Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship, Group One
Aldergrove 0-10 Lámh Dhearg 0-19
LÁMH DHEARG made the most of their numerical advantage and moved a step closer to the quarter-final of the Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship with a win over Aldergrove in Crumlin on Friday evening.
The turning point came with little over 10 minutes remaining in the aftermath of a Conor Murray score that had opened up a four-point gap, as Emmett Irvine was red-carded for an off-the-ball incident on the full-forward and the four-point deficit would stretch to nine by the conclusion.
Until that point, the hosts were had remained in the game, largely thanks to the threat of Seamus McGarry in attack.
Both sides had contrasting fortunes in their opening encounters with Aldergrove losing on the road to Dunloy and Lámh Dhearg accounting for Naomh Éanna.
Lámh Dhearg were first off from a Conor Murray free before Michael Herron sent an angled shot between the posts, with Seamus McGarry hitting back in response.
The lead was extended after Declan Smyth clipped over from range and Owen McKeown then swung over a tricky point after a fine link-up with Marc Jordan.
Aldergrove hit back with an angled Ronan Hanna shot crashing over via the large post, but Conor Murray doubled his personal tally from a free and Ben Rice then perfectly shot inside the posts.
The theme of the half continued as Cormac McGarry took a pass from Emmett Irvine to drop over, only for back-to-back points in response from a brace of Conor Murray frees that had opened up a 0-8 to 0-3 gap.
Things could have better for the visitors after Declan Lynch continued a probe forward and let fly with a low that crashed off the base of the post and out.
Successive scores from Seamus McGarry (free) and Brian McQuillan narrowed the deficit and the sides traded the last two scores of the half with Seamus McGarry doubling his tally from the placed ball after Conor Murray had kicked his first from play as Lámh Dhearg went in with a 0-9 to 0-6 lead at the midway point.
The Lámhs extended their lead upon the resumption through a Shaun McManus point on the turn, but their lead was halved with McGarry kicking his third free and then dropping over his second from play.
Owen McKeown eased the pressure on side with his second score of the evening and Conor Murray notched his fifth placed ball of the evening to move his side four ahead with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Aldergrove’s penultimate score of the evening came in the form of a Ronan Hanna free but just moments later their discipline that kept them in the contest until that point let them down.
Despite the best efforts of Declan Gough, Conor Murray saw his deflected shot rise of the bar and in the aftermath, Emmett Irvine caught Murray off the ball and in the presence of referee Colm McDonald who issued Irvine with a red-card that brought his evening to a premature end.
Thereafter, the visitors made the most of the extra man and tagged on four points unanswered.
Terry McCrudden swung over a magnificent point and Marc Jordan fisted over after a breakaway move involving Daniel and Conor Murray.
Talisman Murray kicked his third from play and substitute Adam Murray would get in on the act as his side moved eight ahead.
A converted Ronan Hanna free in the closing stages briefly halted the Lámhs’ momentum but Calum Lappin fisted over in injury time and Declan Smyth popped over to finish the evenings scoring and ensure that Lámh Dhearg made it two wins from two and are on the brink of a place in the last eight.
ALDERGROVE: C Totten, A Irvine, E Irvine, C O’Toole, E Gough, C McVeigh, D Gough, O Graham, B McQuillan (0-1), A Flood, C McGarry (0-1), G Mallon, P Burns, R Hanna (0-3, 2f), S McGarry (0-5, 3f).
Subs: C McSteen for C McGarry (42), D Aiken for C O’Toole (54), C Fogerty for P Burns (56).
LÁMH DHEARG: G Smyth, B Rice (0-2), M McGarry, F Mervyn, O McKeown (0-2), D Lynch, D Smyth (0-1), P Fitzsimons, M Jordan (0-1), D Murray, S McManus (0-1), E Matassa, M Herron (0-1), C Murray (0-8, 5f), T McCrudden (0-1).
Subs: C Fegan (0-01) for S McManus (38), A Murray (0-01) for D Murray (55), D Martin for O McKeown (57), N McGarry for E Matassa (59), C Boyd for C Murray (60+1).
REFEREE: Colm McDonald (St Gall’s)
