Antrim Hurling League Division One
St John’s 1-12 Dunloy Cuchullains 1-19
Dunloy travelled to Corrigan Park on Sunday and came away with the league points after recording a seven point win. With teams understrength due to county commitments and injuries there may not have been a lot at stake, but the players on the field always like to be competitive and catch the eye of the selectors.
St John’s started strongly and corner forward Ruairi Galbraith hit the Dunloy net in the opening minutes and Jack Bohill knocked over a point, but the visitors began to find their touch and Chrissy McMahon and Nicky McKeague sent over points at the other end. McKeague’s point was to be the first of ten the midfielder would register over the hour.
Oisin McManus and CJ McKenna kept the Johnnies on top with points apiece but Dunloy came back with points from Deaglan Smith, Barry Scott and Nicky McKeague (2) to draw level. The remainder of the half was nip and tuck. Dunloy went back ahead but injury time points from Oisin McManus and Dannan McKeogh bring the Johnnies level at the break.
After the break Dunloy began to step up the pace a little and with McKeague in top form they began to edge ahead. With Deaglan Smith knocking over an nice point they went three ahead but points from Oisin McManus and McKeogh cut the gap back to a single point midway through the second half.
The visitors gained the upper hand again as Nicky McKeague added to one by Kevin Molly. St John’s closed the gap as McManus again found the target, but Deaglan Smith sealed the win for the Cuchullains with a fine individual goal in injury time.
ST JOHN’S: S Doherty; A McMahon, R McNulty, O Carleton; J Bohill (0-1), P Nugent, CJ McKenna (0-1); Ciaran Johnston, D McKeogh (0-2); C Hand, O Donnelly, O McManus (0-8, 4 frees); R Galbraith (1-0), L Boyd, P Martin.
Subs: D McCallin for L Boyd (52), L Loughlin for C Hand (54)
DUNLOY: C McMullan; O Quinn, K O’Kane, C Kinsella; K McKeague, D McMullan, C McKinley; N McKeague (0-10, 7 frees, 2 65s), R Mullan (0-1); E McFerran (0-1), R Molloy, D Smyth (1-2); C McMahon (0-1), K Molloy (0-1), G McTaggart (0-1).
Subs: B Scott (0-1) for R Molloy (9), R Mort (0-1) for B Scott (48), C Elliott for R Mullan (50).
REFEREE: Tarlach Conway (Ballinascreen)
