Northern Switchgear SFC Group 2

St. Brigid’s 2-17 St. Ergnats 0-14

A Niall Lundy goal in the opening minute and another from Joseph Finnegan in the 25^th minute paved the way for an impressive St. Brigid’s victory over visitors St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass in this Northern Switchgear SFC Group 2 clash at Musgrave Park yesterday.

The visitors looked to have recovered from Lundy’s early strike and hit back with points from Colm Duffin, Shay Madden, Dermot McErlain and Conaill Prenter to lead by one after 8 exciting opening minutes but were unable to build on this good opening spell.

Points from Fergal Meehan and Joseph Finnegan saw the Musgrave Park side retake the lead at the end of the opening quarter but when |Dermot McErlain levelled matters for the third time with 20 minutes gone there was little indication of the turnaround that was about to transpire.

St. Brigid’s found another gear in the closing ten minutes of the half with Paul Bradley and Patrick Finnegan splitting the posts before Joseph Finnegan struck for his side’s second goal with 25 minutes on the clock.

St. Ergnat’s looked rattled and the home side pressed home their advantage in the closing stages with points from Conor McAleer (f), Ronan Boyle and McAleer again to lead 2-7 to 0-5 at the break.

The Marian Hill men fought hard to get back into contention as matters got underway again and Colum Duffin fired over two points in quick succession but St. Brigid’s replied with points from Patrick Finnegan 0-2 and Joseph Finnegan 0-2 to extend their lead to 10 with only 7 minutes of the new half gone.

Conor McAleer added another before Colum Duffin replied with his third of the half for the visitors but the visitors were living of scraps as St. Brigid’s continued to call the shots.

McAleer and Peter Webb for St. Brigid’s and Seanchann and Colum Duffin for Moneyglass exchanged further points as the game moved into the final quarter but it was clear at this stage that the visitors would need goals if they were to have any chance of turning this one around.

In truth those goals never looked like materialising as St. Brigid’s controlled possession going down the home straight with St. Ergnat’s best player, Colum Duffin doing everything in his power to resurrect his side’s challenge and adding three points to bring his personal tally to 0-7 but it was all over at this stage.

Points from Conor McAleer, Pewter Lundy and Patrick Finnegan in response to a couple from Shea Madden ensured that the Musgrave Park side move into second place in the group, above Moneyglass on score difference but matters will not be decided until the final round of games on Sunday the 28^th August when St. Ergnat’s entertain Leaders Portglenone and St. Brigid’s travel to Ahoghill.

St. Brigid’s: 1 Declan Heery, 2 John Toner, 3 Conor King, 4 John Morgan, 5 Patrick Finnegan, 6 Peter King, 7 Niall Lundy, 8 Michael Cummings, 9 James Smith, 11 Conor McAleer, 12 Paul Bradley, 13 Ronan Boyle, 14 Peter Wedd, 15 Joseph Finnegan, 19 Fergal Meehan, 25 Peter Lundy

St. Ergnat’s: 1 Gary Murray, 2 Callum McStocker, 3 Peter McCormick, 4 James McCormick, 5 Jack McCoy, 6 Conor Boyd, 7 Patrick McCormick, 8 Tiernan Duffin, 9 Colum Duffin, 10 Seanchann Duffin, 11 Dermot McErlain, 12 Fearghal Duffin, 13 Shay Madden, 14 Conaill Prenter, 15 Conleth McCann

Referee: Kevin Parke (St. Enda’s)

Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship Group One 

Lámh Dhearg 1-15-0-13 St Johns 

Kevin Herron reports from Hannahstown 

Lámh Dhearg came from two-points behind at the break to seize the initiative in the proclaimed ‘Group of Death’ with a 1-15-0-13 win over St Johns at Hannahsotwn on Sunday evening. 

The Johnnies made the much brighter start and only briefly fell behind to a Terry McCrudden goal in an opening half that saw Bam Nesson deny Paddy Cunningham from the spot. 

It was a much improved second half display from the hosts with Ryan Murray and Conor Murray landing some terrific scores to complete the turnaround and ensure that the Hannahstown outfit join Champions Creggan at the summit and leave the Group poised for the conclusion in a fortnight. 

St Johns came to Hannahstown with a degree of confidence after their opening day win over St Galls that saw them sit on top-spot until earlier in the afternoon when Creggan won at Miltown. 

A tense opening day a fortnight ago saw Lámh Dhearg rally late and almost secure victory at the Champions until Ruairi McCann landed a pressure 45’ to share the spoils. 

St Johns made the brighter start on a clammy Hannahstown evening with Matt Fitzpatrick curling over their first score. 

Patrick McBride then angled over a second and confidence was high when brothers Ciaran and Conor Johnston combined to slip the ball to Ryan McNulty and he floated a shot inside the near post to have the Corrigan men 0-03 to the good. 

A Ryan Murray point settled the hosts after a good interchange between Owen McKeown and Marc Jordan in the build-up. 

The Johnnies restored their three-point advantage with McBride converting his first free of the evening, though Paddy Cunningham responded from the same scenario. 

On 18 minutes the only goal of the game arrived, and it briefly had the hosts in the driving seat for the first time in the half. 

Patience was the name of the game as Ryan Murray kept hold of the ball before offloading to Carl Maxwell in midfield, three team-mates would join in the attack which culminated in Terry McCrudden receiving a pass and steering a low shot past Bam Neeson and into the net to give his side a 1-02-0-04 lead. 

But in the aftermath referee Sean Laverty decided to black-card Ben Rice for what he deemed an over exuberant celebration of the goal and the Lámhs were reduced to 14-men for a ten-minute spell. 

Matt Fitzpatrick dropped a shot over the bar to tie things up for the first time and added his third point of the game with a confident shot that sailed between the posts. 

Lámh Dhearg had the chance to hit the front again when Paddy Mervyn cut-out a pass intended for Conor Johnston and fisted the ball to Declan Lynch. 

Lynch advanced forward into the penalty area before being felled by a challenge from Andy McGowan- that prompted referee Laverty to award a penalty. 

In the first league fixture between the sides this season, a late, late Paddy Cunningham penalty ensured Lámh Dhearg took the spoils. 

Cunningham seized responsibility again but, on this occasion, faced Bam Neeson – former Irish League goalkeeper and Ballymacash Rangers stopper. 

Neeson would prevail in the battle of wits, guessing correctly to turn Cunningham’s effort to safety and ensure his sides lead was still intact. 

A fine sweeping score from Declan Lynch lifted the Lámhs and restored parity again, but back-to-back Paddy McBride free’s ensured that St Johns held a 0-08-1-03 lead at the interval. 

Paddy Cunningham converted an early second half free to reduce arrears, though Conal McGlade curled a shot inside the posts in response. 

The Lámhs again cut the deficit as Declan Lynch dropped a high shot over the bar from Owen McKeown’s pass and they soon levelled for the third time when Adrian Oliver felled Paddy Cunningham in front of the posts- Oliver was forced to depart through injury as a result and Cunningham converted a straight-forward free to make it 1-06-0-09. 

The next five-minutes saw Declan Lynch field numerous kick-outs around the centre point and the hosts hit the front for second time in proceedings through a fine Ryan Murray point. 

Murray opened up a two-point gap after Paddy Cunningham popped a free into his direction and he was on-hand to guide a shot over the bar.

Paddy McBride converted his third free of the evening and would level from play moments later after taking a pass off the shoulder from Simon McDonagh. 

The game was beginning to open up end-to-end as Lámh Dhearg hit the front again through a nice score from Ben Rice. 

Their two-point lead was restored when Conor Murray was impeded, and younger brother Ryan converted the resulting free – Kevin Quinn then dropped over a shot after a fisted pass from Fionn Mervyn to open up a 1-11-0-11 lead with less than 10-minutes remaining. 

Conal McGlade reduced the deficit, swinging over a fantastic shot on the turn for his second score of the evening, but at the other end Conor Murray got his name on the scoresheet with a fisted point. 

A hop-ball in the aftermath was won by Marc Jordan and he extended the Lámhs lead, at the other end Loughlin McCurdy was impeded and the hosts goal-line was packed in order to try and stop a potential goal opportunity. 

Paddy McBride opted to go short to Matt Fitzpatrick to squeeze a shot over the congested goal mouth and the bar to make it a three-point game again. 

It was to be as close as the Corrigan outfit would come in the closing stages as the hosts closed the game out with points from the Murray brothers Ryan and Conor to seal with a 1-15-0-13 win and move top of Group 1 with a game remaining. 

It means going into the final set of fixtures in a fortnight that three-teams will do battle for the two places in the last eight with two mouth-watering fixtures on the cards to close out the ‘Group of Death’. 

Lámh Dhearg: J Finucane, F Mervyn, M McGarry, Ross Murray, D Smyth, D Lynch (0-02), M Hynes, P Mervyn, M Jordan (0-01), C Maxwell, P Cunningham (0-03f), O McKeown, R Murray (0-05, 0-01f), C Murray (0-02), T McCrudden (1-00). Subs: B Rice (0-01) for M Hynes (8),K Quinn (0-01) for C Maxwell (48) A McAufield for R Murray (56), A Byrne for T McCrudden (60+1). 

St Johns: B Neeson, P Nugent, A Oliver, C Garland, R Hannigan, C Kerr, A McGowan, S McDonagh, R McNulty (0-01), C McGlade (0-02), P McBride (0-06, 0-03f), C Hand, M Fitzpatrick (0-04), L McCurdy, C Johnston. Subs: P Donnelly for C Hand (HT), L Pedan for A Oliver (39), L Heenan for R McNulty (58). 

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

Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship

De La Salle Park

St Galls 2-2 – 1-9 Creggan

County champions Creggan were pushed all the way at Milltown on Sunday evening before getting the better of St Gall’s and now face a tough journey to Corrigan Park to face St John’s, where they need at least a draw to secure their place in the knock-out stages. Trailing by a point at the end of a hard fought first half the champions needed every ounce of determination and know-how to get over the line against a St Gall’s side who showed they can still match it with the best of them on their day.

The home side took the lead early on when Niall Fallon got on the end of a Michael Pollock delivery and blasted home from the edge of the penalty area. Creaggan go on the scoreboard when Tiernan McAteer sent over a point and they got their noses in from when team captain Kevin Small blasted the ball high to the St Gall’s net. The lead was out to three points when Ruairi McCann sent over a free and McAteer added one from play but St Gall’s hit back with a Fallon point from play and they went back ahead when a great ball in across the square by Colm Walsh appeared to deflect off a Creggan defender and ended up in the back of the net to give the Milltown men and 2-1 to 1-3 lead at the break.

Ruairi McCann brought the champions level soon after the restart, but the impressive Niall Burns got the home team back in front again with a well taken point.  Ruairi McCann knocked over two points from frees, but they were never really comfortable and it took late points from Sean Duffin and Jamie McCann to get their team over the line. I think it is fair to say that the champions have yet to produce the form that swept them to glory last season and they will have to show a marked improvement if they are to get out of Corrigan intact in two weeks’ time.

St Galls: N McCurdy, E McCurdy, D Wilson, C Flannery, C Bradley, T Bunting, C McGirr, M Pollock, R Irvine, R Wilson, N O’Neill, E McCabe, C Walsh 1-0, N Burns (0-1 frees), Niall Fallon 1-1

Creggan: O Kerr, E C Small, E McAteer, K Burke, A Maguire, M Johnston, J McCann (0-2), K Small (1-0), K McCann, F Burke, R McCann 0-4 (2 frees), T McAteer (0-2), L Quinn, D McAteer, O McLarnon.

Referee – Cathal McDermott (Tir na nÓg)

Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship Group Four 

Naomh Éanna 1-08-0-11 Rossa 

Kevin Herron reports from Hightown 

Michael Armstrong kept Rossa’s hopes of progressing to the last eight of the Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship alive after steering over a late leveller in their 1-08-0-11 draw with Naomh Éanna at Hightown on Sunday afternoon. 

Rossa were ahead for the majority of the game until James McAuley swept home a 38^th minute goal that had Naomh Éanna 1-05-0-07 to the good. 

A nail-bitter developed in the remaining twenty plus minutes and just when it looked as though Fionn Nagle had got the hosts over the line, Armstrong cracked over an equaliser with time fast elapsing to ensure that their fate would lie in their own hands going into the final group game in a fortnight. 

A healthy crowd descended upon the Hightown Road in anticipation of a close encounter between the Belfast duo. 

Rossa were first of the mark in the Glengormley hills through a Michael Armstrong point and Dominic McEnhill would add a second in the aftermath. 

Odhran Eastwood came up with the initial response to get the hosts off the mark for the afternoon, though McEnhill converted a free and Rossa had restored their two-point advantage. 

The sides equally traded the next few scores, Conor McAuley curled a shot inside the large posts to narrow the margin again- only for Michael Byrne to leave his goal to convert a free. 

A fisted Kristian Healy point followed, but Dominic McEnhill swung over his third point of the half from a tricky angle and Michael Armstrong then steamed through and opted to take a point as Rossa moved 0-06-0-03 ahead. 

Naomh Éanna ended the half on the front foot and were perhaps unfortunate to trail at the break, Fionn Nagle made a direct run through and split the posts and Cormac Morgan then dropped a shot over the bar to ensure that the bare minimum was the difference at the break. 

Rossa extended their lead at the beginning of the second period when Thomas Morgan picked out Sean-Pat Donnelly to guide a shot over the bar. 

But the hosts came up with the perfect response and lead for the first time on 38 minutes, James McAuley burst towards the target and played a quick one-two with Fionn Nagle before squeezing a low shot into the net past Michael Byrne to give his side a 1-05-0-07 lead and ensure they were ahead for the first time in proceedings. 

They then doubled their advantage through Conor McAuley’s second point of the afternoon – though Gerard Walsh made an instant impact upon his introduction from the bench with a point to bring it back to a one-point game. 

The game was evenly poised for the first time when Niall Crossan fed Richard Gowdy to pop over the equaliser with little over ten minutes remaining. 

Rossa hit the front for the second time in proceedings after Dominic McEnhill converted his second free of the afternoon to make it 0-10-1-06.

Their lead was short-lived though as Philip Curran and Michael Morgan switched the play and slipped in James McAuley to drop over the equaliser. 

In a nervy ending to proceedings, Naomh Éanna thought they had secured the spoils when Fionn Nagle’s high shot hung in the air and eventually dropped over Mick Byrne’s crossbar to edge the hosts back into the box-seat. 

The visitors immediately sought a response and although their chance of a leveller might have faded when Byrne pushed out in front of referee Darren McKeown- leading to a free turning into a hop-ball- the Rossa shot-stopper would atone for his error. 

Playing a role in the games levelling score, Byrne joined his team-mates in attack and fisted the ball into Eoghan McMenamin down the right channel and he slipped the ball inside to Michael Armstrong- who tried to find space and then successfully shot high between the posts to level at 1-08-0-11. 

Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship Group 3

Gort na Móna 1-9 Tír na nÓg Randalstown 1-9

A last second point from Patrick McCafferty earned Gort na Móna a share of spoils against Tír na nÓg at Enright Park on Sunday.

The point means that the Gorts still harbour hopes of making the knock-out stages but that will all depend on the outcome of the remaining group three fixture in two weeks’ time when Aghagallon visit Tír na nÓg.

The Gorts will no doubt be hoping for an away win with a margin five or more. Anything else and their season is over.

And their season was almost over today.

McCafferty’s late score capped off a remarkable final five minutes but in truth, it was Randallstown’s sloppiness in attack that allowed them back into the contest.

Michael O’Kane’s side failed to bring the energy levels and discipline they showed in the first half into the second half and were never able to kill off the stubborn challenge of the Gorts.

After falling behind to an early Darragh Fagan point, Pádraig Mulvenna blasted to the net to give the homeside a great start.

Tír na nÓg went on to boss much of the first half after this early setback and dominated possession but they failed to show their dominance on the scoreboard.

As the wide and dropped short stats continued to mount, points did eventually arrive through Barry McCormick and Aaron McNeilly.

They also spurned two goal chances.

Thomas McCafferty saved smartly from Fagan in the 13th minute but Fagan had a better chance just six minutes later when at the end of a sweeping Randalstown move but his weak effort was straight at McCafferty.

McCormick’s runs from half-back were causing the Gorts all sorts of trouble and he added two points to his tally to open up a three-point lead.

But two frees from Pádraig McHugh cut the gap to leave just a point between the sides at the break, 1-2 to 0-6.

McHugh added a point from play early in the second half to level affairs but the visitors responded through McNeilly and Fagan.

With just over five minutes remaining a point from distance from Darren Boyd kick-started a Gorts revival.

Replacement Niall Mellaney showed his worth to his side with two points in as many minutes which gave his side a one point with just over two minutes remaining, but the response from the visitors was as ruthless as it was swift.

Fagan ran down the left and cut in along the end line and his pass found McNeilly in the square who stabbed home to re-establish their two-point advantage.

Boyd and Kevin Sheerin traded scores before Mellaney kicked a third to set up the dramatic finish, before McCafferty’s late score ensures that Group 3 will go to the wire.

Teams & Scorers:

Gort na Móna: Thomas McCafferty, Eamon Scannell, Gavin McKenna, Padraig Cournane, Aidan McDonagh, Michael Savage, Neil Henry, Caoimhe Magee, Darren Boyd (0-2), Padraig Mulvenna (1-0), Christopher Carson, Conor Connelly, Desmond McClean, Patrick McCafferty (0-1), Padraig McHugh (0-3 2f).

Replacements: Ciaran Donnelly for McKenna (44), Niall Mellaney (0-3) for Scannell (45), Brendan Burns for Mulvenna (53), Scannell for Burns (55).

Tír na nÓg: Sean Paul McAtamney, Oliver McAtamney, Brendan McLarnon, Peter Cullan, Ciaran O’Neill, Barry McCormick (0-3 1Mark), Caoimhin Duffin, Christy Sheerin, Joshua Higgins, Aaron McNeilly (1-2), Ciaran Dobbin, Darragh Fagan (0-3 1 f, 1 ‘45’), Aodhan Tobin, Kevin Sheerin (0-1), Daniel Martin.

Replacement: Sean Duffin for C Duffin (41).

Referee: Mr Patrick Tumelty (Lamh Dhearg)