Junior Feis Shield semi-final
Loughgiel 0-14 Armoy 2-10
A goal from a free in the 58th minute gave Armoy victory over Loughgiel in Tuesday evening’s semi-final of the Junior Feis Shield, which was played in driving rain at Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel. With two minutes left for play it looked like the Shamrocks would hold on for the win, having never been headed throughout the game. However Linton’s free from out on the sideline, but 35 meters from goal went all the way through a packed goalmouth and somehow ended up in the back of the net to give the Glen Rovers men a win that for long periods had looked unlikely.
Loughgiel started strongly and early points from Paddy McLaverty, Cowboy McFadden and Cahir McGrath had them three clear in as many minutes. PJ McBride got Armoy’s first point in the fourth minute and though McFadden added his second point from a free two well taken scores from Tarlach McBride and Conor Christie brought the visitors back to within a point after fourteen minutes.
During the second quarter Loughgiel got back on top and a point from Shaun McFadden and two from OD Laverty, in reply to one from Tarlach McBride had the Shamrocks ahead by 0-7 to 0-4 at half time.
Loughgiel strengthened their position early in the second half as Paddy Laverty, Turlough McCarry and Caolan McIlhatton added points in reply to just one from Armoy’s Emmet O’Hara. The gap was now out to five and Loughgiel appeared to have taken a grip on the game, but a point by Trevor Linton and a goal from Gerard Laverty brought Armoy right back into contention. It was score for score for the next ten minutes Turlough McCarry (2) and Caolan McIlhatton fired over for Loughgiel and Conor Christie and Tarlach McBride replied for Armoy, and when McIlhatton added another with two minutes left to play the Shamrocks were one ahead with time running out fast. When Linton stepped up to take his late free a point seemed the most likely outcome, which would have brought the game to extra time, but his shot dipped at the last second and somehow ended up in the back of the Loughgiel net to book his team a place in the final at Feis na nGleann.
LOUGHGIEL
Caolan McGivern, Odhran Faloona, Ronan McFadden, Ryan Cassley, Conor Carey, Cahair McMullan, Corey Blair, Shaun McFadden, David McNeill, Niall ‘Cowboy’ McFadden, OD Laverty, Turlough McCarry, Paddy Laverty, Cahir McGrath, Caolan McIlhatton.
ARMOY
Tim Burns, David McMichael, Arthur Devlin, Ciaran McCormick, Emmet O’Hara, Liam O’Hara, Shane Devlin, PJ McBride, Liam Dillon, Conor Christie, Joe McBride, Trevor Linton, Seamus McAlister, Gerard Laverty, Tarlach McBride
Referee – Malachy Leech (Oisins)
Pics by John McIlwaine