Antrim Hurling League – Division 2
Glenariffe Oisins 3-8 St Gall’s 1-13
A superb display by Oisins goalkeeper Seanan McToal helped them edge out St Gall’s in a cracking Division 2 game on Sunday at Waterfoot. McToal was in superb form saving two penalties and making another couple of point blank stops at crucial times in the game as the Oisins got the better of St Gall’s by a single point.
The first penalty save came on fourteen minutes when Glenariffe were leading by two Odhran Gillan points to no score, the keeper diving to his right to turn the ball around the post. St Gall’s got going when Tomás O’Ciaran pointed the resultant 65 and two more by O’Ciaran and one from Gregory McGreevy saw the game swing in their favour as they went 0-4 to 0-2 ahead.
The pendulum swung again when Ciaran Black grabbed Glenariffe’s opening goal on 21 minutes and when Oliver Kearney and Alex O’Boyle tacked on two more points they were three clear. Dubalteach Wilson came back for a point and as the game entered first half injury time Alex O’Boyle got in to grab Glenariffe’s second goal. A great move by St Gall’s saw Tomás O’Ciaran put full forward Mark Napier through on goal, but McToal again performed heroics to keep the ball out and Alex O’Boyle soloed in from midfield to point at the other end and give the Oisins and 2-5 to 0-6 lead.
When McToal saves his second penalty five minutes into the second half St Gall’s must have felt it was not going to be their day, but they dominated the next fifteen minutes and points from Wilson, MGreevy and O’Ciaran cut the deficit back to three. Aaron Cosgrove steadied the ship for the Oisins with a point from half back, but St Gall’s were on top and points from O’Ciaran, Delaney and Donnelly brought them back to within a point.
It was now the turn of St Gall’s goalkeeper to show his skills and Kurtis McGreevy denied Glenariffe’s Michael O’Boyle with a great stop, but soon afterwards the home side got back on top when corner forward Shea McDonnelly grabbed their third goal. However the Oisin fans got little time to celebrate McDonnell’s goal as from the puc-out the men from the Bog Meadows won possession and midfielder Jack Hopkins goaled at the other end. When his midfield partner Donnelly added a point St Gall’s were a point ahead with just two minutes of normal time left to play, but substitute Ben O’Boyle brought Glenariffe level and Alex O’Boyle snatched the winner two minutes into injury time to deny their luckless visitors.
