Andersonstown Social Club
Intermediate Hurling Championship
The Intermediate Hurling championship gets underway this weekend with a double header in Glenravel. Cushendun, Sarsfields, Clooney Gaels and Naomh Éanna play in the preliminary round and we’ve taken a closer look at the runners and riders to see who will progress
By Brendan McTaggart
SARSFIELDS V CUSHENDUN
Preliminary Round
Cushendun vs Sarsfields
Venue: Fr McGinn Park, Glenravel
Date: Saturday August 10
Throw In: 1:30pm
Referee: Darren McKeown (St Galls)
Sarsfields Kevin Mckernan and Cushendun’s Conor McHugh
The Intermediate champions of two years ago and last year’s Junior champions. An intriguing prospect lays ahead on Saturday afternoon with Sarsfields and Cushendun taking to the Fr McGinn pitch to get the Intermediate championship off and running.
Sarsfields will come into this one as favourites having played in a league above the Emmets and having sealed a play-off spot for a potential promotion to the top league. 2019 has gone as close to plan as the men from the Bear Pitt could have wished for. Off their 13 league matches, they tasted defeat just twice against – Glenariffe by six points, the Oisin’s enjoyed a welcome return to form in the latter stage of the league and a one point defeat to eventual winers Naomh Éanna.
The return of Niall McKenna this year has been key. He brings so much to the table for Sarsfields and has proved to be one of the best in the county in recent years with his exploits in a Saffron jersey. His inclusion on the half forward line with the fire power of Kevin McKernan will be pivotal for the Paddies but the loss of Daniel McKernan will be equally felt across the Bear Pitt. He suffered a cruciate injury in the Paddies win over Creggan in June and will be a major loss for the Belfast side but with a defence built around the tenacious tackling of Jack Daniels, Niall McAlea and Caolan Caldwell, the Paddies bring their good form and bags of experience at this level.
Cushendun have had a solid if yet unspectacular year in Division 3. Winning as many as they’ve lost while drawing one of their 13 league games. A top half finish would have been the aim for the Emmet’s at the start of the campaign and they achieved as much.
Tuesday night’s win over Bredagh will come as a welcome boost for Chris Dornan’s men and comes off the back of three league defeats since the split. You can’t read too much into these fixtures with the holiday season, a fact that was underlined with Cushendun defeating Bredagh 2-20 to 4-9 while suffering a 1-24 to 2-12 defeat in late June to the same opposition.
The way Cushendun won the Antrim Junior championship in 2018 will make them dangerous opposition however. They didn’t look troubled in Antrim and but for a late lapse against Castleblayney, their season could and probably should have been extended beyond Christmas. They have quality players throughout and lads who will relish the big occasion. Conlaoth ‘Loaf’ McNeill is a gem on the edge of the square while Harry and David Kilgore have the ability to cause the Paddies problems. Thomas Scally will be vital in defence while much could rest on the young shoulders of Conor McHugh. Smiley has shown in an Antrim shirt this year that he belongs at a higher level and Sarsfields will have to curtail his influence on the game to be successful.
All things considered, I think the momentum from a successful league campaign in Division 2 will be enough to get the Paddies over the line in this one. The predicted weather could be a leveller but I can’t see anything other than a Sarsfields victory.
Two key men in Saturday’s IHC meeting, Cushendun’s Connlaoth McNeill and Sarsfields Niall McKenna
Preliminary Round
Clooney Gaels vs Naomh Eanna
Venue: Fr McGinn Park, Glenravel
Date: Saturday August 10
Throw In: 3pm
Referee: Vincent Boyle (Dunloy)
NAOMH EANNA V CLONEY GAELS
Naomh Eanna’s John McGoldrick and Cloney Gaels’ PJ O’Connell
The second of Saturday’s Intermediate double header in Glenravel sees two sides who have realistic expectations of championship silverware this year, Naomh Éanna and Cloney Gaels.
Both sides have had differing league campaigns which to the naked eye may look like there will be only one winner but a closer look tells you, there isn’t much to separate these two sides. Naomh Éanna have made history this year and have booked a spot at the top table of Antrim hurling for the 2020 season. The influence of Sambo McNaughton in addition to the hard work and dedication put into the youth set up on the Hightown Road is starting to bear fruit with the wee ball as well as the big ball in recent years. One defeat during the league season, in the Bear Pitt against Sarsfields meant that the Glengormley side will be playing in Division One. A huge feat for the dual club and regardless of what happens in the championship, this season has been a success for them. But, and there’s always a but, they want this championship. Having come close in the recent past, this has been the one that has alluded them and they are best poised for a tilt at championship honours than they probably ever have in recent years.
They have gems littered through their squad punctuated by the hugely talented Joe Maskey and John McGoldrick. ‘Big Sleep’ Maskey has become an Antrim regular in recent times although the early part of this season was hampered with injury while McGoldrick has flirted with the Saffrons squad as well. In Killian Jennings they have an ace marksman from placed ball while Cormac Ross, Ruairi Diamond and Mark Donaghy all form part of an impressive defence.
But if Naomh Éanna are to progress, their defence will have to be firing on all cylinders as they come up against the form team of Division Two. Cloney Gaels couldn’t put a win together at the start of the league campaign but a run of seven league wins in their last nine games tells you the Ahoghill side may have timed their run for the championship. A look at their scores in recent matches tells you they won’t be lacking confidence either. 33 goals in their last seven games means they’re the second highest scoring team in Division Two this year, second only to their opponents on Saturday.
It would be unfair to just highlight the Cloney Gaels attack considering they have a strong defence with the likes of Bernard Graham, Stephen O’Connell and Diarmuid Graham but an attack with PJ and James O’Connell will cause any team severe headaches. James O’Connell with the standout individual performance of last years Intermediate championship with his 2-13 in their win over St Brigid’s, Cloughmills.
Their league match on the opening night of the season under the floodlights of Fr McGuigan Park, Naomh Éanna held on to record a one point victory. Two goals from the O’Connell’s wasn’t enough with the Hightown Road side landing scores from all angles on a cold night. The weather forecast won’t allow for pretty hurling and there won’t be much between these sides but I think Naomh Éanna may have enough to edge past Cloney on this occasion but I wouldn’t be surprised if we need extra time for this one.
Naomh Eanna’s Mark Donaghy and Cloney Gaels’ Eamon Brady