ACHL Division 2
Carryduff 1-12 Clooney Gaels 2-14
Pics by Ronan McCaughey – Carryduff GAC
Last year’s Intermediate Champions, Clooney Gaels got their 2023 league campaign off to a winning start when they travelled to Carryduff on Sunday and recorded a victory over the Down side. Goals from Donal Graham in the 26th minute of the opening half and James O’Connell, three minutes after the restart proved to be the vital scores against a good home side.
The visitors played with the wind in the first half and should have had a few more scores on board at the interval but good pressure from John Leneghan and Donal Teague restricted them of clear cut opportunities during the opening 30 minutes.
James O’Connell for Clooney Gaels and Ciaran McMeel for the home side exchanged early points before Ronan Graham and O’Connell edged the visitors two in front by the fourth minute.
Carryduff responded from pointed frees from Gareth Lynch to bring it all square for the second time by the 10th minute but points from Colla McDonnell and James O’Connell had the Ahoghill men back ahead before Ciaran O’Callaghan closed the gap to the minimum with Carryduff’s last score of the half in the 19th minute.
It was the men from Clooney who finished the half on the front foot as James O’Connell moved them two in front once more before Donal Graham struck with the opening goal of the game in the 26th minute.
A long ball from Fionnbar O’Neill was fielded by Patrick Graham and laid off to the inrushing full-forward and he made no mistake and Dan O’Neill added a point to move the visitors six ahead at the break.
Carryduff needed a good start to the second half if they were to claw back the visitors lead but it was the Ahoghill side who struck in devastating fashion in their first attack of the half.
A long ball out of defence from Francis Neeson was picked up by Eoin Graham who laid it off to Patrick Graham and as the home defence raced to close him down he flicked the sliotar to James O’Connell who took it on the stick before unleashing it first time to the net.
Lorcan McGaughey and Ciaran McMeel responded with points for Carryduff but PJ O’Connell and James O’Connell replied for the Ahoghill side and further exchanges from Gareth Lynch and James O’Connell kept their noses 9 in front at the end of the third quarter.
A couple of pointed frees from the impressive Gareth Lynch kept the home side’s hopes alive but once again Clooney found a response through Fionnbar O’Neill and Ronan Graham to maintain that 9 point gap.
The Down side never gave up and finished on the front foot with points from Eoin Rooney 0-2 and Lynch and a goal from Rooney with time almost up but a late double by top scorer James O’Connell ensured there would be no way back for the battling home side.
John Leneghan at full-back and Gareth Lynch were best for Carrydyduff but the Ahoghill management will be well pleased by the performances of some of their younger players with Harry O’Donnell, Conor McGarry, Colla McDonnell and Ryan McPeake staking a claim for future inclusion.
Carryduff: 1 Conor McLornan, 2 Conor McAlister, 3 John Leneghan, 4 Darragh Goodwin, 5 Donal Teague, 6 Ciaran Rodgers, 7 Michael Conway, 8 Conor ‘Reilly, 9 Jack Laverty, 10 Conor O’Neill, 11 James Woods, 12 Ciaran McMeel, 13 Mark McConville, 14 Lorcan McGaughey, 15 Oran Teague, 18 Eoin Rooney, 19 Ciaran Goodwin 24 Gareth Lynch
Clooney Gaels: 1 Aidan Graham, 2 Harry O’Donnell, 3 James Magee, 4 Conor McGarry, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Francis Neeson, 7 Daniel O’Neill, 8 PJ O’Connell, 17 Gerard Graham, 10 Ronan Graham, 11 Patrick Graham, 12 Eoin Graham, 13 Colla McDonnell, 14 Donal Graham, 18 James O’Connell, 19 Ryan McPeake, 20 Ryan Martin, 21 Diarmuid Scullin
Referee: Denis McKay
