O’Neill’s All County Minor Hurling League

Dunloy 3-10 Cushendall 1-8

Three goals in the final quarter from left half forward Sean O’Neill gave Dunloy victory over Cushendall in Friday evening’s Minor Hurling League game at Pearse Park. After trailing by three at half time after having played against a stiff breeze Cushendall had closed the gap to a single point, despite the fact that their shooting was way off target. They had missed a series of scoring opportunities, but were still very much in contention until O’Neill showed their forwards just how it is done with three excellently taken goals to seal the deal with a bit to spare.

With the breeze at their backs Dunloy took an early lead with a point from an Oisin McErleane free, but Cushendall came back with points from Niall McCormick and Niall Allen to take the lead. Sean O’Neill levelled matter with a point in the seventh minute and though the visitors went back ahead thanks to a John McAllister the home side tied things up again when centre forward Ryan McFarline knocked one over in the eleventh. From then on the Cuchullains got on top pulled four clear with points from Anton McGrath, Rory Mullan, Eoghan McGrath and Ryan McFarline in reply to one from Cushendall’s Ronan McAteer to lead by 0-9 to 0-6 at half time.

The young Ruairis must have fancied their chances when they turned to play with the breeze in the second half, and indeed they had a host of chances to claw back the deficit but wayward shooting and some great defensive work by the Dunloy back line meant they never raised a flag for the first ten minutes. When the breakthrough came with a John McAlister point it was followed a minute later by one from Ronan McAteer and suddenly they were just a point behind. However several chances to draw level were squandered and when O’Neill got in for the first of his three goals on 47 minutes you sensed the chance had gone.

Conal Kelly added a point for the Cuchullians before O’Neill ran in to claim his second goal, and though Cushendall replied with a goal of their own through midfielder Aidan Ritson, O’Neill completed his hat-trick with a great overhead flick to make it two wins out of two.

DUNLOY

Paul Doherty, Patrick Kinsella, Aaron Crawford, Eoin McMullan, Ciaran McQuillan, Ryan McGarry, Eoghan McGrath, Anton McGrath, Rory Mullan, Aaron McGuckian, Ryan McFarline, Sean O’Neill, Oisin McErleane, Daithi Cree, Conal Kelly.

CUSHENDALL

Fiontan McQuillan, Seanan Black, Tiernan Glynn, Cathal McNaughton, Pierce McKeegan, Thomas Scally, Ruairi McCollam, Ronan McAteer, Aidan Ritson, John McAlister, Niall McCormick, Niall Allen, Eoghan McAlister, Ronan McAlister, Donal Kearney.

Referee – Darren McKeown (St Gall’s)

Pics by Dylan McIlwaine

Kevin Lynch’s Dungiven join Dunloy at the top of the Division 1 table after their 3-17 to 0-15 win over Loughgiel tonight in Dungiven, Rossa were 3-17 to 1-17 winners over Ballycran at Rossa Park while an impressive Ballinascreen side travelled to Belfast and beat St Gall’s by 6-12 to 1-18.