Senior Reserve Hurling Cup – Group 2
Dunloy 5-25 St Galls 2-12
Monday July 20
Report and pictures from Brendan McTaggart
Dunloy cruised to a 22 point win over St Galls in the senior reserve championship opener in Pearse Park on Monday evening. It was a superb attacking display from the Cuchullains who scored 5-18 from play and 10 different names on the scoresheet. The home side held a 23 point lead at the short whistle and St Galls improved after the interval to close the gap but it was a more than comfortable win for the Cuchullains by the end of the hour.
Dunloy were slick all over the field with Chrissy McMahon, Anton McGrath and Liam McCann outstanding. They scored their opening goal in the fourth minute with Ryan McFarlane finishing. Their second and third goals came in the space of 60 seconds, Kevin McQuillan and McMahon opening a 19 point lead in the 25th minute. McQuillan’s major meaning the front eight for the Cuchullains had all registered scores.
The Milltown Row men had points from Gregory McGreevy (two frees) and Ewan Rush in the opening 30 minutes but McQuillan’s second goal and McMahon found his range once again to take his tally to 1-4 for the first half.
St Galls had the help of whatever wind there was in the second half and they scored their first goal of the game just two minutes after the restart. Patrick Friel sending the sliotar to the Dunloy goals and Niall Burke did enough to put Paul Doherty off as the ball dropped into the Dunloy net.
Kian Cruikshank (two) looked lively from play while McGreevy remained accurate from placed ball to keep the scoreboard ticking for the Milltown Row men but McGrath, McMahon and McCann were responding in kind for the Cuchullains.
The home side scored their fifth goal of the game in the 50th minute, substitute Daithi Cree firing home from close range. St Galls second major came with the last action of the game, Niall Burke deflecting a dropping free from McGreevy and giving Doherty little chance in the Dunloy goal.
Both sides were reduced to 14 men late in the game with McCann and Ronan Crossan seeing red for an off the ball altercation and tempers threatened to boil over but it was a win for the Cuchullains and they have a two week wait before their next game in the group. St Galls welcome Loughgiel to west Belfast next Monday.
Dunloy: Paul Doherty; Oran Quinn, Karl O’Kane, Oran Shivers; Callum Scullion, Eamon Smyth, Ciaran McQuillan; Liam McCann, Ciaran Elliott; Gabriel McTaggart, Anton McGrath, Chrissy McMahon; Ryan McFarlane, Kevin McQuillan, Miceal Murphy
Scorers: Chrissy McMahon 1-8; Ryan McFarlane 1-3; Kevin McQuillan 2-00; Liam McCann 0-5 (1 f); Anton McGrath 0-3; Miceal Murphy 0-3 (3 f); Daithi Cree 1-00; Eamon Smyth 0-1; Ciaran Elliott 0-1; Gabriel McTaggart 0-1
St Galls: Cormac Sheehan; Liam McCluskey, David Sheehan, Paul Loughran; Michael McMullan, Jack Hopkins, Anthony Healy; Eoghan McCurdy, Gregory McGreevy; Kian Cruikshank, Patrick Friel, Ewan Rush; Ronan Crossen, Niall Burke, Colm McCloskey
Scorers: Gregory McGreevy 0-6 (4 f’s 1 ’65); Patrick Friel 1-2; Niall Burke 1-00; Kian Cruickshank 0-2; Jack Hopkins 0-1; Ewan Rush 0-1
Referee: Paul McSparren (Cushendun)
