Antrim Hurling League – Division 2

Oisins 0-17  Tir na nÓg 0-16

When Glenariffe went five points clear in the early stages of the Sunday’s Division 2 League game against Tir na nÓg they must have felt it was going to be a handy two league points for the Oisins. They were actually six clear by half time and were still five to the good with just three minutes of normal time left on the clock. However it was never going to be as simple as it looked and when the visitors hit four in a row without reply in the final minutes to cut the gap to a single point their the finger nails must have been bitten down to the quick.

Sean Duffin who was brilliant for Tir na nÓg

To their credit they did hold on to make it seven wins out of seven and for most of the game they held the upper hand. With the stiff breeze at their backs they started with five points without reply, three of them from Alex O’Boyle and one each from Seanie McIntosh and Odhran Gillen. It was eight minutes before Tir na nÓg got their opening score through Sean Duffin and when Ciaran McKeown added another a minute later the gap was down to three. Three in a row from Joe McCormick, and Sean Duffin (2) brought them right back into the game, but Glenariffe pushed on again and two from Aaron Cosgrove, two from Alex O’Boyle and one from Caolan O’Connor had them 0-13 to 0-17 ahead by the time referee Ray Matthews blew the half time whistle.

Daniel Haughey clears the danger for Glenariffe

It was clear in the early minutes of the second half just how strong the breeze was and two points from Sean Duffin, one of them from inside his own 45,  and one each from Oggie McAllister and Aaron McNeilly closed the gap to two. There in return from Alex O’Boyle had the gap out to five again and the victory looked safe, but the home fans had to endure some anxious moments as Duffin and McAllister cut the lead back to a single point, and they will be the first to admit they were very pleased to hear the referee’s final whistle.