Antrim SFC quarter-final: Cargin 0-13 Lámh Dhearg 0-9
Cargin are the first team through to the semi-finals of the Antrim Senior Football Championship after defeating Lámh Dhearg by four points at Dunsilly on Friday night.
The Toome men have bested the Hannahstown men in their Championship duels for the last decade and rarely did Lámh Dhearg look like breaking that trend under the lights at Antrim’s Centre of Excellence.
Indeed, the Red Hands rode their luck twice in the first half when goalkeeper John Finucane and then Declan Lynch came to the rescue to deny Cargin.
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Despite not being at their very best, Cargin were able to keep their opponents at arm’s length as Lámh Dhearg introduced Declan Dunne and Paddy Cunningham for the final quarter, but were unable to plunder a late goal.
Ronan Devlin’s side now await the winners of Sunday’s quarter-final meeting between Cargin and Rossa.
Pat Shivers opened the scoring after just 13 seconds, although the large crowd in attendance would have to wait another 10 minutes before the game’s second point.
Lámh Dhearg were extremely wasteful in front of the posts in the early stages with Ryan Murray dropping a few frees short and dragged another effort wide.
Cargin goalkeeper John McNabb sauntered up the pitch unmarked before drilling over a stunning point with the outside of his right boot on 11 minutes to double his side’s advantage.
Murray finally found his range moments later, but Finucane was forced to make a fine point-blank save to deny Tomás McCann before Jamie Gribben and full-back Justin Crozier slotted over points for Cargin.
Lámh Dhearg managed to build a bit of momentum when Murray landed back-to-back points while Cahir Donnelly nipped forward to score for Cargin after 21 minutes.
The Toome men had another sight at goal when John Carron powered through, but he opted to fist for a point rather than shoot at goal.
The impressive Declan Smyth landed a point for the West Belfast outfit while Declan Lynch cleared a goal-bound effort from Paul McCann off the line. The resulting ‘45 was converted by McNabb before Shivers landed another excellent point from play.
Terry McCrudden scored his first point at the other end to leave just two points between the sides at the interval.
From the restart, Lámh Dhearg reduced the arrears to the minimum with Eoin McKeown scoring.
However, Deaglan Bunting’s men couldn’t get back on level terms and they were left to rue another series of missed chances.
Cargin were providing much more clinical at the other end as Shivers moved his side two ahead with his third point of the evening.
A typically classy point from Mick McCann moved the gap back to three midway through the second half.
A black card issued to midfielder Gerard McCann for hauling down Marc Jordan gave Lámh Dhearg hope of mounting a late comeback.
Dungannon Swifts goalkeeper Declan Dunne was introduced and stationed at full-forward with veteran attacker Paddy Cunningham sent on to pull the strings in the middle third.
The former Antrim star converted a free, but Bunting’s men were stretched at the back and Gribben and Shivers broke away for points on the counter to leave the Belfast men chasing a goal in the closing stages.
Cunningham fired over a point from play in stoppage time after Conor Murray’s effort came back off the post, yet Benen Kelly’s late score ensured Cargin had enough in hand at the full-time whistle.
Cargin scorers: P Shivers 0-4 (0-1f), J Gribbin 0-2, J McNabb 0-1 (0-1 45), J Crozier 0-1, C Donnelly 0-1, J Carron 0-1, M McCann 0-1, B Kelly 0-1.
Lámh Dhearg scorers: R Murray 0-3, P Cunningham 0-2 (0-1f), D Smyth 0-1, T McCrudden 0-1, B Rice 0-1, O McKeown 0-1.
Referee: M O’Neill (Armoy).
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