Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship Round Robin
Loughgiel 2-18 St John’s 2-15
Report and pics by John McIlwaine
Loughgiel made it two wins out of two in the Antrim Senior Hurling Championship Round Robin stage when the withstood a spirited second half comeback by St John’s in Sunday’s Round 2 game at Fr Healy Park. Leading by 0-5 to 0-0 at the end of the opening quarter and by 1-10 to 0-5 at half time it all seemed so easy for a Shamrocks side for whom centre forward James McNaughton was pulling the strings. Ten minutes into the second half the home side had increased their lead to nine and it looked as if the game was going to fizzle out, but four points in three minutes resurrected the Johnnies challenge and they battled back into contention only to have their hopes dashed by a late goal from substitute Liam Watson who took another step on his road to recovery from injury with a very productive cameo appearance.
With a stiff breeze at their backs in the opening half the Shamrocks were up and running inside thirty seconds as man of the match James McNaughton glided in to split the St John’s posts. He added his second two mintues later from a free and on six minutes Donal McKinley made it three when he picked up a great clearance out of defence by veteran corner back Paul ‘Ding’ Gillan before sprinting clear and firing over. McNaughton added his third point from a free on seven minutes and the fifth soon followed as the stylish McNaughton was picked out by Eddie McCloskey in the right corner, McNaughton finishing with ease.
St John’s were in danger of going under but Conor Johnston eventually got them going with a pointed free in the tenth minute, but one from inside his own half from McNaughton and one from the right corner by Eddie McCloskey opened up a 0-7 to 0-1 gap. Conor Johnston and Peter McCallin pulled back points to keep St John’s in touch and even though McNaughton came back with two pointed frees in quick succession, two more from Johnston as the game entered first half injury time brought the gap back to just four, and suddenly things looked a lot brighter for the visitors. However their fortunes took a quick downturn a minute later when James McNaughton won the ball to close to goal and though he lost his hurl in a tackle he raced in to kick the ball to the net and when Eddie McCloskey weaved his way through to add on a point the Shamrocks lead was suddenly to eight by the time referee Colum Cunning sounded the half time whistle.
Peter McCallin celebrates after his second half goal brought St John’s back into contention. Pic by John McIlwaine
Eight points was going to take a lot of pulling back and when it went out to nine with a Shay Casey a minute after the restart most people felt the game was as good as over. Two quick points from Michéal Dudley points briefly lifted the interest but two more from McNaughton kept the Shamrocks nine ahead with by the 48th minute. Things slowly began to change when two points from Michael Bradley and two from Conor Johnston inside a dominant three minute spell brought the gap down to just four. Liam Watson, who had just been introduced as a substitute, ran through the Johnnies defence and was hauled down and McNaughton sent the resultant free between the posts to put five between the sides again, but seven minutes from time Peter McCallin threw his team a lifeline when he broke through for a goal on 53miutes and when Ciaran Johnston landed a point from a free deep inside his own half it was suddenly game on again.
When things looked a little unsteady for the Shamrocks Watson settled the ship and after winning his team a free which McNaughton pointed, he set up Donal McKinley for a point from play before getting in behind the Johnnies defence to flick home a goal. There was no way back now for the Johnnies now, but to their credit they battled on to the end and Conor Johnston’s grabbed a goal, and Peter McCallin added a point to leave just three between the teams at the final whistle.
Liam Watson kills off the St John’s comeback as he scores Loughgiel’s second goal late in the game. Pic by John McIlwaine
LOUGHGIEL
DD Quinn, Paul Gillan, Neilly McGarry, Ronan McCloskey, Tony McCloskey, Damon McMullan, Odhran McFadden, Tiernan Coyle, Declan Gillan, Donal McKinley, James McNaughton, Ryan McKee, Dan McCloskey, Eddie McCloskey, Shay Casey.
Subs – Liam Watson for Declan Gillan (blood sub); Declan Gillan for Liam Watson (blood sub); Maol Connolly for McKee; Mark McFadden for Coyle; Liam Watson for Dan McCloskey; Shan McGrath for Casey.
ST JOHN’S
Simon Doherty, Sean Wilson, Conall Morgan, Aidan McMahon, Simon McCrory, Peter McCallin, Jimmy Peoples, Ciaran Johnston, Conor Johnston, Shea Shannon, Gerard Cunningham, Michael Bradley, Donal Carson, Barry McFall, Michael Dudley
Subs – Stephen Tierney for Gerard Cunningham; Colm McFall for Shea Shannon; CJ McKenna for Donal Carson; Oisin Donnelly for Aidan McMahon
Referee – Colum Cunning (Dunloy)