Antrim Senior Football Championship
Round Three
Rossa 4-16
Tír na nÓg 2-9
At Hannahstown
A Stephen Beatty brace helped Rossa on their way to a comprehensive victory over Tír na nÓg as they wrapped up a huge win to end their group stage in second-place and clinch a quarter-final berth against Portglenone.
The game was covered live on BelfastMedia.com, but the first five minutes remained scoreless with Rossa eventually getting off the mark when Dominic McEnhill fired over a terrific free for an orange flag to open his account.
McEnhill then went on a scoring spree from the dead-ball and hit another brace of orange flags from placed balls and the Jeremiahs drove into a six-point lead.
Almost instantly after McEnhill's third score of the afternoon Randalstown found their route back into the game as they responded in emphatic fashion with Eamon Óg McAllister cracking a terrific volleyed effort which dropped short from a Darragh Fagan free and halved their side's deficit.
Rossa responded without any fear of letting Tír na nÓg back into the game too soon.
Michael McEnhill got off the mark with a great point, before Colm Fleming struck an inch-perfect 45 to continue increasing their side's lead.
Eventually the goal was cancelled out when Stephen Beatty fisted an effort over for another tally in favour of the Shaws Road side.
Darragh Fagan dragged his side back into the game when he thumped a long-ranged effort to split the uprights for an orange flag and the many travelling supporters were delighted to see their side fight back.
McEnhill and Fagan then exchanged scores as the final five minutes of the half began to close in.
Randalstown looked to have a chance at a second goal but Ciarán O'Neill blasted wide of Colm Fleming's left-hand post and Rossa had a sigh of relief as a second goal was prevented.
The resulting kick-out saw the Belfast club manage to find the net after a great team move with Rogan's initial effort saved but the ball fell to the foot of Stephen Beatty and he crunched the ball into the net and gave his side some daylight before the break.
Colm Fleming fired a two-pointer off the deck and sealed a great first half for the Jeremiahs as they headed for the changing rooms with an eight-point advantage.
As the half resumed Rossa would have known the half-time score between Dunloy and Glenravel meant a win was necessary for progression, but when Caleb Smith punched the ball into the net their lead looked to be in fear of dwindling – and quickly.
The next attack saw Rossa rewarded with a penalty after Sean Paul McAtamney wiped out Corey Walsh and the referee signalled for a spot-kick and a black card with Darragh Fagan replacing as the stand-in shot-stopper.
Captain McEnhill stepped up and the strike was initially stopped by Fagan, but the Rossa skipper slotted the rebound back into the net.
Rossa soon found their third net-buster when Thomas Morgan retrieved the ball before lashing an effort over the top of Fagan, who was still completing his stint in goal, and finding the corner of the net.
The game was in Rossa's hands and they kept Tír na nÓg at arms length despite the best effort of Fagan who knocked a number of scores over in the latter stages.
Rossa's fourth goal came after a poor kick-out from McAtamney allowed a counter-attack and the ball was played into the path of Stephen Beatty who flashed an effort into the roof of the net and sealed the victory.
Dominic McEnhill had the final say of the game with a short-range free which saw Coly Thompson's whistle sound for full-time and the Rossa men were jubilant after confirming their spot in the last eight.
Tír na nÓg XV: Sean Paul McAtamney; Jude Storrie, Ciaran McGrellis, Ryan Crilly; Daniel McLornan, Barry McCormick 0-2(1xTP), Ciaran Logan; Cormac Devlin 0-1, Ciaran O’Neill; Sean McKeown, Sean Duffin, Oliver McAtamney; Eamon Óg McAllister 1-0, Darragh Fagan 0-6 (4F), Connor McKenna
Subs: Caleb Smith 1-0
Rossa XV: Colm Fleming 0-3 (3F); Gavin McGrath, Patrick Moyes 0-1, Fiachra McDonald; Peter Byrne, Gerard Walsh, Michael McEnhill 0-1; Liam McEnhill, Eoghan McMenamin; Stephen Beatty 2-1, Dominic McEnhill 1-9 (6F), Diarmuid Rogan; Corey Walsh, Niall Crossan, Thomas Morgan 1-1
