Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship Group 1
Ballycastle 2-15 St John’s 1-18
Six minutes into injury time in Sunday’s Senior Hurling Championship clash at Pairc MacUílín the sliotar broke out to Ballycastle’s Neill McAuley about 70 meters from the St John’s goal. The veteran defender took aim and went for what would have been the winning point. At first he raised his hurl in celebration thinking his shot was on target, but as the ball neared the posts he could see it had drifted the wrong side of the upright and he turned away dejected, knowing a great chance of a semi-final spot was gone.
It was a dramatic end to a dramatic game and in truth it was a fair result, for neither side deserved to lose this epic battle. It was tense and exciting from start to finish and though St John’s appeared to be in control when they led by 0-8 to 0-3 after twelve minutes, they could not contain the genius of Ciaran Clarke who hauled his team back into contention with a series of brilliant scores, including a great individual goal on 25 minutes, to put them 1-10 to 0-12 ahead at the break.
When the Town were reduced to fourteen men at the throw-in at the start of the second half their task appeared massive, but they battled on bravely, but when man of the match Conor Johnston scored his team’s goal just after the second half water break the smart money was on the Johnnies. When he added a points seconds later to put his side four clear with just eleven minutes of normal time left to play they appeared to be in a strong position, but when Ballycastle substitute Dairmuid McShane took advantage of a slip by the St John’s netminder to flick the ball to the net it was game on again. The excitement was a fever pitch as Clarke pushed his team three ahead three minutes into added time, but the Johnnies battled back with two late points to earn a deserved draw, a result that puts them in the driving seat in Group 1
Conor Johnston put the Corrigan Park men ahead inside 30 seconds, but Rambo McCarry had the home side level inside a minute. Johnston worked his magic again seconds later to restore the lead but Ciaran Clarke levelled this up for the second time with a point from a free. Two excellent points from Domnhall Nugent put the Johnnies two clear on seven minutes and though Clarke cut it back just one soon afterwards, four points without reply from Padraig Nugent (2), Michael Bradley and Shay Shannon (from a free) saw the visitors open up a five point gap. The game appeared to be getting away from Ballycastle but Ciaran Clarke steadied the ship with two pointed frees from distance to cut the gap back to three by the first half water break.
Two more from Clarke frees just after the restart were answered by Conor Johntson and Shay Shannon but on 25 minutes Ciaran Clarke turned the game around with two points inside 30 second, before breaking through from midfield and drilling the ball low to the St John’s net to put his side two clear. Shay Shannon sent over two points from frees as the game entered injury time, but a cracking point from corner forward TT Butler gave the Town a slender one point lead at the break.
Ballycastle must have been buoyed by their comeback but when Ryan McCook received a second yellow card for a loose swing on the restart hearts surely sunk. Shay Shannon’s point from the resultant free brought St John’s back on terms and though it too a further six minute for their next score, another peach of a finish from Conor Johnston, they were now in front. Clare missed a couple of very scoreable frees before bringing his team back level again but when they were still level at the second half water break Ballycastle confidence began to grow.
As is so often the case with the water breaks it can act more as a momentum break and so it proved again as Conor Johnston put his team back on top with a goal and a point inside a minute. The Johnnies held onto that four point lead and were looking like winners when Ballycastle got the bit of luck you needed in these situation, and when substitute Dairmuid McShane nipped in to flick the ball to the net it was game on again. Clarke tied the scores with a point from a free out on the sideline before McShane edged the home team in front with an excellent point from play.
When Clarke added another on 33 minutes it appeared that the Town would hold on for a famous win, but well taken points under pressure from Domnhall Nugent and Peter McCallin tied it up once again. Ballycastle did have a couple of chances of a winner but some great hooking and blocking by the Johnnies defence kept them at bay, and though McAuley had a late chances to snatch it his shot drifted wide and so set up enthralling finale to this group on Sunday next.
BALLYCASTLE
Brendan Connor, Oran Kearney Matthew Donnelly Sean Kelly Oisin McAuley Conor Boyd Eamon Elliott Ronan McCarry Ryan McCook Ciarán Clarke James McShane Ciarán Butler Tiernan Butler Neal McAuley Cathal Connor
Subs Séamus McAuley for C Connor
Fergal McKiernan for O McAuley
Dairmuid McShane for C Butler
ST JOHN’S
Declan Cregan, Conal Morgan, Ciaran Johnston, Sean Wilson, Simon McCrory, Stephen Tierney, Ryan McNulty, Andrew McGowan, Aidan McMahon, Conal Bohill, Conor Johnston, Michael Bradley, Shea Shannon, Pdtrick Nugent, Domnhall Nugent.
Subs Peter McCallin, Michael Dudley
Referee – Tarlach Conway
