Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship – Group One
Sunday August 9
Dunloy 0-17 Ballycastle 0-17
Town push Cuchullains all the way with honours even
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
Over six minutes of injury time. Sweltering heat. The all ticket crowd in Pearse Park was a small crowd but it felt like it was packed to the rafters.
It’s great to have championship hurling back.
A draw at the end of a pulsating game of championship hurling in which Ballycastle outmuscled Dunloy and tactically had the edge for long periods. Yet the Cuchullains showed their championship pedigree and never say die spirit.
It took a wonder score from Keelan Molloy in the fifth minute of injury time and his fifth point of the match to tie the sides yet the reining champions could have snatched an unlikely win in the end. Early substitute Aaron Crawford, an out and out defender by trade and he did everything right, until the finish. Ballycastle felt aggrieved from the restart when they felt they were in a position to snatch a win that looked to be on the cards for the majority of this tie but referee Colm McDonald called time on what was a ding dong second half and a mighty opener to this years Bathshack senior hurling championship.
Ballycastle were immense on the day. They showed hunger, desire, ferocity and in Ciaran Clarke an ace marksman from placed ball. He finished with 12 points, all from placed ball and missed just one free during the game but this was a reawakening in the Town. They fought for every ball and in the first half especially, they were first to the majority of second ball. Playing Neal McAuley as a sweeper to nullify any direct ball into the Dunloy forward line, McAuley excelled. Excellent at reading the game and he led by example as they took a stranglehold in the first half. Conor Boyd and Matty Donnelly also playing major roles for the black and amber.
The Cuchullains showed glimpses in the first half of what they are capable off but they looked lethargic in comparison to the Town. They were hampered with the loss of Conor McKinley just five minutes into the game. The Dunloy full back had just claimed an imperious catch at the heart of his defence but seemed to get injured as he cleared. Any potential absence there could be a major blow for the Cuchullains. Conal Cunning’s frees kept them in touch while Keelan Molloy always looked lively.
The first half belonged to the Town and they were worthy of their four point lead of 0-10 to 0-6 at the interval. Dunloy came out in the second half a team rejuvenated however. By the second half water break, the Cuchullains had reeled in the four point lead and with Seaan Elliott’s 45th minute point they retook the lead for the first time since Keelan Molloy’s opening point just 14 seconds into the game.
Ballycastle were undeterred. Their discipline the tackle and work rate was exemplary and would have been good enough to win many a game. Seamus McAuley was drafted in at half time and gave another presence in the middle third. The Cuchuallians were made to work for every score they managed to ween out of a quite brilliant Ballycastle defence. They tried everything with the home side’s management team working tirelessly on the side line looking for the key to unlock the Town’s defence.
The scores continued to come at both ends. Tit for tat, blow for blow with these two north Antrim giants slogging it out under the sweltering summer sun.
Clarkey recorded Ballycastle’s 17th point and his 12th of the game in the third minute of injury time to edge Ballycastle ahead for the third time in the game and they looked to have saw off the Cuchullains resurgence.
Not so.
The clock ticked further and Dunloy pressed. The sliotar wide on the right and Keelan Molloy under pressure. He could have been forgiven for sending this one wide of the posts. There was no need for apologies. One umpire nodded to the other and the white flag was raised once again to tie the scores for the seventh time in the match and a score fitting for the occasion.
The drama wasn’t over there. Neither side were settling for a share of the championship points, but it was the Cuchullains who carved open the clearest opportunity. The Cuchullains worked the sliotar to Aaron Crawford who left his sweeping berth and soloed clear. The composure was there but the accuracy wasn’t.
All square in a gripping contest. Championship hurling is back.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Conor McKinley, Conor Ferris; Kevin McKeague, Eamon Smyth, Ryan McGarry; Paul Shiels, Kevin Molloy; Ronan Molloy, Keelan Molloy, Nicky McKeague; Chrissy Brogan, Conal Cunning, Eoin O’Neill
Scorers: C Cunning 0-7 (6f); Keelan Molloy 0-5; Kevin Molloy 0-2; E O’Neill 0-1; E Emyth 0-1; Seaan Elliott 0-1
Ballycastle: Brendan Connor; Oran Kearney, Matthew Donnelly, Sean Kelly; James McLister, Conor Boyd, Eamon Elliott; Ronan McCarry, Ryan McCook; Cathal Connor, James McShane, Ciaran Butler; Diarmuid McShane, Neal McAuley, Ciaran Clarke
Scorers: C Clarke 0-12 (11f, 1’65); D McShane 0-2; C Boyd 0-1; C Butler 0-1; Seamus McAuley 0-1
Referee: Colm McDonald (St Galls)
