Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship
Group 2 – Match day 1
Loughgiel vs St Johns @ Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel
Date: Saturday August 10 – Throw In: 7pm
Referee: Fiontann McCotter (Sarsfields)
Fr Healy Park hosts the opening match of the 2019 round robin with the Shamrocks hosting St John’s on Saturday evening. Off course both these sides played each other in the championship at this stage last year with the Shamrocks holding off a late surge from the Johnnies before running out three point winners.
Loughgiels James McNaughton and St Johns Simon McCrory
The Corrigan Park side came close in the semi-finals from taking the scalp they’ve been yearning for. Having come through the play-off against Ballycastle and seeing off city rivals Rossa to secure a place in the last four, it took a replay before eventual winners Cushendall got the better of St John’s. Two games that had everything. Drama, scores, misses and played with the type of intensity that makes hurling the game we love. Raw championship hurling in its purest form.
The replay brought a huge crowd to Pairc MacUílín and despite a late fightback, it wasn’t enough for the Johnnies. Can they go one better this year? They have the team who can do the damage. I was going to add ‘cause a shock’ but after the last three years, how much of a shock would it be? They’ve been on the crest of something special, perhaps this is the year when that something stirring beneath the shadows of the Black Mountain will emerge?
Conor Johnston remains their star attacking threat but he’s got more than capable assistance from Peter McCallin and Donal McKernan while Michael Bradley and Dannan McKeogh will also need to be kept an eye on. Ciaran Johnston is a player who can play in a range of positions. He’s best employed at centre half in my opinion with a view to his awesome reading of the game in front of him. His accuracy from long range frees will also be a factor with the conditions to be less than favourable.
Beaten in last years final, the Shamrocks will have another major say in where the Volunteer Cup will find a home this year. With retirements and work commitments, they’ve had to dig a bit deeper into their squad this year. Last year they defied the ‘experts’ by beating Dunloy in the semi-finals and showed a side they hadn’t brought to the table before. The levels of desire and work rate they showed were immense and it’s been the foundations on which they’ve built their league campaign on.
Seamus Dobbin and Odhran McFadden either side of Tiernan Coyle have formed an impressive half back line while like his predecessor, Chrissy O’Connell’s poc outs are the lynch pin for many Loughgiel attacks. The return from injury of Barney McAuley has added vast experience and know how around midfield while Shan McGrath is having his best year in a senior Loughgiel shirt. With the experience of Eddie McCloskey, Shay Casey, Declan Laverty with the industrious Dan McCloskey, the Loughgiel attack still has plenty about it. Their ace in the pack is James McNaughton, one of the best in the county and deadly accurate from frees.
It’s an intriguing contest but one both sides will be relishing. It’s not win or bust for either but Loughgiel have been trying to build momentum all season long while St John’s will be looking to underline their credentials as a fore runner for the championship.
If I was going to back anyone here, I’d put a small wager on the Shamrocks. Purely for their ability to grind out results. The Johnnies will come out hard and fast, looking to make the most of their speed and agility in attack, whether a well organised Loughgiel defence will allow that to happen remains to be seen. I expect a close one but Loughgiel to shade it.