ACFL Division 1

Kickham’s Creggan 1-10 Erin’s Own Cargin 0-14

Cargin gained the bragging rights with a narrow win over their nearest neighbours, and close rivals Creggan following a fully contested division one game in Staffordstown on Wednesday evening.

Both sides were missing a few regulars but that didn’t lessen the fare provided and an early goal by Dermot McCann ensured the home side led at the end of the opening period.

The visitors nipped ahead early into the second half however with back to back John Carron points and were never headed after that though the game was in the balance until the final whistle.

Both sides exchanged points in the opening exchanges but Creggan took the lead in the 6^th minute as a slick left sided approach opened the way for Dermot McCann to fire home from close range.

Little separated the sides after this but the home side continued to hold sway at mid-field with Dermot McCann prominent and despite Ciaran Bradley and David Johnston raising white flags in reply to a fine Keelan Mc Cann point the home side retained advantage 1-03 to 0-03 at the end of the opening quarter.

Cargin began to get a foothold in the central zone at the start of the second quarter with Gerard Mc Cann and John Carron coming more and more into the game but a strong run by the impressive Sean Duffin opened the way for Paddy Coey to split the posts

The home side held a four point advantage at this stage but Cargin kicked four on the bounce in as many minutes through Ronan Gribbin, Jamie Gribbin and a two from Tom Shivers to bring the sides level at 0-07 to 1-04 as the end of the opening period drew near.

A fine James Laverty point edged the visitors ahead and Creggan then suffered a telling blow when goal scorer McCann was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card, reducing the Kickham’s to 14 men for the remainder of the game.

It was Creggan who finished the half on top however as a fine individual score from Joe Mc Ateer and a Paddy Coey finish from a free in time added saw the home side head to the dressing rooms a point ahead.

Cargin started the second half on the front foot as mid-fielder John Carron added back to back points but a Paddy Coey pointed free at the other end following a foul on the impressive Sean Duffin tied the contest once more.

As the game continued in intensity in the warm sunshine Cargin took the lead when Tom Shivers, who had a fine game added a couple of points and David Johnston followed with another to move the visitors 0-12 to 1-7 ahead.

The extra man was evidently having its toll but the home side were still working their socks off to compensate and Dominic McAteer fired over to close the gap to the minimum again in the 52^nd minute.

Cargin replacement, Sean Og O’ Neill made an immediate impact as he grabbed a fine 25^th minute point to move his side two ahead with Dominic McAteer again reducing the deficit to one from a 40 meter free and it still looked anybody’s game.

Sean Og O’ Neill’s delivery sent Tom Shivers away to split the posts at the other end to secure a two point advantage once more and that score looked to have secured it for the Toome side.

There would be one last drama in this excellent contest however as a turnover deep in the Creggan defence and a swift counter-attack saw Sean Duffin race clear on a one on one with Cargin net-minder John Mc Nabb but the big net minder parried his shot and it was cleared to safety.

Dominic Mc Ateer did have the last say when he drilled a 62^nd minute free between the posts but it was Cargin who held on to breast the line with the points secured.

Creggan: Peter Graham Jake McAteer, Ethan Carey Small, Conor Og Mc Cann, Sam Maguire, Aodhan Maguire, Joe Mc Ateer (01), Dermot Mc Cann (1-0), Keelan Mc Cann, Tiernan Mc Larnon, Conor Small, Liam Quinn (0-01), Paddy Coey (0-03). Dominic Mc Ateer (0-04), Sean Duffin (0-01)

Subs

Conor Mc Cann

Odhran Mc Larnon

Cargin: John Mc Nabb, Sean og Quinn, Kevin Mc Shane, Gerard Mc Corley, Justin Crozier, Kevin O’ Boyle, Ronan Gribbin (0-01), Gerard Mc Cann, John Carron (0-02), James Laverty (0-01), Brendan Laverty, David Johnston (0-02), Ciaran Bradley (0-01), Tom Shivers (0-04), Jamie Gribbin (0-02)

Subs

Conan Johnston

Sean Og O’ Neill (0-01)

Ben Mc Larnon

 Referee: C Mc Donnell (St Gall’s)

ACFL Division 1B

Tir na nOg 1-12 Moneyglass 1-10

While Casement’s Portglenone lead the race for the division 1 title, there is arguably a more intriguing battle taking place at the bottom of division 1B where Wednesday night’s opponents, Tir na nOg and St. Ergnat’s were doing battle.

Four teams, St. Gall’s, St. Brigid’s, Tir na nOg and St. Enda’s sit on 10 points but St. Brigid’s and St. Gall’s have a game in hand while above them Rossa move onto 11 points after their win over St. Gall’s and Moneyglass are on 12 following their defeat at Whiterhill.

Tir na nOg went into this one knowing that only a win would be enough to keep their survival hopes alive and they achieved that win with a battling performance that saw them emerge victors by 2 points.

There was nothing between the sides in a well contested opening half with the Whitehill men carrying a narrow one point lead into the interval, thanks to a late pointed free from Aaron McNeilly.

It was visitors Moneyglass who made the better start at Whitehill however with an Aidan McErlain goal and a point from Connlaodh McCann moving them into a four point lead with only 6 minutes on the clock.

Tir na nOg began to settle and points from Darragh Fagan and Sean Duffin got them on their way and when Eamon Og McAllister got in for a goal in 12^th minute they had hit the front for the first time.

Aaron McNeilly moved them two ahead before the visitors came storming back with points from Conor Boyd, Connlaodh McCann and Tiernan McCormick to take the lead for the second timeby the 17^th minute.

It was end to end stuff with both sides giving it everything and Tir na nOg came back strongly with points from Oliver McAtamney and Aodhan Toland to edge ahead once more.

Sean Boyd and Conor Boyd for the visitors and Darragh |Fagan and Aaron McNeilly for the Randalstown men exchanged late points to leave the home side one ahead at the short whistle but all still to play for in the second half.

The second half would adopt a similar format to the first as Sean Boyd and Aidan McErlain edged the visitors back ahead with points in the opening four minutes but like last time out against St. John’s, they seemed to lose their way.

A Darragh Fagan pointed free and another from play by Aaron McNeilly saw the Tir na nOg noses in front once more by the 9^th minute and it was a lead they would not again lose.

The home side were now dictating matters as the excellent Fagan, Aaron McNeilly and Aodhan Toland moved they four in front at the end of the third quarter but that would be their final score of the game.

The Whitehill men sat back after this in an attempt to run down the clock and it was a strategy that could have cost them as the visitors came back into contention with points from Dermott McErlain and Tyler Cassidy but it proved too little, too late.

The Tir nanOg management will be delighted by this result and this ‘League within a league’ could go right down to the final game of the season with nothing won and certainly nothing lost yet for the sides concerned

Tir na nOg: 1 Sean Paul McAtamney, 2 Ryan Crilly, 3 Ciaran McGrellis, 4 Brandon McLarnon, 5 Paul McCl;oskey, 6 Ciaran O’Neill, 7 Caoimhin Duffin, 8 Sean Duffin, 9 Oliver McAtamney, 10 Aaron McNeilly, 11 Eamon Og McAllister, 12 Darragh Fagan, 13 Emmet Murray, 14 Aodhan Toland, 15 Ciaran Dobbin. 16 Niall Cassidy,

Subs: Conor Hastings for Emmet Murray, Kevin Sheerin for Ciaran Dobbin

Moneyglass: 1 Gary Murray, 2 Fearghal Duffin, 3 Peter McCormick, 4 James McCormick, 5 Kevin McCann, 6 Paul Duffin, 7 Tiernan McCormick, 8 Frank Duffin, 9 Dermott McErlain, 10 Conal Prenter, 11 Conor Boyd, 12 Connlaodh McCann, 13 Sean Boyd, 14 Seanchann Duffin, 15 Aidan McErlain.

Subs: Tyler Cassidy for Tiernan McCormick, James McLaughlin for Frank Duffin, Jimmy McNeill for Conal Prenter

Referee: Brendan Prenter (Lamh Dhearg)

O’Neill’s Sportswear Football League Division 2

Aldergrove 0-11 Davitt’s 0-7

Aldergrove kept their promotion hopes firmly on track when they beat Davitt’s in Crumlin on Wednesday evening in Division 2 of the Antrim Football League. Leading by 0-4 to 0-1 at the end of a low scoring first half they pushed on after the break, and with Seamus McGarry picking off the points they sealed the win, despite a late charge by the visitors.

The first half was not one that will be remembered for its flowing football but Aldergrove started well and were two up after six minutes as James Trowlen and Seamus McGarry sent over points. Davitt’s did have their opportunities but they were off the mark with three scorable frees in the opening quarter. Full forward Gerard Slane opened his team’s account on fifteen minutes, but that was to be the only flag they raised, and though Aldergrove were not exactly proficient either, they did add points from midfielder Ryan Owens and full forward Seamus McGarry to lead by 0-4 to 0-1 at the short whistle.

A well worked length of the field move early in the second half was finished with a point from corner back Andy Irvine to increase the home side’s lead to four, but an excellent finish from long range by Davitt’s centre forward Padraig McPartland closed the gap back to three.

Aldergrove took a firm grip of the game when Seamus McGarry added the next three points, two of them from frees, before Gerard Slane pulled one back for the Falls Road men.  Two more from McGarry stretched the Aldergrove lead to 0-10 to 0-3 and it looked to be all over, but Davitt’s dug in and two points from Gerard Slane, one from Michael Connolly and one from Anthony Rowntree had the gap back to just three, with four minutes of normal time still to play. The Aldergrove fans must have been a little apprehensive at this stage but Andy Irvine settled those nerves when he pointed in the 60^th minute to seal the win.

The win keeps the Crumlin men on course for the Division 2 title, though they are dependent on other results to get there. They play their game in hand on Friday evening at home to Sarsfields before taking on All Saints in the final game next Wednesday in Ballymena. A win against Sarsfields would put them ahead of All Saints going into that final game, where a win would give them the title, if Davitt’s can beat or draw with Con Magees Glenravel in their final game in Belfast. All Saints can also win the title of course, even they are point behind Glenravel and if they beat Aldergrove in that final game and Davitt’s beat Con Magees then it will be them who will be celebrating promotion.

ACFL Division 1

Casements 1 – 12 St Marys Aghagallon  1 -08

John McKeever’s Portglenone took another step closer to claiming the Eddie Fitzsimons league Cup with a determined display against Peter McGraths gallant Aghagallon side, coming out winners by four points on a pleasant midsummers evening at O Ceillagh Park.

With the county side Croke Park bound on Sunday both teams were deprived of a handful of star players for this encounter, but the players who took the field were well aware of the importance of the two points on offer. A win for Casements would inch them closer to their first ever league title – a victory for St Marys would blow the race wide open again for themselves and the chasing pack.

Aidan McAleese signalled intent with an excellent score after just thirty seconds for the home side but this was cancelled out by a well worked move by the visitors which Mark McAfee put between the posts to raise the first flag for the South West Antrim men several minutes later.

Robust tackles were the order of the day and an Aidan on each team (McAleese and Mulholland) saw their participation ended early after tough collisions.

A Paddy Kelly point gave the hosts a narrow advantage which was also short lived. A long range Johnny Hannon effort bounced off Ryan O`Neill’s Portglenone crossbar and the alert Gareth Magee was first to pounce and stab the ball into the net to put Aghagallon into an early lead.

The cheers from the visiting support had barely subsided when a quick moving Casements counter attack, through the heart of St Marys defence and finished to the top left hand corner by a piledriver from impressive and hard working Ruairi Hagan.

The contest ebbed and flowed until the half time break. Johnny Hannon, Eunan Walsh, Gareth Magee and Jack Leneghan scores, were matched by minors from the feet of Michael Hagan and Conor McGhee to leave the visitors in front by the absolute minimum at the break.

If the first half fayre could be best described as “cagey” the spectators were treated to a second half that was full on. The effort, intensity and overall quality levels rose several notches with a plethora of hard hits, long range scores and in general terms, excellent passages of football from both teams.

Whatever McKeever said to his troops at half time had an obvious effect as Casements hit the ground running  – claiming the next five points in succession during an impressive second half opening spell, decisively turning this contest in favour of the hosts. Some of these scores were eye catching in terms of distance and technique, from the feet of Paddy and Ronan Kelly, Hagan brothers Michael and Ruairi and the exciting and emerging Ciaran McAleese who is in his first season at senior level.

The exchanges were on the edge and there were some excellent duals going on across the pitch, typified by that on the edge of the square from two Paddys, Brannigan and Kelly – neither player shirking an inch.

Casements four point lead was reduced with a superb long range effort from impressive Jamie Lamont to leave just one score between them as the match settled down to its inevitable frantic finish. If Roger Casements have learned one thing in recent seasons it is that the lough shore men from St Marys will go right to the end, and true to form the visitors threw the kitchen sink into a nailbiting last ten minutes. A superb challenge on the edge of the square by Ronan Delargy prevented the impressive Gareth Magee from an emerging one on one opportunity, and Casements breathed again, but the green wave continued. Stout defending by Daniel McNicholl and Jonny Convery regained hard won possession, providing opportunities which which led to important scores from Paddy Kelly and Michael Hagan. St Marys were far from finished and Johnny Hannon and Gareth Magee kept the contest alive as the scoreboard signalled one score between them, albeit a major. Such is the recent history between these sides that no one could rule that out!

That man Eunan Walsh got a run on goal with the tie well into injury time, which necessitated a full length captain’s fingertip block from Niall Delargy to avert the danger. The margins for error were minimal…this ball spilling to anticipating Caolan Tierney, in turn supplying full of running Conor McGhee, for a full length solo run before cleverly picking out Ronan Kelly in the games last play.  To the delight of a large home support Kelly opted to fist the ball over the bar for the insurance point, and secure the brace of points on offer.

After a tough hours football Casements emerged victorious and ultimately still in control of their intent to claim early season silverware. John McKeevers men look to have a bit more of an edge to them this season, starting to etch out points in competitive environments that may have proved elusive in recent seasons.

Pete McGrath meanwhile will have seen enough to know that when his full contingent return he will have a panel strong enough to meet bigger challenges that lie await as this season develops.

Teams.

Portglenone; Ryan O Neill, Ronan Delargy, Daniel McNicholl, Jonny Convery, Ruairi Hagan, Niall Delargy, Conor McGhee, Stephen Kelly, Niall McKeever, Ciaran McKenna, Paddy Kelly, Ciaran McAleese, Michael Hagan, Odhran McGarry, Aidan McAleese. Subs used Ronan Kelly.

Aghagallon; D O Hagan, Ciaran Magennis, Aidan Mulholland, Pat Brannigan, Paidi Gowdy, Dan Donnelly, Darryl McAlernon, Jack Leneghan, Jamie Lamont, Stephen Devlin, Enda McCartan, Mark McAfee, Eunan Walsh, Johnny Hannon, Gareth Magee. Subs used, Neil McShane, Pauric Magennis, Hugh Hannon.

O’Neill Sportswear Football League Division 2

Glenravel 3-15  Gort na Mona 2-04

Glenravel secured two more league points against Gort na Mona in Fr Maginn Park on Wednesday evening. Ahead by four points at the interval Con Magees put in a strong second half performance, despite a shaky start to the half, and ran out comfortable winners in the end with corner forward Ryan McQuillan leading the charge

This game was a very much cat and mouse affair with neither team able to raise a flag in the opening thirteen minutes. Indeed they squandered eight scoring chances between them and not a breath of wind to effect the kicking on this beautiful Midsummer evening at Fr Maginn Park. But a slick move upfield from the Belfast men saw them fire off two shots on goal that were superbly saved by Johnny Fyfe but a fisted ball across the goal line was eventually palmed to the net by Tarlach Enright at full forward and Gort na Mona went three ahead. Ryan McQuillan opened for the home team but Enright canceled that one out to leave Gorts three ahead again with fifteen minutes gone and that was how it remained for the next five minutes but in the final ten minutes Glenravel upped the tempo to score 1-05 without reply. Ryan McQuillan supplied the points whilst Rian Lennon chipped in with a great goal. Tarlach Enright got Gort na Mona back into the game with the final point of the half so the sides retired to the changing rooms with the home side ahead 1-06 to 1-02.

Gort na Mona came out like men inspired in the second half and in two quick counter attacks they were back on  level terms after a Darron Boyd point was followed by a Patrick McCaffrey goal in the opening two minutes of the half. This might have shaken some sides but the Con Magees kept their composure. They regained control of the game and went on to absolutely dominate the rest of the half and Gorts would not score again until three minutes from the end when their talisman Tarlach Enright pointed form a free.

In the meantime Glenravel had gone on to notch up 2-08 without conceding. Ryan McQuillan scoring 2-02 of that and the other score coming from Eoin Hynds (0-02), Rian Lennon (0-02), Declan Traynor and Charlie Henry. Eoin Hynds rounded off proceedings with a pointed free but the game was over as a contest long before that. 

The final round of league games is Wed Jun 28th when Gort na Mona will host Glenavy whilst Glenravel will travel to the city to face Davitts. Both game throw in at 7:45pm.