O’Neills Antrim Football League Division One
Lámh Dhearg 3-14 Tír na nÓg 2-14
Lámh Dhearg got their league season off to a winning start with a win over Tír na nÓg at Hannahstown on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors got off to the perfect start and were ahead through a two-pointer from Alex O’Donnell, with Terry McCrudden replying from a forward mark.
Tír na nÓg extended their advantage with Joshua Higgins and Darragh Fagan on hand to pop over scores.
Midway through the half, Lámh Dhearg drew level when captain Terry McCrudden was played through after a neat exchange of passes and he slotted low to the net to level.
The Red Hands led for the first time through a fine Donal Martin point and doubled it soon after through Conor Murray’s opening score of the afternoon.
Parity was restored momentarily when Aaron McNeilly kicked his side's second two-pointer of the half, but Lámh Dhearg found the net for the second time in response.
Eoin Matassa collected the resulting kick-out and opted for a long ball into the forward line and Ryan Diamond peeled into a dangerous position, took a short pass from Adam Murray and shot low into the corner of the net.
McNeilly clipped over his second score of the half as Lámh Dhearg held a slender 2-3 to 0-7 lead at the midway point.
Lámh Dhearg began the second half in the ascendancy with Adam Murray popping over and they found the net shortly after when Conor Murray forced a turnover and play was switched into the path of McCrudden to double his goal tally for the afternoon and make it 3-4 to 0-7.
Conor Murray shot over his second of the afternoon but Tír na nÓg were gifted a route back into the game after a foot-block was penalised by referee Collie Thompson and Darragh Fegan confidently slotted home from the spot.
Points were traded in the aftermath by Adam Murray and McNeilly but Lámh Dhearg pulled clear when Murray and substitute Evan Stanley hit back-to-back scores, Murray then shot over from the edge of the arc to land his side’s only two-pointer of proceedings and would land his fifth of the game shortly afterwards to give his side a 3-11 to 1-8 lead.
Tír na nÓg weren’t deterred however and chipped away at the hosts. Aaron McNeilly landed his fourth score and midfielder Ciaran O’Neill guided a shot between the posts.
Then in the 47th minute, Darragh Fegan netted for the second time when he fisted a floated sideline ball to the net at the near post to make it 3-11 to 2-10.
A third goal was almost forthcoming, but Ciaran O’Neill shot straight at John Finucane in the Lámhs goal and after defence turned to attack, Conor Murray eased some of the pressure with his third point of the afternoon.
Darragh Fegan steered an angled shot between the posts but back-to-back converted Murray frees had the hosts 3-14 to 2-11 ahead going down the home straight.
Aaron McNeilly kicked his side's third two-pointer and Fegan added another point to reduce arrears to three on the stroke of regulation time.
The Lámhs saw the game out thereafter to make a winning start to the campaign ahead of a difficult trip to Toome next weekend, whilst Tír na nÓg will hope to get their first points on the board when they host Aldergrove.
LÁMH DHEARG: J Finucane, R Murray, P Mervyn, M McGarry, D Smyth, D Lynch, E Matassa, C Boyd, P Fitzsimons, D Murray, C Murray (0-5, 0-2f), R Diamond (1-0), D Martin (0-1), T McCrudden (2-1, 0-1f), A Murray (0-6).
Subs: N McGarry for R Diamond (40), E Stanley (0-1) for D Murray (40), S McCarthy for P Mervyn (52).
TÍR NA nÓG: SP McAtamney, S McKeown, C McGrellis, D Mallon, P McCloskey, B McLarnon, C Logan, C O’Neill (0-1), R O’Neill, C McCamphill, J Higgins (0-1), A McNeilly (0-7), C Smith, D Fagan (2-3, 1-0p), A O’Donnell (0-2).
Subs: M Smith for C McCamphill (HT), D McLarnon for A O’Donnell (39), B Devlin for D Mallon (52). IR
REFEREE: Collie Thompson (Naomh Eoin)
