Biddies beat Armoy in Intermediate opener

Andersonstown Social Club Intermediate Hurling Championship

St Brigid’s Cloughmills 2-13 Glen Rovers Armoy 2-10

Cloughmills won their opening game in the Intermediate Hurling Championship when they beat North Antrim rivals Armoy at Cloughmills on Sunday. For most of the first half it appeared that the home team were going to cruise to victory when they opened up a 1-5 to 0-1 lead after 23 minutes, but an Eamon McCaughan goal lifted the Armoy men and they closed to within three by half time.

The Glen Rovers men got it back to within one point early in the second half but during the third quarter it was ‘nip and tuck’ but a Mickey Devlin goal from a penalty just after the second half water break proved the decisive score.

**Cloughmills Eoin Dobbin in action during Sunday’s win over Armoy**

The Biddies dominated the early stages with points from Mickey Devlin and Stephen Smyth before Johnny McErlain opened the Armoy account on 12 minutes. Two points from Liam Kearns frees, one from play from Mickey Devlin, plus a goal from corner forward Eoin Dobbin opened a seven point gap for the home team, but a point from Johnny McErlain and a goal from centre forward Eamon McCaughan helped Armoy close to within three at the break. 1-7 to 1-4

**Johnny McErlain fires a free through a crowded Clougmills goalmouth for a late consolation goal**

When Johnny McErlain and Rocky Dillon grabbed points in the first two minutes of the second half it was ‘game-on’ and though Cloughmills eased the pressure with points from Liam Kearns and Mickey Devlin, Armoy kept in touch with points from Emmet O’Hara and McErlain. The decisive score came on 48 minutes when Cloughmills were awarded a twenty metre free and Mickey Devlin fired it to the back of the Armoy net. When substitute Jimmy Doherty added two fine points from play and Aaron Smiley hit a monster point from inside his own half the Biddies were home and dry, but Armoy kept battling to the last and big Johnny fired a free through a crowded Cloughmills goalmouth for a goal the gap was down to a three at the final whistle.

CLOUGHMILLS

Chris McKiernan, Geoffrey Og Laverty, John McGuckian, Sean McKendry, Aaron Smiley, Michael Morrison, Steven Martin, Conor Laverty, Marty Dobbin, Steven Smyth, Ruairi Laverty, Mickey Develin, Eoin Dobbin, Joseph Smyth, Liam Kearns.

Subs – James Doherty

ARMOY

Conor Devlin, Shane Devlin, John Dillon, Joe McBride, Liam Dillon, Thomas Burns, Callum Coyles, PJ McBride, Arthur Devlin, Emmet O’Hara, Eamon McCaughan, Conor Christie, Liam O’Hara, Johnny McErlain, Trevor Linton.

Refereee – Tarlach Conway