Antrim JHC - Quarter-Final
Lámh Dhearg 4-27
St Brigid's 0-11
At Hannahstown
A STRONG performance from Lámh Dhearg, who were led by the attacking prowess of Adam Murray, stormed to a comprehensive win over the Biddies in their home quarter-final of the Antrim Junior Championship.
Murray led the scoring charts, but a team performance truly set the sides apart with nine different scorers finding white and green flags throughout the afternoon for the hosts who looked in firm control of the contest from the get-go.
The Lámh's got off the mark within minutes of the whistle sounding but James Kelly did his best to keep the south Belfast natives within a shout of the contest replying early on from the dead-ball.
Despite the early point-scoring, largely from Murray and a handful from Gerard Smyth, they looked to be unable to fashion a chance which would really ramp up their efforts in search of a semi-final berth.
Smyth looked to have the best chance around the 13th minute but his short-stick strike was deflected by Matthew Madden over the bar just for a single score.
Madden was called into action moments later preventing Smyth yet again, but Murray managed to strike another three points without reply.
The hosts would eventually surge into control over the game with Murray firing over another few points from play and two frees taking his tally to nine points with just 22 minutes of the half played.
Lamh Dhearg will face Gort na Mona in the semi-final
Eventually the first goal was found with Jack Trainor taking a second bite of the cherry and capitalising after Madden made a tremendous stop but his solo run out of the defence was caught and the empty net was burst by Trainor.
Points from James Bready and a quick fire brace of frees from James Kelly kept the tie with some life left in it, but heading into the break it was a heavy lead for the hosts although the game was far from over at the half.
The response from Lámh Dhearg after the restart made sure there was only going to be one winner in this contest.
The opening period saw St Brigid's become masters of their own downfall with the concession of frees and allowing Murray to take the onus and plant score after score.
Eventually mid-way through the half a second goal hit the net with Jack Trainor finding himself once again in a position where the net was at his mercy. Trainor blasted an effort which was initially stopped by Madden but the ricochet ended in the back of the net.
After that the Biddies struggled to cope with a supremely professional performance from the Lámhs who went from strength to strength with Adam Murray proving flawless with his free-taking once again, and increasing his team's tally to 23 points with the two goals nicely nudging them with one foot firmly in the semi-final.
The Lámhs would find another two goals within a minute of each other with the first coming for Murray who would dispatch a terrific team move and pull a strike into the top corner of the net for a third green flag in favour of the Hannahstown men.
Moments later a loose puck-out was picked up by the hosts and the ball fell to Murray who laid it off to Niall McGarry who flashed another effort into the back of the net for the Hannahstown side.
Scores from Callum Lappin, Michael Herron and Donal Martin rounded off a great day on the foot of the Black Mountain with a semi-final derby clash looming with Gort na Móna in two weeks' time.
Lamh Dhearg XV: P Herron; C Camlin, P Mervyn, C McConville; C Boyd 0-1, N McGarry 1-1, S Gibson; J Trainor 2-0, O Waldron; A Murray 1-15 (9F), M Herron 0-2, M Finnegan 0-1; C Lappin 0-1, G Smyth 0-5, D Martin 0-1
St Brigid's XV: M Madden; O Leggett, J McGuckian, J Massingham; R O'Loughlin, T Brolly, D Sidebottom; J McCarney, M Kerr; J Kelly 0-7 (6F), C Leonard, D Prenter 0-2; F McCann, J Bready 0-1, O McDonnell
