Maol Connolly who scored a personal tally of 0-16 as Loughgiel proved too good for Ballycastle in the Reserve Cup semi-final at Healey Park on Monday night.
Reserve Hurling Cup semi-final
Loughgiel 0-25 Ballycastle 2-5
Maol Connolly turned in a master-class of point taking as Loughgiel swept aside the challenge of McQuillan’s Ballycastle in this Reserve Cup hurling semi-final at Healey Park on Monday night. Connolly wore the number 14 jersey and lined out on the edge of the square but he moved out the field regularly throughout the hour to fire over frees from every angle and distance.
Mighty Maol finished the game with an impressive 0-16 as the Shamrocks took complete control in the second half but a battling Ballycastle never gave up but in the end had no answer to a rampant Loughgiel side for who James McNaughton excelled in mid-field.
The visitors made a bright start but weren’t able to turn early pressure into scores. Loughgiel soaked up the early pressure before going ahead through Maol Connolly from play in the 5th minute and another from the same player direct from a ‘65’.
Connolly made it 3-0 before Ciaran Butler opened the visitors account with a point in the 10th minute but immediately Connolly relied at the other end. Butler closed the gap to two once more but points from Shan McGrath and that man Connolly saw Loughgiel move four ahead at the end of the opening quarter.
The McQuillan’s were still battling for every ball and they produced a fine move in the 19th minute which saw Shane Staunton finish to the net and following another converted free from Connolly they rocked the home side with another good goal, this time Lorcan Donnelly the scorer and Ballycastle were one ahead for the first time in the game.
Their lead was short lived however as Maol Connolly struck from play and from a free with radar precision before Eamon Elliott tied the contest once more with four minutes of the half remaining. Just when it looked like Ballycastle were coming more and more into the game the Shamrock’s finished with a flurry and a hat-trick of points from the elusive Connolly sent them to the dressing room three ahead.
Any hopes of a Ballycastle come-back after the break were quickly dashed as Nicolas McNaughton, Maol Connolly 0-2 and Shan McGrath added unanswered points by the 10th minute to move the Healey park side seven ahead and with their defence now turning everything that came their way the scores continued to come quick and fast.
Maol Connolly, Declan Gillan, Nicolas McNaughton, Shan McGrath and Callum McKendry all hit the target to put the game out of reach with ten minutes still remaining and had it not been for three courageous saves from Brendan Connor in the ‘Castle’ goals it would have been even worse.
Ballycastle could manage only two points during the closing 30 minutes through their best player, Ciaran Butler but it was Maol Connolly who finished as he had started with three further minors and Nicolas McNaughton adding another to complete a satisfactory night’s work for the home side.
Chris O’Connell, Cormac Watt, Ronan Gillan, Caolan Blair, Cathal McMullan, Seamus Dobbin, Declan Gillan, James McNaughton, Callum McKendry, Aodhan McFadden, Nicolas McNaughton, Joey Scullion, Paddy Laverty, Maol Connolly, Shan McGrath.
Ballycastle: Brendan Connor, Conor Donnelly, Oisin McAuley, Oran Kearney, Shane McCarry, John McLister, Conal Colgan, Ronan McCarry, Colm Butler, Lorcan Donnelly, Ciaran Butler, Eamon Elliott, Cathal Connor, Shane Staunton, Conaire Butler
Referee: Ryan O’Reilly (Con Magee’s)