flag, they made up for lost time and a point from Patrick Gallaher and Fergal Henry, plus a goal from centre forward Charles Gallagher put them four clear. Mark Chernek pulled one back for the home team but two in a row from Glenavy’s Fergal Henry pulled them five ahead by the 20^th minute.

Luca Mulholland pulled on back for Naomh Padraig but Glenavy finished the half strongly with points from Henry, Doherty and Henry to lead by seven at the break. (0-3 to 1-7)

Francis McMeel brought the gap back to six early in the second half with a pint from play, but five minutes later a well worked team move was finished by Glenavy’s Paddy Gallagher who sent over a point. A great point from distance by midfielder Ben McMullan closed the gap again and the Lisburn men seemed set to get even closer when they got through on goal, only to be denied by a fantastic save by Glenavy goalkeeper Stephen Daly who dived at the forward’s foot as he was about to pull the trigger and turned the goal bound shot around the post.

Lisburn kept going however and they were rewarded as Chernek and McMeel sent over points, to close to within five midway through the second half. However Glenavy hit back with points from Ciaran Loney, Fergal Henry, Malachi Doherty (2) and Paddy Gallagher to seal the win.