Fixtures & Results 2013 - ACFL Div 2

Casements Portglenone made the short five mile journey out the Townhill Road to take on local rivals St Mary’s Rasharkin in round two of the All County Football League Division Two on Sunday past.  This encounter turned out to be a game of two halves with the homeside making all the early running to soar into a three point lead inside the first ten minutes.  The visitors struggled to get out of their own half for much of the first period and looked as if they had left their shooting boots at home.  St Mary’s continued to dominant on the field and was also reflected in the scoreline with a further goal from Johnny McAleese and three points from the boot of Brendan Etherson, Paul Doherty and McAleese in the closing stages of the half. Another McAleese, Gerard, grabbed the only score for Portglenone on the stroke of half time leaving them much to do in the second half trailing by eight points. 

It was very much role reversal in the second half as a rejuvenated Casements side incredibly clawed their way back to level the tie after twenty minutes of the second half, thanks to points from Gerard McAleese (4) and Owen Doherty and a well dispatched penalty from Mark Graham.  Both sides then traded points apiece before St Mary’s showed their determination to pull away in the closing five minutes with left footed efforts from Brendan Etherson and Paul Doherty. 

A large contingent packed into Dreen for this clash between these local rivals who haven’t renewed acquaintances in the league in the last three seasons due to playing in different divisions.  The last time these sides met was in the O’Cahan Cup in 2011 when St Mary’s finished eight point winners at Quinn Park, All Saints at the semi final stage. As with most local derbies, encounters between these two clubs always bring much anticipation and excitement to the area and indeed a healthy return to the hosting club at the gate. A notable spectator to this venue was the Senior County Football manager Frank Dawson who was keeping a close watch on several players from both sides.

The Bannsiders drew first blood collecting both points in the reserve meeting, winning by six points on a scoreline St.Mary’s Rasharkin 0-7 Casements Portglenone 1-10. Con Magees clubman Jarleth O’Donnell was on the whistle for the main event and wasted no time getting proceedings underway promptly. 

Rasharkin midfielder Benny Hasson started the scoring inside the second minute, Cahir O’Kane was provider to send Hasson on his way and the big man split the posts with an effort from the left peg.  Johnny McAleese was next to get in on the act a minute later, he watched his effort sail between the sticks following an assist by Paul Doherty and Declan McKay.  The homeside were well on their way in the early throws and when the returning Australian Ryan Lynch skilfully fired over with the outside of his right boot, suddenly a three point lead opened up for the Dreen men.   

Ten minutes into this fixture the heavens opened and both sides were forced to battle not just against each other but also the adverse conditions.  Casements, who had adopted a two man full forward strategy of Gerard McAleese and Peter Cushnahan dropping Phelim McCloskey into the "linkman” role, found it tough to get going and lacked direction early on. St Mary’s settled quicker and enjoyed much possession engineering numerous chances; Rasharkin’s Thomas Doherty started a great move from the back and carved his way through the Casements rearguard with help from Brendan Etherson, Paul Doherty and Benny Hasson, however the roving half back spurred a great chance when he drilled the ball wide of the right hand post after ten minutes. 

Johnny McAleese was instrumental in the next two scores for St Mary’s, he slotted a well taken free from the wet sod after Dominic McFerran was fouled after eighteen minutes.  The same player then raised the green flag three minutes later in a superb move which involved Shane Hasson and Declan McKay.  McAleese gained possession inside thirteen yards and under pressure from the Casements’ defence and the advancing Brian McCann the experienced marksman cleverly drilled the ball low and hard beneath the Portglenone keeper into an open net. 

Casements defenders Niall Delargy, Paddy Carey and Aidan Kearney battled hard at the back and provided a good platform for launching several attacks in the closing stages of the half but St Mary’s backline stood firm and returned the ball from defence to attack with great interception from Mark Hasson, Adrian Scullion and Thomas Doherty. 

Brendan Etherson entered his name into the score sheet for the homeside after twenty four minutes, Johnny McAleese’s clever short free to Shane Hasson was offloaded to Declan McKay and onto Etherson who fired over from long range to open up a eight point lead.  Casements finally broke the duck after thirty minutes of the first half, Niall Delargy deserves much credit for this score.  His forty yard penetrating run ended with a great offload to Mark Graham which put the wing half forward in poll position, however, he was unfairly stopped in his tracks and Gerard McAleese knocked over the resultant free. Rasharkin County man Paul Doherty, wearing number fifteen had adapted the role of skipper and covered every blade of grass in the park throughout the sixty minutes, restored the eight point lead and brought proceedings to a close at the end of the first half with a well dispatched free from thirty yards. Half time scoreline St Mary’s Rasharkin 1-6 Casements Portglenone 0-1.

Casements left the field of play dejected, but following encouragement and words of wisdom by manager Michael McMullan in his debut season, these fifteen players came out for the second half completely forced on the task in hand. Owen Doherty and Phelim McCloskey both had chances in the early throws of the half as the Bannsiders started at a blistering pace adopting a new strategy of leaving Doherty at the edge of the square and pumping the leather in around the house. Their efforts were rewarded when Niall Delargy, who battled hard throughout, was hauled to the ground on his way goalward after four minutes and McAleese again easily obliged from the free awarded.  A minute later McAleese was called upon once more when Mark Graham was fouled going forward, match referee Jarleth O’Donnell narrowed the angle for McAleese when he moved the ball forward following decent from Rasharkin players.  The comeback was well and truly on track when O’Donnell pointed to the penalty spot after six minutes, Gerard McAleese was gifted a golden opportunity bearing down on goal but the ace forward was upended by Paddy Hasson leaving the match official no option.  Mark Graham stepped up to take the spot kick, despite a great effort by Donal McLarnon on the Rasharkin line, the shot was well struck into the back of the Rasharkin net to narrow arrears to three points and put the wind back into the Casement sails. 

Two further Gerard McAleese points for Portglenone took his personal tally to five midway through the half but more importantly reduced the deficit to a single point as both sets of supporters rallied behind their teams.  Owen Doherty completed the Lazarus comeback after twenty minutes; Phelim McCloskey side footed the ball into the path of Doherty who made no mistake from twenty five yards to level proceedings much to the raptures of the many travelling supporters. This score, however, rallied the homeside when Benny Hasson fielded the resultant kickout and sent Brendan Etherson on his way, the centre forward who was having a good day at the office, nudged his side in front once more with ten minutes still left on the clock. This lead was short lived when Paddy Kelly sent the ball over the Rasharkin bar following another well taken free from the ground which again was brought forward for decent by the disputing Rasharkin defenders. 

The homeside who had watched their eight point cushion disintegrate, composed themselves in the closing five minutes and engineered two superb teamwork scores.  The first was delivered by Etherson to give him his hatrick and the second a left footed effort from Paul Doherty to cap off a determined performance and bag the first to league points of the season to the homeside.  Full time score St Mary’s Rasharkin 1-9 to Casements Portglenone 1-7.

St.Mary’s Rasharkin: Donal McLernon, Mark Hasson, Adrian Scullion, Dominic McFerran, Thomas Doherty, Cahir O’Kane, Paddy Hasson, Cathal Mooney and Benny Hasson (0-1), Shane Hasson, Brendan Etherson (0-3), Ryan Lynch (0-1), Declan McKay, Johnny McAleese (1-2) and Paul Doherty (0-2).

Casements Portglenone: Brian McCann, Declan McErlaine, John Kearney, Aidan McKee, Niall Delargy, Paddy Carey, Aidan Kearney, Martin McCarry and Paddy Kelly (0-1), Adrian McKeever, Owen Doherty (0-1), Mark Graham (1-0), Phelim McCloskey, Gerard McAleese (0-5) and Peter Cushnahan.

Subs: Mark McAleese, Johnny Convery, Niall Kelly and Declan Doherty

Referee: Jarleth O’Donnell (Con Magees Glenravel)