Junior Hurling Championship - Group B
Lámh Dhearg 3-11 Gort na Móna 3-16
Bear Pit

Lámh Dhearg fell to a narrow defeat at the hands of West Belfast rivals Gort na Móna in the second round of the Antrim Junior Hurling Championship at the Bear Pit.

The entertaining affair was broadcasted with LIVE match coverage on BelfastMedia.com as part of our coverage in this season's championship.

From the offset, goals became the theme of the game, after Conor McCann dispatched a penalty for Gort na Móna in the opening minute of play.

The forward was brought down inside the box by Lámh Dhearg shot-stopper Rhys Camlin on the first attack of the game and was awarded a penalty.

It would take seven minutes of hurling before either side managed to increase their tally on the scoreboard as Adam Murray's free cancelled out Darren Boyd's point from play to keep the gap to within three.

HOOK: Colm Scullion (right) attempts to hook Ciaran Boyd (left)
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HOOK: Colm Scullion (right) attempts to hook Ciaran Boyd (left)

Patrick McCaffrey extended Gort's lead only temporarily as Adam Murray would strike a second free between the posts to keep Lámh Dhearg within close proximity of their opponents.

The Hannahstown side looked to have levelled the game after a scramble in the Gort na Móna backline saw Murray prod the ball into the net for his side, but referee Lorenzo McMullan spotted the forward's use of the hand to push the slíotar over the white line - ruling out the effort.

Lámh Dhearg did manage to level the tie on the 18th minute when Patrick Mervyn's effort found it's way into the Gort na Móna net after the midfielder's powerful strike evaded the sea of maroon and sky blue defenders and fizzed into the top corner.

With five minutes before the half end, Desy McClean finally got off the mark after a quiet opening half hour of hurling.

MAN-ON: Lámh Dhearg and Gort tussled hard for the win
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MAN-ON: Lámh Dhearg and Gort tussled hard for the win

The Gort na Móna star-man stepped up to the plate and fired his side back in front by the minimum before Darren Boyd thumped his effort over to increase the Móna-by-pass side's lead to two points.

Just prior to the break Odhrán Waldron and Donal Martin pucked points over to restore parity in the game and Ryan Diamond went one better and sent Lámh Dhearg into the lead for the first time.

Neil Henry struck an effort to level the game once again as the first half was ended with the sides inseparable at 1-7 apiece.

As the second half began the clubs looked to their goal tally as a means of success after Conor McConville drilled a penalty for Lámh Dhearg inside the first three minutes of the restart.

Gort na Móna, spurred into action by their concession of a goal, replied instantly when Manus McMullan diverted the slíotar after a high ball was floated into the danger area. The goal restored Gort's lead once again by a single point.

Lámh Dhearg's lack of discipline proved to be their downfall as the ever-present Desy McClean continued his flawless accuracy from frees, scoring his third of six points from the dead ball — which proved decisive.

The sides exchanged points over large parts of the second half, with Dan Murray's strike to level the game once again being a highlight of the game.

Patrick McCaffrey's goal with 11 minutes remaining on the clock looked to be the final nail in the coffin for the Hannahstown side.

Despite Corey Camlin's attempt to clear the ball as it crossed the white line, McCaffrey's effort proved just strong enough as the sliotar crept into the back of the net and Gort na Móna's lead was stretched back to four points.

TABLE TOPPERS: Gort sit first in Group B after win over Lámh Dhearg
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TABLE TOPPERS: Gort sit first in Group B after win over Lámh Dhearg

Desy McClean and Thomas McCaffrey were on song as their efforts soared high resulting in the raising of the white flag once again.

McClean's sixth free of the evening was pointed with just two minutes left on the clock and it seemed to knock the stuffing out of his opponents.

The Hannahstown side did have the last word of the evening when Seán Paul Gibson caught the Gort shot-stopper off guard as his short sticked effort clattered the bar before nestling in the top corner.

But it was a case of too little too late for Lámh Dhearg as Gort's accuracy between the posts proved pivotal in the end.

Gort na Móna have clinched at least a quarter-final spot, but with a victory over Glen Rovers in their final game a first-placed finish and entry to the semi-final would be theirs.

As for the Lámhaí, another disappointing defeat in this season's championship, but a chance of progression is still possible as they host Ballymena at Hannahstown in a fortnight's times knowing a victory could earn them a spot in the knockout stages.

LÁMH DHEARG: R Camlin; C Camlin, C Herron, C Fegan Lappin; R Diamond 0-1, P Mervyn 1-1, SP Gibson 1-0, D Murray 0-1, D Martin 0-1, E Stanley, C Boyd, C McConville, C G McConville 1-1 (1-0p), O Waldron 0-2, A Murray 0-4(0-4f)

SUBS: PJ Herron, F Clenaghan, M McGarry, A Perry, C Megraw, A McGuigan, S Gray, D O'Connor, C McGuigan, G Smyth, O Lee

GORT NA MÓNA: C McCrory; M Rea, C Connolly, J Hicks; T Morton, P McHugh; C Scullion, P McCaffrey 1-2; N Healy 0-1, T McCaffrey 0-2, D McClean 0-6 (0-6f); N Healy 1-1, D Boyd 0-4, C McCann 1-0 (1-0p)

SUBS: R McKenna, T Ó Cadhlaigh, C Healy, N Gibson, C Kane

Referee: Lorenzo McMullan (Bredagh)