ACHL Division One
Ballycastle 0-8 Rossa 1-15
Friday July 19th
Brendan McTaggart reports from Páírc Mac Úilin
Rossa recorded a ten point victory over Ballycastle on Friday evening in what was a dress rehearsal for their championship encounter in seven days time. The Shaws Road men held a five point lead at the short whistle but cruised through the second half thanks to a 36th minute major from Tiarnan Murphy.
Both side’s were missing plenty of regulars and they won’t read too much into the outcome of this one looking ahead to their first leg of the championship play off. Rossa looked to have more cohesion and had more players prepared to win the dirty ball when it mattered. They dominated the midfield exchanges with Cónall Shannon and Michael Armstrong doing the donkey work in the engine room. Thomas Morgan top scored with all of his five points coming from play while Deaglan Murphy was heavily involved throughout. A chief tormentor in attack during the first half while dropping deeper to help his defence after the restart, Murphy put in another big shift for the Jeremiah’s. Of the 1-15 they registered, just two points came from placed ball and eight different players added their names to the list of scorers. A fact that won’t have gone unnoticed to the Rossa management team despite their struggles in front of the target.
The ten point margin of victory probably flattered the home side by the end of the hour. Rossa had almost reached double figures with wides in the first half with another seven after the break and while the McQuillan’s weren’t firing on all cylinders in front of the target themselves, they couldn’t argue with the margin of victory by the full time whistle.
Tiernan Butler put in another solid display at centre half with Matthew Donnelly and Conor Boyd also catching the eye in defence but they lacked any cutting edge an attack that was second best to the Rossa defence over the hour. Five points from play over 60 minutes won’t win many matches with a couple of placed ball frees going astray as well. It leaves the Ballycastle management with much to ponder ahead of their next meeting but they are expected to be back to full strength and have more options available.
The home side made a bright start and the sides were tied on three points apiece after the opening 10 minutes. Rossa began to make better use of the sliotar and the quality of ball into the forwards improved immeasurably. This along with speed of thought and smart play from quick frees allowed the Shaws Road side to open a three point lead by the 20th minute. Seaghan and Cónall Shannon, Morgan, Armstrong and Deaglan Murphy with a brace (one free) in answer to the home sides white flags from Owen Kinney and Kevin Barry McShane frees along with Ronan McCarry’s 10th minute effort.
Kevin Barry McShane’s second free of the match reduced the deficit to just two points with 10 minutes of the half remaining but Rossa were well on top. Morgan (two), Tiarnan and Deaglan Murphy (free) opening a five point lead that should have been doubled with the number of wides the visitors recorded.
Lorcan Donnelly and Armstrong swapped scores in injury time to leave Rossa ahead 0-10 to 0-5 at the short whistle.
Rossa dominated the opening exchanges of the second half with Michael McGreavey and Morgan splitting the uprights either side of Saul McCaughan’s 33rd minute point for Ballycastle. Rossa were finding spaces in the Ballycastle defence and when they scored their major it came as little surprise. Armstrong causing mayhem before passing to Tiarnan Murphy who fired the sliotar to the back of the net despite the best efforts of Shane Staunton between the sticks for the home side.
The McQuillan’s responded well with a brace of points from Butler, the second of which in the 41st minute but that would be the Town’s last score of the game. With Deaglan Murphy dropping deeper, Rossa were leaving room for Aidan Orchin and Thomas Morgan to keep the Ballycastle defence on their toes. Further white flags from Orchin and Morgan (two) ensured a comfortable victory for the visitors to Páirc MacÚilin.
This was one of those matches that neither really wanted to have played. Both were missing plenty with players away on holidays and with their crucial championship encounter just around the corner, neither would have been keen to show their full hand. Rossa were worthy of their victory however and will hope to keep their momentum going when they welcome Ballycastle to Rossa Park on Friday night for the first leg of their championship play off.
TEAMS
Ballycastle: Shane Staunton; Ciaran McKeague, Matthew Donnelly, Ben McQuillan; Oisin McAuley, Tiernan Butler, Conor Boyd; Shane McCarry, Ronan McCarry; Eamon Elliott, Kevin Barry McShane, Lorcan Donnelly; Conor McCurdy, Owen Kinney, Saul McCaughan.
Scorers: Tiernan Butler 0-2; Kevin Barry McShane 0-2 (2 f’s); Owen Kinney 0-1 (1f) Saul McCaughan 0-1; Ronan McCarry 0-1; Lorcan Donnelly 0-1.
Rossa: Matthew Devlin; Niall Crossan, Chris McGuinness, Padraig McGreavy; Michael McGreavey, Gerard Walsh, Aodhan O’Brien; Cónall Shannon, Michael Armstrong; Tiarnan Murphy, Callum McVeigh, Seaghan Shannon; Aidan Orchin, Thomas Morgan, Deaglan Murphy.
Scorers: Thomas Morgan 0-5; Tiarnan Murphy 1-1; Deaglan Murphy 0-3 (2 f’s); Michael Armstrong 0-2; Michael McGreavey 0-1; Cónall Shannon 0-1; Seaghan Shannon 0-1; Aidan Orchin 0-1.
Referee: Darren McKeown (St Galls)
