Senior Hurling Challenge
Antrim 1-19 Galway 2-22
Sunday December 15
Brendan McTaggart reports from GAA Centre of Excellence, Abbotstown – Dublin
Antrim fell to a six point defeat to Galway in this friendly in Abbotstown but it was another encouraging performance from the Saffrons. The 2017 All-Ireland champions travelled to the Dublin venue with an experimental panel but plenty of household names in their 15. The tribesmen are under the management of Na Piarsaigh clubman Shane O’Neill and there was plenty on show who were eager to lay their claims for a place on the Galway panel for the forthcoming season.
It was the perfect match for Antrim in a sense. 70 plus minutes against a top tier side and a chance to see where they where in terms of their own development. Neil McManus top scored for the Saffrons with seven of his nine points coming from placed ball while Conor Johnston finished top of the pile from open play. The St John’s man with five points from open play in another impressive performance, especially in the second half while Domhnall Nugent was always a threat. Phelim Duffin gave another solid display in the full back line and used the sliotar well when delivering further up the field in what was the first stern test of the Saffrons defence of the season.
In their previous outings against Meath, Armagh and Wicklow, the Saffrons have won comfortably with their defence rarely taking the carpet slippers off such was their comfort. Sunday afternoon in Abbotstown was a different story. Brian Concannon on the inside forward line and the twin attacking threats of Jason Flynn and Evan Nialand were more than a handful. Flynn in particular showcasing his talents throughout and his goal with nine minutes remaining spelling the end to a very good second half by the Saffrons.
Galway led by six at half time thanks largely to Adrian Tuohy’s early goal. An opening 35 minutes where Antrim were wasteful in front of the target, they managed just seven points and reliant on McManus’ frees. The second half and a few changes, Antrim got to within two points 15 minutes after the restart. Ronan Molloy with the Antrim goal after reading the flight and break of the sliotar and finishing well to the bottom corner.
Antrim had restricted Galway to just three points in those opening 15 minutes of the second half, all coming from frees and Flynn with the scores but Molloy’s major sparked the Tribesmen back into life. Evan Nialand taking centre stage with his free taking and two points from play after Flynn’s goal in the 61st minute.
A defeat but a more than decent performance against a very good side. A match where they were missing at least six players for one reason or another and they can take plenty from this 70 minutes. Keeping a team like Galway scoreless from open play for 17 minutes while churning out 1-12 at the other end of the field after the short whistle. The touch was there for the majority of the game while the fitness levels never dipped in an energy sapping contest against the Tribesmen.
TEAMS
Antrim: Conor McAllister; Stephen Rooney, Ciaran Johnston, Phelim Duffin; Gerard Walsh, Ryan McGarry, Conor Boyd; Dan McCloskey, Aodhan O’Brien; Michael Bradley, Neil McManus, Domhnall Nugent; Conor Johnston, Alex Delargy, Eoin O’Neill
Subs: Matthew Donnelly for C Boyd (22); Ryan Elliott for C McAllister (HT); Nicky McKeague for E O’Neill (HT); Ronan Molloy for M Bradley (HT); James O’Connell for A Delargy (38); Conor McHugh for G Walsh (52); TT Butler for Ciaran Johnston (52); Eoin O’Neill for D McCloskey (62)
Scorers: Neil McManus 0-9 (6 f’s 1 ’65); Conor Johnston 0-6 (1f); Ronan Molloy 1-00; Domhnall Nugent 0-1; Alex Delargy 0-1; James O’Connell 0-1; Conor McHugh 0-1
Galway: James Skehill; Sean Loftus, Kevin Hussey, Jack Grealish; Joe Mooney, Jamie Holland, TJ Brennan; Dairmuid Kilcollins, Sean Kilduff; David Glennon, Adrian Tuohy, Jason Flynn; Jamie Ryan, Brian Concannon, Evan Nialand
Scorers: Evan Nialand 0-10 (7 f’s); Jason Flynn 1-5 (3 f’s); Adrian Tuohy 1-1; Joe Mooney 0-2; Dairmuid Kilcollins 0-1; Brian Concannon 0-1
