ACL Div 3 round-up- Castlederg no match for leaders Aghaloo

All-County League Division Three round-up

Castlederg  0-8  Aghaloo  2-11

TWO goals from full-forward Ruairi McGlone helped Aghaloo maintain their unbeaten tab at the table top after victory on a rainy night in Castlederg.

Overhead weather conditions on Thursday evening were more akin to deep winter than the height of summer but these two teams still battled bravely despite the unseasonal elements. Aghaloo arrived searching for win number eight in as many games, whereas the St Eugene’s were aiming to follow on from their fourth win of the campaign against Tattyreagh in round eight.

Daire Corry supplied half of the home total and the St Eugene’s did try to prise open a stubborn Aghaloo defence but the visiting rearguard didn’t give much away. The guests did manage to take two of the goal chances which came along and that gave them an important cushion.

It was not a night for fluent football but these teams still tried to make the most of matters and a decent tussle ensued. This also proved to be one of those matches where goals had even extra significance given conditions and Ruairi McGlone’s brace certainly helped his side get over the winning line.

The St Eugene’s had their spells but they were unable to find the same scoring groove from some of their previous matches this season. Castlederg could have been doing with a goal or two of their own along the way but the penny didn’t drop right on the occasions when chances presented themselves and Aghaloo stayed solid with the likes of Mark McCormack and Padraig McGeary putting in good effort.

Daire Corry was on target with a couple of tidy opening half points here for Castlederg but Aghaloo maintained that bit more productivity in range of the posts. Niall McElroy and Jody McGlone led the away side’s point tally as play prgressed. There were wides recorded on behalf of both sides but this was understandable in the inclement conditions.

A first key marker in the encounter came with RuairI McGlone’s opening goal and that set the tone in terms of giving Aghaloo a strong foothold on proceedings. McGlone also had a point as he continued to ask questions of the St Eugene’s defence that kept battling gallantly all the same.

Ruairi McGlone grabbed a second goal for Aghaloo later in the match narrative and then Castlederg were presented with an even tougher assignment in the process. Daire Corry brought his home account to four scores as Dominic McGoldrick sent over two points alongside one each registered by Tommy McMenamin and Paddy Lynch.

Niall McElroy and Jody McGlone completed decent displays with additional points plus Mark McCormack, Niall Henderson and James O’Hara got on the scoresheet as well.

Both sides are now facing into the second half of the league programme with encouraging foundations to build from. Aghaloo hold maximum points from those eight games to date, whereas Castlederg have reached eight points in as many matches plus their performance levels are cause for optimism moving towards the business end of the year.

Drumquin 1-12 Derrytresk 0-7

THE TONES pocketed the game’s only goal courtesy of Sean McDonagh as they ran out eight-point winners over Derrytresk in this round nine contest on Friday evening.

Derrytresk arrived at McGirr Park with some mixed form of late in the locker but they had pushed Killeeshil to the wire in round seven. The away team were seeking to rediscover that level of performance after being beaten comfortably by Aghaloo in round eight but they encountered a Drumquin team keen on making it seven wins so far in the campaign.

Oisin Gormley sent over seven scores for the Tones as they worked hard to find openings against a well-drilled Derrytresk defence. Sean McDonagh notched two points plus McDonagh kept his ‘major’ run going when netting along the way as well. There were single scores from Oisin McMenamin, Frankie McAlynn and Ronan Strain.

Tattyreagh 0-11 Glenelly 1-8

THE Tatts and St Joseph’s ended up sharing the points on Friday at the St Patrick’s base following a late Lorcan McCullagh penalty conversion and a Rory Kennedy leveller for Glenelly.

Glenelly had won their deferred round eight game against Errigal Ciaran and the St Joseph’s took on the St Patrick’s with the aim of sustaining that momentum. The Tatts were endeavouring to bounce back from defeat at Castlederg and they got into a winning position following six scores from Gareth Mimnagh. Johnny Harkin and Jarlath McDonagh had 0-2 each alongside one via Keelan McDonagh as Aidan Martin, Mickey Allen and others put in decent shifts.

Lorcan McCullagh sent over three points to accompany his penalty strike, the remaining St Joseph scores emanating from Rory Kennedy(0-3), Nathan McLaughlin and Ronan O’Kane. McCullagh, Kennedy and company battled bravely as the St Joseph’s dug in well to reach the 11-point mark from seven fixtures.

Clann na nGael 3-9 Eskra 2-14

ESKRA closed to within one point of leaders Aghaloo when winning a good tussle with Clann na nGael on their Friday travels.

Eskra made the trip to meet Clann na nGael after encountering their first reversal of the season against Drumquin the week before. The home side, though, have been producing some decent displays themselves and they began play after winning at Urney seven days before. Terence McCaughey and Cahir O’Neill were among the home goal suppliers, with Shea Browne landing some neat scores too.

Aghaloo’s win over Castlederg the evening before meant that Eskra were three points adrift pre-match in second place. The scores flowed freely in the contest and the Emmets were glad to pick off some extra scores during a five-goal thriller. Cathal Meegan, Joe McCarroll and company have been in good scoring form this season as Eskra built up momentum and this continued in round nine.

Killeeshil 5-20 Killyman 0-9

ST MARY’S met the St Mary’s as Killeeshil welcomed Killyman on Friday evening and it was the home side that sealed a seventh league win in impressive fashion.

This was a tough assignment for the visiting St Mary’s who encountered a Killeeshil side that have found their stride with additional purpose in recent weeks. The host St Mary’s chalked up 5-20 to 0-9 in reply as they maintained joint third place in the table as the chase continues close behind Aghaloo and Eskra.

Michael O’Neill capped a fine display overall with two goals and three points plus Paul O’Neill provided 2-1. Tomas Hoy netted the other Killeeshil goal together with three points. Eoin Conway and Conall Monaghan each had 0-3, with Eoin Neill, Mark Monaghan and Cormac Donaghy scoring point braces apiece. Barry Mulgrew also pointed for the home St Mary’s.

Errigal Ciaran III 1-10 Augher 3-15

ERRIGAL Ciaran and the St Macartan’s served up a decent match in Dunmoyle where visitors Augher emerged with a win that takes them onto 12 points in the table.

Augher faced the first whistle having won five matches thus far, with Errigal placed on five points after two wins and a draw. The St Macartan’s enjoyed the best of the opening half score exchanges to show ahead by 1-9 to 1-3 after Declan Connolly found the net and they added further second half scores to seal that sixth success. There was a follow-up goal from Declan Connolly and Eoghan Keenan netted too as the St Macartan’s closed out Saturday’s victory.

Ruairi O’Sullivan got Errigal’s goal in the first half and O’Sullivan tagged on two points overall as well. Darren Carson landed three home points, with Damien ‘Daisy’ McDermott, Fintan Kelly, Shane Donaghy, Sean Mellon and Jarlath Harte also on the scoresheet.

Urney 0-14 Brackaville 2-15

A BRACE of Brackaville goals denied a battling Urney side after the St Columba’s had played well in the quest to get among the league points.

The St Columba’s were hoping to pick up their scoring ratio after two low returns of late and they did so well here with fourteen points registered. Brackaville made the trip striving to boost their six-point tally and the Roes were fresh from a round eight win at Brocagh.

Kyle Henry had four points on the evening for Urney and Matthew Sproule sent over three into the bargain. Danny Doherty was among the scorers too with 0-2 for the spirited St Columba’s but Cormac O’Neill claimed two goals that helped swing the match fortunes in favour of the visiting Roes. Brackaville tagged on points through Dale McSorley in the main with seven scores as they headed home two league points better off.

Strabane 1-13 Donaghmore III 0-6

SIGERSONS rediscovered the winning feeling when getting the better of a battling St Patrick’s side on Saturday.

Strabane’s recent run of results have not been great, so the Sigersons were determined to get back on track in the league programme. Donaghmore had been playing better than some of their results might suggest but Strabane set out their stall early in this one as the St Patrick’s defence endeavoured to negate the scoring threat of the host forward line.

Oran McGrath proved to be the chief source of scores for the Sigersons as he mixed play and place efforts to finish with the tidy tally of 0-11. Dan McHaghney and Haydn McNamee landed points too, with Oisin Kelly sending in the only goal of the game. The St Patrick’s had six scores in reply but Strabane retained control of the contest.