Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship, Group One
Lámh Dhearg 2-24 Naomh Éanna 0-5
Lámh Dhearg joined Dunloy at the summit of Group O in the Antrim Senior Football Championship after defeating Naomh Éanna in their opening round clash at Hannahstown on Saturday evening.
The visitors travelled to Hannahstown without the services of Peter Healy, Fionn Nagle and Odhran Eastwood amongst others.
The hosts came flying from the traps with Marc Jordan popping over the opener after a trademark burst from deep, followed by two apiece from Conor Murray and Paddy Cunningham.
A goal almost arrived a quarter of an hour in when Declan Smith floated a high ball that Conor Murray got a fist to, but his goal-bound attempt crashed off the underside of the bar and was scrambled clear.
Defence turned to attack for Naomh Éanna and they kicked their first score of the half through Sean McBride.
It failed to ignite the Glengormley side as Cunningham kicked two frees with Declan Smith, Ben Rice and Conor Murray pushing the gap out to nine.
It would end up 0-14 to 0-2 at the half as Cunningham (two), Murray and Smith adding further scores with Naomh Éanna's only resistance coming from Sean McBride.
There was no let-up after the break despite the wind in the faces of the hosts with Cunningham, Jordan and Daniel Murray extending the gap before the first goal came in there 37th minute through Pearse Fitzsimons who finished after Jordan's initial effort had been saved.
McBride and Jordan exchanged scores but this game was out of sight despite back-to-back scores for the only time of the game though McBride and Tomas Gilmour.
The hosts would finish well with Ben Rice, Callum Fegan, Declan Lynch, Eoin Matassa and Ciaran Boyd getting in on the act before a late second goal through Jordan to seal an emphatic win.
LÁMH DHEARG: G Smyth, B Rice (0-2), M McGarry, R Murray, E McKeown, D Lynch (0-1), D Smith (0-3), P Fitzsimons (1-0), M Jordan (1-3), D Murray, S McManus, E Matassa (0-1), P Cunningham (0-7, 0-4f), C Murray (0-5, 0-1f), T McCrudden.
Subs: F Mervyn for R Murray (28), C Fegan (0-1) for P Cunningham (44), D Martin for D Murray (44), C Boyd (0-1) for S McManus (49), M Lowe for E McKeown (52).
NAOMH EANNA: S Nagle, E O’Hare, D McNulty, C McKeown, R Hamilton, C Lyttle, N Heatley, C Maxwell, S Murray, F O’Connor, T Gilmour (0-1), C Morgan, S McBride (0-4, 2f), L Murray, R Kelly.
Subs: O McKenna for F O’Connor (27), C McCabe for C Maxwell (46), A McCann for T Gilmour (49).
Paddy Cunningham on the attack
REFEREE: Darren McKeown (St Gall’s)
Dunloy 2-11 Aldergrove 1-7
Second half goals from Seaan Elliott and substitute Michael Smith ensured last year's beaten finalists, Dunloy made a winning start to 2024 championship.
This turned out to be an open affair with both teams playing an attacking brand of football and leaving plenty up the pitch when defending and despite Aldergrove going into the lead early in the second half having overturned a three-point half time deficit, the Cuchullains reaction to that proved to be the winning of this game.
The home side scored 2-3 without reply and held the Crumlin side to just one shot in the last 20 minutes as they remained organised and turned over ball, making the most of the spaces left in the Aldergrove defence as they pushed forward.
Aldergrove will look at the first half and three missed goal chances. Twice Dunloy ‘keeper Sean Doherty denied Seamus McGarry and Patrick Burns, while Cormac McGarry was crowded out by some last gasp Dunloy defending with the goal at his mercy.
The Cuchullains had their own goal chances and were guilty of missing chances throughout the 60 plus minutes but their ability to create chances and the number of different dangermen shone.
Seven different scorers for the Cuchullains will please Dunloy manager, Anthony McQuillan and his backroom team while the concession of just 1-5 from open play was a testament to the defensive work put in.
Aldergrove were always a threat on the break with Ronan Hanna a handful on the edge of the square as his goal threatened a win for his team early in the second period, but when Dunloy got to grips with their attacking threat, the hosts were able to power home.
Antrim Senior Football Championship, Group Two
Tír na nÓg 0-9 St John's 3-13
A STRONG second half performance saw St John's claim a big win at Randalstown on Saturday to get their campaign off to a fine start.
It was a close opening period with Tír na nÓg’s Darragh Fagan hitting an early free with Conor Adams hitting back in kind,
Aaron McNeilly and two from Fagan had the hosts three clear with five minutes left in the opening period, but the Johnnies finished the half well with Conall McGlade, Adams (45) and two from Conall Quinn putting them into a 0-5 to 0-4 lead at the interval.
Undoubtedly, the Johnnies had found their groove and carried that into the second period with Conor Hand unlucky with his drive at goal just going wide.
Although Josh Higgins levelled, the Belfast men took over with Hand to the fire, picking two points and then getting onto a Conall Bohill free to finish to the net.
Points from Paddy McBride and Ronan Quinn followed as the Johnnies were in a commanding position, but they weren't done and Adams hit their second goal midway through the second period.
Darragh Fagan stopped the rot at the other end from a 45, but temporarily as McGlade and Adams hit back.
McNeilly and Paul McCloskey scores in response were never going to be enough at this stage and indeed, it was the visitors to finish stronger.
A third goal came from Ronan Quinn either side of points from McGlade and McBride as St John's laid down a marker for the rest of the group stage.
Cargin were in the goalscoring mood on Saturday
Cargin 5-10 O'Donovan Rossa 0-12
DEFENDING champions Cargin sent out a warning as their eye for goal blitzed Rossa in Saturday's game in Toome.
Michael McCann had a green flag raised within a minute and moments later came a second through Conhuir Johnston to leave the city side reeling.
Rossa did manage to gain a foothold with two Dominic McEnhill points and another from Stephen Beatty in response to a Conan Johnston scorer Cargin, but the third major was not far away for the hosts.
Jamie Gribbin was the provider for Tom Shivers to finish to the net and the impressive Benen Kelly raised back-to-back points before the visitors lost a player to a second yellow card.
Dominic McEnhill did keep the board ticking for Rossa, but a fourth Cargin goal from James Laverty had them out of sight at the break, leading 4-3 to 0-5.
Although Richard Gowdy hit the first score after the break for Rossa and Cormac McGettigan replied to Laverty, the visitors needed a lot more and Johnston and Mick Byrne traded further points.
The fifth goal came when Jamie Gribbin and James Laverty combined to open the way for Shivers to add his second of the day.
Patrick Moyes and Cormac McGettigan did manage consolation points for Rossa, but they were playing for pride at this stage and must recover to get their challenge on track.
