Antrim Junior B Hurling Championship semi-final
St Brigid’s 7-14 Latharna Óg 4-12
St. Brigid’s upset the odds to qualify for the club’s first Junior B final as they emerged victorious over 2019 winners Latharna Óg in a goalfest at Musgrave Park yesterday afternoon.
A man who cut his hurling teeth with another St. Brigid’s, the Cloughmill’s version, where he had a long and distinguished career as a full-back, John B McGuckian was the star of the show and scored four St. Brigid’s goals.
McGuckian was in excellent form throughout the hour and the Larne defence never really got to grips with the veteran full-forward but the Biddies had heroes throughout the field and played some excellent stuff with livewire substitute Niall Duffy causing havoc when introduced and indeed, had a hand in three of McGuckian’s majors.
Kevin Grieve rolled back the years with a fine display, Fintan Cleary struck some excellent scores from frees and play, while corner forwards Oisin McDonnell and Phelim Lennon were always a handful for the Latharna Og defence.
Latharna Og went into this one as favourites but they were never able to reach the heights they are capable of with the Musgrave Park side grabbing the initiative from early in the game.
Already, there were ominous-looking signs for Latharna Óg who finally opened their account in the 5th minute from a Ryan O’Donnell free, but Cleary replied from a free and then McGuckian got onto a long delivery for a pointto leave four in it after 10 minutes play.
The visitors began to settle however with Michael Lismore clipping over a free and then, two minutes after Anthony O’Neill had been denied by Chris Lundy, the big full-forward toe-poked the ball into the path of the unmarked Conor Matthews who fired to the the net to level.
Phelim Lennon hit back with a long-range score immediately as the hosts always seemed to find a response when Latharna Óg got back on terms and this became the pattern of the game for a spell as both sides exchanged scores.
The game looked to have swung decisively in favour of the hosts when Oisin McDonnell got onto Cleary’s long delivery and shrugged off a challenge to find the corner of the net on 22 minutes.
Latharna Og were able to respond however as a long ball downfield broke to Michael Lismore who fired to the net to keep his side very much in touch. The visitors looked to be finding their feet at this stage but were never able to push on and it was St. Brigid’s who again found a response.
Philip McKendry did reply with one at the other end, but the hosts finished the half well with points from O’Donnell, Grieve and two from Lennon sending them in at the half way stage leading 1-13 to 2-5.
A pointed free from Lismore cut the gap at the start of the second half, but St Brigid’s got through for their second goal on 34 minutes as John B got the first of his goals after fielding the dropping ball, before firing home.
Two Lismore points brought the gap back to five, but just when it looked like they were finding a response the visitors seemed to run out of ideas and would not score again for the next ten minutes.
In that time St. Brigid’s hit a purle patch registering 2-1 without reply with both goals coming from McGuckian in a two-minute spell and Duffy the architect of both goals.
First, the substitute raced in on the right only to be challenged by Philip Craig and while his rebound was heading towards goal, McGuckian got the final touch.
Then Duffy burst clear on the right, played a great ball to Cleary who spotted McGuckian all alone inside to finish.
Mark Petticrew did get Latharna Óg going again after Cleary tapped over a free, but a fifth goal was to follow for the Musgrave Park side and it was superb work again from Duffy who looked a major threat anytime he got on the ball, teeing-up McGuckian for a fourth goal.
Duffy was then denied a goal when play was brought back for a penalty that Cleary had saved by Craig and while the visitors hit back with a couple of points, Cleary would not be denied. He gathered superbly on 55 minutes before firing to the net to put his side 6-14 to 2-11 ahead and on their way to a first final.
Latharna Óg refused to throw in the towel and kept battling against impossible odds and goals from Lismore and Keelan McAuley left just nine in it as the game ticked towards stoppage time, while goalkeeper Craig floated in a free that hopped up and over when a goal was needed.
Niall Duffy put matters beyond doubt as he capped a superb individual performance as he took a pass from the hard-working Niall Murtagh and rounded Craig to make no mistake this time and round off a famous victory for St Brigid’s.
A first final in senior hurling for the South Belfast club and they will have high hopes of making it a first trophy when they meet Ardoyne in the final that is scheduled for Wednesday evening.
ST BRIGID’S: C Lundy; P Heaney, E O Mainnin, M Burke; B McGurk, C Conway, C Quinn; J McCarney; N Murtagh; K Groeve (0-2), R Flanagan, F Cleary (1-7, 0-5 frees); O McDonnell (1-1), J McGuckian (4-1), P Lennon (0-3).
Subs: F Leyden for R Flanagan (28), N Duffy (1-0) for P Lennon (38), B Hallihan for E O Mainnin (43), C Leonard for O McDonnell (53), N Finnegan for J McGuckian (55).
LATHARNA ÓG: P Craig (0-1 free); D Martin, B Petticrew, K McAeley (1-0); M Petticrew (0-1), R McKillop, C Shields; R O’Donnell (0-2, 1 free, 1 sideline), P McKendry (0-1); J Black, C McKillop, M Lismore (2-5, 0-3 frees, 0-1 65); N Darragh, A O’Neill (0-1), C Matthews (1-0).
Subs: C O’Boyle (0-1) for J Black (HT), A McNeill for N Darragh (38), T Carson for C Matthews (50), M Killough for P McKendry (50)
REFEREE: Eamonn Hamill (St Teresa’s)
