Minor Hurling Championship Final

Dunloy Cuchullains vs Naomh Padraig

Venue: Ballycastle  –  Throw in: 1:30pm

Referee: Paul O’Neill (Creggan)

by Brendan McTaggart

The Antrim minor hurling championship will get today’s proceedings underway in Ballycastle with Dunloy and Naomh Padraig facing off for the honours.  It will be a repeat of the 2015 final where the Cuchullains withstood a late comeback from their north Antrim neighbours and an inspired performance from Johnny McErlain to hold on for the victory – bridging a then eight-year gap from their last minor win.  The Cuchuallains off course are aiming for three in a row but they face stiff opposition from the Naomh Padraig men who have steadily improved as the season progressed.

Naomh Padraig overcame a shaky start in their quarter-final victory against Glenariffe but goals from Daniel Martin, Conor McBride and Ciaran McKenna helped them to an eleven point victory while they impressed in a four point victory over the Shamrocks in the last round.

Dunloy have come through the half of the draw that was packed with the ‘big hitters’ for this years minor crown.  Many had earmarked Rossa as favourites for the 2017 crown and the Shaws Road side were the only team to take points off the Cuchullains in the league during their perfect campaign so when Ballycastle edged past them in a thrilling encounter at Páirc MacUlin, the draw was thrown wide open.  The Cuchullains had to see off another side who would have had huge aspirations for this year’s title when they faced Cushendall in the quarter-final – a match that would have been good enough to grace the final between two evenly matches teams.  Dunloy finishing strong on the evening to advance to a semi-final meeting with Ballycastle with six points to spare.

Goals proved to be the semi-final between the Cuchullains and Ballycastle in the last round, Ronan Molloy bagging a brace with Deaglan Smith grabbing the other for his side – Smith will be playing in his third minor final in a row.

The Cuchullains have serious doubts over star forward Seaan Elliott who has been in sensational form all season for the Dunloy men and in an Antrim shirt, starring in the Saffrons Celtic Challenge victory earlier this year.  Elliott has sustained a knee injury that had ruled him out of the semi-final win as well but they should still have enough to edge past Naomh Padraig.  Three points separated the sides when they played each other in the league with the Naomh Padraig men breaching the Dunloy defence on five occasions during the hour and they will be confident of claiming their first minor crown but I see Dunloy making it three in a row on Sunday afternoon. Naomh Padraig go in as outsiders but that’s the way it was in 2015 and that day they came within the puck of a ball of causing and upset and they will feel they are quite capable of going all the way this time.

DUNLOY

NAOMH PADRAIG

1. Timothy Burns

2. Emmett O’ Hara

3. Tiarnán Mc Glynn

4. Ciarán Mc Cormick- Mc Kenna

5. Jack Mc Kay

6. Darren Mc Gowan (Captain)

7. Patrick Gillan

8. Conor Mc Hugh

9. Tomas Scally

10. Liam O’Hara

11. James Morgan

12. Callum Campbell

13. Connor Mc Bride

14. Daniel Martin

15. David Kilgore

17. Conor Watterson

18. Aaron Mc Bride

19. Callum Coyles

20. Conall Mc Glynn

21. Conlith Mc Kinley

22. Tarlach McBride

Bainisteoir: Gerard McAuley

MAOR FOIRNE (Coaches): Raymond McMullan, Gerry McGlynn, Julian Gillan