BathShack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship Group 1
Rossa 0-26-0-08 Ballycastle
Kevin Herron reports from Dunsilly
Rossa secured a quarter-final berth in this seasons BathShack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship with a thumping 0-26-0-08 win over Ballycastle at Dunsilly on Saturday evening.
Having defeated Carey Faughs in their Championship opener two-weeks ago, the Shaws Road outfit began the game as favourites against a Ballycastle outfit that needed the points following an opening day reversal to Champions Dunloy. The Belfast men went in leading by 0-12 to 0-6 at half time and with the strenght of the wind that did not seem an insurmountable hurdle for Ballycastle, despite having lost their talisman Ciaran Clarke through injury. However when wind assisted in the second period they managed just two more points as Rossa took complete control to cruise to an 18 point win.
Thomas Morgan struck first on a sun-drenched evening in Antrim and Stephen Beatty would double the lead- profiting from Ryan McGarry’s puck-out falling short into his path.
Ballycastle opened their account for the evening courtesy of a Seamus McAuley point and Tiernan Smyth then floated over an equaliser to restore parity in the early stages.
Points were traded in the aftermath between Gerard Walsh and Tiarnan Butler – though Rossa would restore their two-point lead with Dominic McEnhill firing over from range and Stephen Beatty doubling his tally in the aftermath.
A superb Mark McClean effort dropped over the bar to reduce the arrears to the bare minimum. However, four unanswered points stretched the Shaws Road outfit’s advantage.
James Connolly received a pass from Thomas Morgan and angled a superb shot between the posts, Seaghan Shannon dropped over another and turned provider for a second McEnhill point – with a third quickly following to give his side a 0-09-0-04 lead.
Ballycastle responded with Seamus McAuley converting a free, but Aodhan O’Brien did likewise and then fizzed over a fine score from play.
The best move of the half resulted in James McLister dropping a shot over the bar after a neat interchange involving Ronan McCarry and Michael Dallat in the build-up.
At the midway point six-points would separate the sides thanks to Stephen Beatty floating over his third point of the half to make it 0-12-0-06.
Rossa extended their lead upon the games resumption with James Connolly picking off the opening two scores- Thomas Morgan played providers role on both occasions, the first when his side-line cut dropped to the full-forward to flash a shot over and a reverse pass saw Connolly flick over a second in quick succession.
Seaghan Shannon added his second point of the evening in the aftermath with Ballycastle eventually opening their second half scoring through a Ronan Laverty shot that dropped over the black spot.
Scores were traded between Morgan and Conor Boyd (65’), Boyd’s point would prove his sides last of the evening as Rossa chalked up ten unanswered points between then and the games conclusion.
Michael Armstrong popped a magnificent pass to Gerard Walsh to angle his second point of the evening, Dominic McEnhill added two further points to his tally with Dara Rocks getting himself on the score sheet in-between times as Rossa were 0-20-0-08 to the good.
A converted Aodhan O’Brien free followed, and Thomas Morgan clipped over his third point of proceedings.
Dominic McEnhill would finish with a persona tally of 0-07- scoring either side of point from substitute Diarmuid Rogan.
Deep into time added on Thomas Morgan would complete the evenings scoring in an encounter that proved to be one-sided with the Belfast side running out convincing 18-point victors.
The win ensures a second place at worst ahead of a repeat of last years Championship Final as Rossa finish the group with a trip to Dunloy in a fortnights time.
Ballycastle must regroup for a winners take all clash with local rivals Carey Faughs both currently with a win, whoever prevails will take the last vacant quarter-final spot in the Group.
Rossa: D Armstrong, A Kenneally, C McGuinness, C Orchin, Stephen Shannon, M Armstrong, E Trainior, Seaghan Shannon (0-02),G Walsh (0-02), D Rocks (0-01), S Beatty (0-03), A O’Brien (0-03, 0-02f), T Morgan (0-04), J Connolly (0-03), D McEnhill (0-07).
Subs: D Rogan (0-01) for Seaghan Shannon (52), C McGettigan for D Rocks (52),C McVeigh for J Connolly (56), R O’Neill for A O’Brien (58), N Devlin for Stephen Shannon (60).
Ballycastle: R McGarry, M McClean (0-01), O McAuley, O Kearney, J McLister (0-01), N McAuley, M Donnelly, C Boyd (0-01 65’), S McAuley (0-02, 0-01f), J McToal, C Clarke, M Dallat, F McKiernan, T Butler (0-01), R Laverty (0-01).
Subs: T Smyth (0-01) for C Clarke (12), R McCarry for F McKiernan (18), C Connor for J McToal (HT), J McGowan for M McClean (HT), T McIlroy for O McAuley (52 mins blood sub).
Referee: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)
