Homefit Antrim Football League Division One
O’Donovan Rossa 2-6 Portglenone 0-10
O'DONOVAN Rossa scored a great win over top of the table Portglenone in a thrilling game on home turf.
The game got going quickly when Jack Morris scored a point for Rossa in the third minute, with action between the two sides heating up, resulting in Rossa’s Dominic McEnhill being awarded a yellow card only five minutes in which set the pace for the frenzied game that was to follow.
Portglenone passed up a number of opportunities, but Aidan McAleese finally got the Bannsiders level.
Portglenone followed up straight away when Dermot McAleese came out on top of an excellent struggle through Rossa’s defence and sent the ball between the posts, putting them into the lead.
Rossa struck back instantaneously when Liam Carr made a great run up the wing and equalised the score, sending the ball flying between the posts for the West Belfast side.
A big battle for possession soon played out, with Portglenone’s Niall McKeever manoeuvring the ball up the pitch and routinely delivering it to his comrades who kept up steam to get another point.
Unfortunately for the Portglenone men, Rossa were just too quick for them, and Cormac McGettigan sank home a free, putting them into the lead, the score now being 0-3 to 0-2.
Rossa extended their lead after a phenomenal run from Dara Rocks who passed the ball to Michael McEnhill who shot between the posts and extended the lead to two.
At 20 minutes the rain began pelting down in spades, but it didn’t seem to bother the players, particularly Portglenone’s Patrick Kelly who nailed a great free from about 25 yards out.
Nearing half-time, Rossa’s Colm Fleming was chopped down for a penalty on his way to goal but dusted himself off and lashed home.
Seconds before the break, Fleming knocked over a free to leave Rossa 1-5 to 0-3 ahead.
Michael Armstrong is challenged by Jonny Convery 
The second half got off to an energetic start, with Michael Donnelly send the ball between the posts for the visitors and straight after, Ciarán McKenna raced through but his shot was tipped over for a point when goal was on.
Rossa hit back when Michael Armstrong was through one-on-one with Ryan O’Neill and sent the ball past him into the back of the net to make it 2-5 to 0-5.
Realising they needed a big push if they were to challenge Rossa’s lead, Portglenone launched attack after attack, scoring back-to-back points from Patrick Kelly and Michael Donnelly.
Rossa kept Casement’s at arm’s length with a score from Michael McEnhill on 45 minutes, but Portglenone fought on with points from Niall McKeever and Michael Donnelly to leave a goal in it.
Portglenone pushed on, but could only muster a pointed free from Oisin Doherty as Rossa held on for a two-point win.
ROSSA: Michael Byrne, Conor McGown, Niall Crossan, Patrick Moyes, Jack Morris (0-1), Conor Fleming (1-1), Adam Devlin, Cormac McGettigan (0-1), Eoghan McMenamin, Michael McEnhill (0-2), Michael Armstrong (1-0), Matthew Mallon, Dara Rocks, Dominic McEnhill, Liam Carr (0-1)
PORTGLENONE: Ryan O’Neill, Kevin O’Kane, Ronan Delargy, Johnny Convery, Ruairi Hagan, Dermot McAleese (0-1), Ciarán McKenna (0-1), Niall Delargy, Niall McKeever (0-1), Corey McLaughlin, Aidan McAleese (0-2), Michael Donnelly (0-2), Michael Hagan, Patrick Kelly (0-2), Oisin Doherty (0-1 free)
