Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship
Group 2
St Johns 1-26 Dunloy 2-30
Sunday September 5
Brendan McTaggart reports from Corrigan Park
It’s not often a team will hit 1-26 and come off the wrong end of the score line. That’s the fate that faced St John’s on Sunday afternoon as the Cuchullains ran out seven point winners to top Group 2.
This was an open, hard hitting game of championship hurling with both sides taking some fantastic scores from all angles throughout. The Johnnies were impressive in attack with 1-21 of their total coming from open play and Shea Shannon top scoring. Michal Dudley and Donal Carson also catching the eye while Conor Johnston went through a mountain of work in the middle third.
Conal Cunning top scored for Dunloy with eight of his 0-11 coming from placed ball and he tortured the St Johns defence from the first whistle. His movement, touch and accuracy is breath-taking when the delivery comes his way. Keelan Molloy edged him out for man of the match however with the Dunloy midfielder putting in a tireless shift and raising the white flag seven times throughout the hour.
The Cuchullain goals came at either end of the game with Phelim Duffin’s early major and Seaan Elliott’s goal an immediate response to Shea Shannon’s major for the home side in injury time. The winners had 10 different scorers on the day and like St Johns, the overwhelming majority of their scores came from open play – an impressive 2-22. Chrissy McMahon once more with an eye-catching performance while the delivery of ball into the Dunloy forward allowed the Cuchullains to wreak havoc. St Johns made changes in their defensive unit with Conall Morgan moving into the edge of his own square to pick up ‘Coby’ Cunning while Ciaran Johnston was introduced early into the sweeper position but like last week against Tir na nOg, Dunloy were supreme in the first half. Against the Randalstown men, they hit 1-18 in the first 30 minutes. In Corrigan Park they had amassed 1-17 and led by seven points. Duffin’s goal came in the 6th minute as he passed his way through the St Johns defence before kicking the sliotar beyond Simon Doherty. It opened a six point lead and gave Dunloy the upperhand.
St Johns introduced Peter McCallin in the second half to the edge of the square and while the home side always looked threatening, they couldn’t eat into the Dunloy lead. Every time they got to within four points, the Cuchullains responded with a couple of scores of their own.
St Johns pushed for goals late in the game with Carson and Conor Johnston both going close before Shannon finally found the back of Ryan Elliott’s goals. It came in the sixth minute of injury time and reduced the Dunloy lead to four points but the Cuchullains dampened any thoughts of a dramatic turnaround with Seaan Elliott’s major with the next attack.
The Cuchullains safely book their place in the last four while St Johns have a date with Loughgiel in the quarter-final and a repeat of their epic semi-final from last year.
TEAMS
St Johns: Simon Doherty; Aidan McMahon, Ryan McNulty, Jack Bohill; Conal Bohill, Domhnall Nugent, Conall Morgan; Micheal Bradley, Shea Shannon; Michal Dudley, Oisin Donnelly, Conor Johnston; Donal Carson, Jim Peoples, Aaron Bradley
Scorers: Shea Shannon 1-8 (4f 1’65); Michal Dudley 0-5; Conor Johnston 0-4; Donal Carson 0-4; Aaron Bradley 0-2; Michael Bradley 0-2; Aidan McMahon 0-1
Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Conor McKinley, Conor Kinsella; Ryan McGarry, Eamon Smyth, Ronan Molloy; Aaron Crawford, Keelan Molloy; Eoin O’Neill, Kevin Molloy, Eoin McFerran; Chrissy McMahon, Conal Cunning, Seaan Elliott
Scorers: Conal Cunning 0-11 (8f); Keelan Molloy 0-7; Seaan Elliott 1-1; Phelim Duffin 1-00; Eoin O’Neill 0-3; Chrissy McMahon 0-3; Nicky McKeague 0-2; Eamon Smyth 0-1; Aaron Crawford 0-1; Anton McGrath 0-1
Referee: Kevin Park (Naomh Eanna)
