O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass 0-9 Lámh Dhearg 2-8
LÁMH Dhearg chalked up their third league win on the spin thanks to goals either side of the break from Kieran Fay-Kelly and Declan Dunne in their win over Moneyglass on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors moved off the bottom of the table following a midweek win over Ahoghill, their second league win on the bounce.
On their return to Division One, Moneyglass haven’t looked out of place and went into the encounter off a hard-fought win over St Gall’s on Wednesday evening.
It was the hosts who edged ahead in the early stages through a Dermot McErlain point, but Owen McKeown produced a fine score to restore parity.
A foul on McKeown led to Declan Dunne converting the resulting free and giving his side the lead and it was soon doubled with Kieran Fay-Kelly swinging a fantastic effort over the bar.
Sean Boyd replied for Moneyglass midway through the half and a second converted free from McErlain tied the sides at 0-3 apiece.
Lámh Dhearg immediately regained the lead after Declan Dunne picked out Shaun McManus who claimed an advanced mark and duly sent his effort between the posts.
The game's opening goal would arrive after 21 minutes as Padraig Mervyn was felled and Declan Lynch’s quick instinct paid dividends as he found Declan Dunne to lay it off to Kieran Fay-Kelly on the loop and hammer a shot high into the net and give the visitors a 1-4 to 0-3 lead.
Colum Duffin would reduce arrears, converting back-to-back frees, but Fay-Kelly’s goal was the deciding factor at the break as Declan Dunne kicked his second free of the half to ensure his side was 1-5 to 0-5 ahead at the midway point.
Dunne twice extended Lámh Dhearg’s lead with magnificently taken frees off the ground, but on both occasions, Moneyglass answered back.
Seanchann Duffin steered an effort between the posts and then sibling Colum arrowed a shot over. The hosts had momentum and further scores from the brothers would ensure Moneyglass cut the deficit to a single point with three minutes remaining.
Colum kicked another tremendous point from play to bring his personal tally to 0-4 and Seanchann dropped over a free with the outside of the boot to set up a grandstand finish.
The decisive moment of the encounter came two minutes from time when substitute Adam Murray let fly with a shot that failed to generate height. However, Declan Dunne claimed the loose ball and was able to turn and stab his shot beyond the reach of Gary Murray and into the bottom corner to make it 2-7 to 0-9.
Adam Murray would convert a free in added time to seal the win as Lámh Dhearg claimed their third win in succession
MONEYGLASS: G Murray, C McStocker, C Prenter, J McCormick, P Duffin, P McCormick, J McCoy, C Duffin (0-4, 0-2f), D McErlain (0-2f), K McCann, A McErlain, C McCann, S Boyd (0-1), S Duffin (0-2, 0-1f), C O’Kane.
Subs: Fearghal Duffin for D McErlain (24), Frank Duffin for C McCann (52), T Cassidy for C Prenter (52).
LÁMH DHEARG: J Finucane, F Mervyn, B Rice, M McGarry, D Smith, D Lynch, M Hynes, P Mervyn, M McElgunn, E Stanley, S McManus (0-1m), O McKeown (0-1), T McCrudden, D Dunne (1-4, 0-4f), K Fay-Kelly (1-1).
Subs: N McGarry for E Stanley (43), D Martin for M McElgunn (51), A Murray (0-1f) for K Fay-Kelly (56), P Larkin for D Dunne (59).
REFEREE: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)
