ACL Div 2 round-up: Deadlock in Dolan Park derby

ACL DIVISION TWO ROUND-UP

Aghyaran 0-12 Owen Roes 1-9

AFTER a ding dong clash at Dolan Park a share of the points was probably the fairest outcome from Aghyaran and Owen Roes derby tie.

On an evening of high intensity but scrappy football both teams were guilty of misplaced passes and coughing up possession at key times.

There were some impressive individual displays. Thomas Dolan was solid at the back for Aghyaran, while Benny Gallen opened things up with his driving runs. Once again Tony Devine was the hub of everything that was good about Owen Roes

Stephen Harper opened the scoring for the visitors angling a close range free over with the wind at his back, although a brace of Ronan McHugh frees in two minutes had the St Davog’s ahead.

A well delivered Devine point after good work from his midfield partner Peter Kirk levelled things on seven minutes. Ethan McHugh spun away from Kelly to nudge Aghyaran ahead again eleven minutes in as the Roes struggled to find the target.

Thomas Dolan sent Eoghan McHugh in for a point, sandwiched between two Ronan McHugh scores from the dead ball.

There was a lack of creativity from the visitors as several attempts broke down, but a superb free from 40m by goalkeeper McShane was on target.

The response from Aghyaran was swift as McHugh landed a mammoth point from under the stand. It was Owen Roes who made the running in the final ten minutes. Good build up play from Ronan McNulty sent McAleer in for a tidy point and Devine forced a ’45’ with McShane sending the resultant kick over.

A ‘mark’ pointed by attacking corner back Gerard McShane in their first raid of the second half closed the gap to one yet Owen Roes failed to level as intensity levels rose.

Crisp challenges and missed chances followed until McHugh steered over his sixth point at the end of the third quarter.

A McShane ’45’ from out on the left was cancelled out by Eoghan McHugh’s ‘mark’ with twelve minutes left before a massive turning point. Quick movement through the centre saw Conor O’Neill shoot to the base of Niall Hilley’s post only for Devine to rifle home the rebound.

The slender Roes advantage was short lived McHugh levelling things. An exquisite point from play followed from McShane nudging Owen Roes ahead again and after both teams hit wides a fine point on the run from Ryan Kelly gave the visitors a two point advantage.

On the stroke of full time Mc Hugh drilled over a free after Ciaran Mc Glinchey went to ground and as the game swung to four additional minutes McHugh was again on target to level things for a fourth time with Kelly picking up a black card to add to his yellow in a frantic close.

Naomh Eoghan 0-13 Gortin 3-9

NAOMH Eoghan may have scored more times than Gortin but the visitors ability to get goals proved to be the difference as they picked up two points in this Thursday night encounter to go top of the table.

Gortin began well hitting 1-3 in the opening eight minutes with a Liam Og Mossey goal following points from Fiachra McNulty, Ruairi Keenan and Ciaran Brolly. The home side though then took control as they hit eight unanswered points before the break with Eamon McGovern, Ryan Mayse, Conal McConomy and Conor Langan among them.

Mayse and Patrick McCullagh traded early second half points before Gortin enjoyed a purple patch. Mossey got his second goal and added a couple of points with Brolly and McCullagh also on target as they hit 1-4 without reply. Mayse closed the gap but a Brolly goal four minutes from time clinched it for Gortin.

Derrylaughan 0-13 Clogher 1-9

DERRYLAUGHAN were forced to pull out all the stops to shade the verdict against a battling Clogher side at the Loughshore on Friday evening.

There was never much between the two sides throughout the hour with the Kevin Barrys greeting the short whistle 0-6 to 0-5 in front thanks to points from Tomas Carney, Oisin McAliskey and Stephen McGrath, Ciaran Bogue and Eoin Mellon among the Eire Ogs scorers.

Carney and McGrath both registered again in the third quarter but three Ciaran Bogue points kept the visitors in touch before a Mark Bogue goal put them one in front. Clogher failed to score in the remaining ten minutes though as Derrylaughan first levelled and then got the winner on a night when Carney finished with 0-7 to his name.

Drumragh 2-13 Moortown 2-19

TWO divisions separated these two sides this time last year and that experienced showed at times in this clash as Moortown took the points on their trip to Drumragh.

Tommy Murphy, Eoin Montgomery and Aaron Montgomery had first half points for the Sarsfields but it was the Loughshore men who were in control. Karl Hagan netted and Shea Lawn, Paul Quinn and Brian McLernon all pointed to leave them 1-12 to 0-8 in front.

Murphy and James Broderick had second half goals for Drumragh but they were always chasing the game especially with Lawn in such good form, he got his side’s second major to take his personal haul to 1-8. Quinn, Rian Smith and Liam Lawn all featured among the points as well as Moortown remain at the business end of the table.

Rock 1-12 Moy 1-10

MOY went into this game as the form side in Intermediate football but Rock didn’t read the script as they inflicted as first defeat of the campaign on the visitors to move level with them in the table.

It was Moy who were just in front at halftime thanks to a goal and a few points from Michael Conroy with Ryan Coleman also raising a white flag. Conor Ward got the Rock goal with Liam Nugent kicking a few points.

There proved to be little between them in the second half as well with Nugent taking his tally to 0-7 and Diarmaid Carroll and Aidan McGarrity providing points as well. Conroy finished the game’s top scorer with 1-6 to his name but on the day it wasn’t enough to save Moy.

Kildress 1-10 Stewartstown 1-13

AT the fourth time of asking Stewartstown collected their first points of the season thanks to a hard earned victory at Gortacladdy against Kildress.

The game looked as though it was going according to the formbook as the Wolfe Tones greeted the short whistle in front by double scores,1-7 to 0-5. Philip Lennon got their goal with Shea Quinn and Shea Murphy supplying points, Gareth Devlin with a trio of scores for the Harps.

Stewartstown dominated the third quarter to hold their opponents scoreless and six points of their own from Devlin (2), Dan Lowe (3) and Stephen Talbot had them in front. Quinn responded for the hosts but points from Gerard O’Neill and Tiernan Rush were followed by a Lowe goal four minutes from time to seal a Stewartstown win.

Fintona 0-11 Cookstown 1-6

THIS was a battle between two sides who won silverware in Junior football last term and it was Fintona who came out on top at Father Lawrence Park as they held off a Cookstown comeback.

The Pearses played well in the first half with Peter McGlinn hitting a couple of fine points and the impressive Caolan Donnelly getting three as they established a 0-7 to 0-2 lead, Michael McElhatton on target for the Father Rocks.

In the second half the visitors came into it more and they will feel that they could have taken something from the game. Callan Kelly saw his penalty saved and when they were awarded another spot kick McElhatton converted it. Conall Sheehy and Niall McMurray had Cookstown points but scores from Oran Hughes, Niall Donnelly and Jared Brogan just managed to keep Fintona in front.

Greencastle 0-12 Beragh 0-14

A STRONG first half display from Beragh helped lay the foundations for this fine win away to a Greencastle side who went into this contest ith a perfect record from three opening three outings.

The Red Knights were very efficient in front of the posts as they built up a 0-11 to 0-4 lead. Martin Rodgers and Conor Owens weighed in with seven points between them with Mattie McSorley getting a couple and Oran Treacy and Oisin Donnelly also on target, Cahir McCullagh and Sean Warnock with Greencastle points.

The home side fought back in the second period with McCullagh, Warnock, Dan McCrory and Sean Conneely all providing scores but Beragh managed to just keep them at arms length. Despite scoring just three times via Owens (2) and Donnelly it proved to be sufficient for the Red Knights.