O’Neill’s Antrim Hurling League Division 4

Naomh Colmcille. 4-11 Na Magha. 4-13

By James McQuillan

Na Magha hurlers found themselves on the road again on Wednesday night this time to Naomh Colmcille in Tyrone. Naomh Colmcille opened the scoring on 5 minutes with a goal but the Derry men hit back scoring 2-02 in a three minute spell. It was a first half of goals as the hosts hit back and after hesitancy in the Na Magha defence a free dropped short and was scrambled to the net. The Tyrone men still had time for two more goals before half time to leave an interval score of Naomh Colmcille 4 05. Na Magha 3. 06.

Na Magha were fast out of the blocks in the second half and hit 1. 03 in the opening 4 minutes but didn’t score for the next 14 minutes by which time they had only a one point lead. The next five minutes were laced with some fine point taking by both sides (one from a free by Alan Grant from 85 metres the highlight)                                     The game seemed to be ebbing away from the Derry men but they were given a last chance when they won a 65 and unerringly the Na Magha number 11 put the ball over the black spot, and when the puckout was won by Tim Rankin he fired over from the right wing to secure a hard won two point victory in added time.

Final score. A Grant. 1. 07 T Rankin 1 03. A O’Donnell 1. 01 D. Shields. 1. 00. M Mc Closkey. 0. 01. F Mc Ananey. 0. 01