Blackbull South West U-16 Hurling Championship (Semi final)
St. Enda’s Claim a final
Clooney Gaels 4-09 St Enda’s 5-16
Glengormley based St Enda’s claimed a berth in the final of the Blackbull South West under-16 Hurling Championship when they proved too strong for a brave Clooney Gaels at a blustery Ahoghill venue on Sunday last.
The Hightown boys started with the cold northerly breeze as a friend and with the impressive Niall O’ Connor leading the way from the middle they had established a commanding 4-08 to 2-04 lead at the end of the opening thirty minutes.
The visitors started with confidence and had a couple of points on the board by the 3rd minute as Niall O’ Connor who was to impress throughout opened the scoring with a long range score of the highest order followed en route by another from Oisin Quinn a minute later.
A Colla Mc Donnell point despatched from a 40 metre free awarded in the 4th minute opened the home side’s account but the Clooney boys were to fall six points in arrears by the 10th minute.
Wing half forward Oisin Quinn had raised the opening green flag for St Enda’s in the 7th minute with Ciarnan Mac Creight, Brian Rogers and Niall O’ Connor following suit to make it 1-04 to 0-01.
Connor Crossey grabbed a goal for the home side when he delivered a stylish finish in the 16th minute but the score was to provoke stern reply as Owen Kennedy added a point at the other end before Brian Rogers and Niall O’ Connor bagged goals apiece to see the Hightown boys move into a 4-07 to 1-03 lead.
A well taken Colla Mc Donnell 27th minute goal after he nipped in to steal the sliotar from a defender aided the home side’s cause and after Ciarnan Mac Creight and Luke Mullan swapped points the visitors led ‘double scores’ at the break 4-08 to 2-04.
Despite facing a sizeable deficit at the outset of the second half the Clooney boys quickly set about the business of hauling in the previously rampant St Enda’s and indeed with excellent result in the early stages.
Paddy Dougan who had been employed in the full forward berth in the opening period was reassigned to a central role for the second thirty minutes and with positive results.
The new look Clooney boys proceeded to dominate the opening phase of the second period and with Dougan stamping his presence in the central sector and the wily Mc Donnell causing concern to the St Enda’s rear guard the visitors were reeled in.
At one stage only a score separated the sides when McDonnell stroked a 60 metre free over the bar in the 43rd minute.
Colla Mc Donnell had opened the second period account with a 31st minute point and Luke Mullan added another a minute later.
St Enda’s replied when a poor clearance offered an opportunity for Owen Kennedy to raise white at the other end but the home side had regained composure and a Paddy Dougan point was followed by a Colla Mc Donnell 38th minute goal and Ahoghill were on the march.
The Glengormley boys having lost their way for a time were backs against the wall and when Paddy Dougan, who had assumed a dominant role in his new berth added a 42nd minute point prior to another from the wily Colla Mc Donnell the tide seemed to have turned.
St Enda’s looked shaken as the semi final proceeded to the end of the third quarter and a ten point lead which had existed at the start of the second period was now reduced to a 4-09 to 3-09 advantage and the Ahoghill side were in the ascendancy.
St Enda’s needed a score, and one duly arrived as the inspirational Niall O’ Connor fired over the bar from long range and when an Owen Kennedy lofted delivery ended in the back of the net a minute later they were back on an even keel and on the way to the decider.
O’ Connor added another point in the 51st minute and although Colla Mc Donnell evaded several challenges to complete his hat trick at the other end a minute later the Glengormley side dominated the closing stages and further white flags raised by Brian Rogers (3), and Owen Kennedy saw them breast the winning line and on their way to the under-16 Championship final with a 5-16 to 4-09 winning advantage.
Teams
Clooney Gaels: Joe Logan, Conal Walls, Jack Mc Fall, Matthew Mullan, Shay Neeson, Harry O’ Donnell, Sean og O’ Neill, John O’ Kane, Luke Mulholland, Conor Crossey (1-00), Conor Mc Garry, Shane Mc Guigan, Luke Mullan (0-02), Paddy Dougan (0-02), Colla Mc Donnell (3-05).
Subs: Charlie Mc Closkey for M Mullan, John Davey for J O’ Kane, D Mc Nicholl for L Mullan
St Enda’s: Emmett Burns, Dara Maguire, Oran Mac Ruagain, Cathal Morgan, Ryan Mc Closkey, Connor Mc Nicholl, Declan Breen, Niall O’ Connor (1-05), Owen Kennedy (1-03), Oisin Quinn (1-01), Brian Rogers (1-04), Paul Magee (0-01), Michael Devenny, Ciarnan Mac Creight (1-01), Oscar Smyth
Referee Kevin Gormley (Tir na nOg)
