O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
St Brigid’s 0-10 Cargin 1-16
Cargin are now in sole possession of to spot in football’s Division One as they powered to victory over St Brigid’s at a wet Musgrave Park on Sunday evening.
The Toome men had shared top spot in the division ratings earlier in the day but the victory gained over the South Belfast men and defeat endured by Portglenone at Creggan ensures Ronan Devlin’s men stand now stand alone at the top.
Having enjoyed a good season to date, St Brigid’s would have high hopes going into the game and a close affair looked possible in the opening phase as the home side started well to own an early lead with points from Conor McAleer and Peter Lundy.
Cargin looked to Justin Crozier’s accuracy to get them off the mark with a fourth minute point and it proved the tit for tat in the opening quarter as the home side added to their total via Niall Duffy with Michael McCann responding from a free and Pat Shivers adding another.
Nothing had separated the contestants in the early phase but as the game progressed and the rain continued, the Toome men took a grip on proceedings and after points from Benen Kelly and McCann, they opened a gap on the scoreboard.
Similarly, when the home side made reply through Jack Dowling from an acute angle, the Toome men dominated the remainder with Gerard McCann finishing a good move and a trio of whites raised by the Shivers brothers, Pat (two) and sibling Tom which had ensured a 0-10 to 0-4 lead for the visitors.
St Brigid’s needed to answer before the break and did so with three white flags raised in succession through Rory McErlean, Jack Dowling and Peter Lundy to halve Cargin’s advantage as they went in at the break with a 0-10 to 0-7 lead.
The home crowd had hopes their side could kick on after the break, but it was Cargin who enjoyed the better start as after Pat Shivers raised the opening white flag, the imperious Michael McCann was to add a goal fashioned by second period replacement Conhuir Johnston and Callum Gribbin in a defence splitting approach and ensure a 1-11 to 0-7 advantage for the Toome men.
The home side needed to reply and the hard-grafting Jack Dowling raised a 41st minute white flag. Although David Johnston was quick to reply in kind, a further white flag raised by the midfielder and another from a Rory McErlean free suggested the home side were still in the hunt for the points.
Cargin had other ideas and a second point from the impressive Justin Crozier after John McNabb made an excellent save at the other end and another Pat Shivers put the visitors out of sight.
Conhuir Johnston and Michael McCann added late scores to put a gloss on it as Cargin claimed the win that sees them sit alone at the to of the table..
ST BRIGID’S: Declan Heery; Fionn McKernan, Conor King, Sonny Doyle; Joe McCarney, Reuben Carleton, Shay Campbell; Michael Cummings, Jack Dowling (0-3); Niall Duffy (0-1), Conor Downey (0-1), Oran Downey; Peter Lundy (0-2), Conor McAleer (0-1), Rory McErlean (0-2)
CARGIN: John McNabb; Hugh O’Donnell, Kevin McShane, Ronan Gribbin; Hugh O’Donnell, Justin Crozier (0-2), James Laverty; Gerard McCann (0-1), John Carron; David Johnston (0-1), Pat Shivers (0-5), Conan Johnston; Michael McCann (1-3), Tom Shivers (0-2).
Subs: Conhuir Johnston, Odhran Molloy
REFEREE: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)
Portglenone fell to a 0-10 to 0-6 defeat at Creggan to ensure it’s a three-way tie in second place.
The Staffordstown Road side took early control of the contest and scored the first three points through Dominic McAteer, Conor Small and Sean Duffin.
Kealan McCann and Conor Small stretched the lead to ensure KIckham’s held a 0-5 to 0-0 lead at the break.
Small started the second half as he had finished the first with two more points before Michael Hagan finally got Portglenone off the mark with 44 on the clock, but Tiernan McAteer would cancel this out.
Portglenone did rally with Ciarán McKenna, Ronan Kelly and Rory Hagan on target, but Duffin hit back before Enda Lynn and Paddy Kelly narrowed the gap to three.
Time was against them as Conor Small found the insurance score.
St Gall’s and Tír na nÓg are tied on 17 points, just one behind the group in second, as they both claimed wins.
The Milltown Row side powered past Naomh Éanna in the lunchtime game, 4-21 to 0-7, while the Randalstown club claimed a 0-12 to 1-6 over St John’s at Corrigan Park.
That result leaves the Johnnies in the bottom four with Glenravel just one adrift as their improved form continued with a 2-13 to 1-9 home win over Aldergrove in a battle at the bottom.
Rossa claimed a big two points with a 3-13 to 1-5 win at home to Moneyglass to give them breathing space away from the relegation playoff zone, while Aghagallon did likewise with a 0-15 to 1-7 win over Lámh Dhearg that leaves the Red Hands with work to do in the final few games.
Ballymena also continued their recent good form with a 2-12 to 0-10 win over Ahoghill.
Weekend results
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
St John’s 1-6 Tír na nÓg 0-12
Rossa 3-13 Moneyglass 1-5
Ahoghill 0-10 Ballymena 2-12
St Gall’s 4-21 Naomh Éanna 0-7
Creggan 0-10 Portglenone 0-6
Glenravel 2-13 Aldergrove 1-9
St Brigid’s 0-10 Cargin 1-16
Aghagallon 0-15 Lámh Dhearg 1-7
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division 2A
Davitt’s 0-5 St Patrick’s, Lisburn 0-9
Glenavy 0-9 St Teresa’s 0-4
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division 2B
Dunloy 6-10 Ardoyne 0-4
Rasharkin 0-8 Gort na Móna 2-9
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division Three
St Comgall’s 2-16 Laochra Loch Lao 1-2
Wolfe Tones 2-7 O’Donnell’s 4-8
Na Piarsaigh 2-9 St Agnes’ 1-12
Do you have something to say on this issue? If so, submit a letter for publication to Conor McParland at c.mcparland@belfastmedia.com or write to Editor Anthony Neeson at Andersonstown News/North Belfast News, Teach Basil, 2 Hannahstown Hill, Belfast BT17 0LT
