ACHL Division 3

All Saints 4-22 Gort na Mona 0-5

All Saints collected another useful brace of points when they overcame the challenge of Gort na Mona in Ballymena on Wednesday night. A goal from Ciaran Neeson sent them on their way and by half time they had matters well in hand when they led 1-15 to 0-5.

Ciaran Neeson once again provided the majority of the points for the Ballymena side and finished the game with 1-11, (1-5 frees) and he drilled home the game’s opening goal from a 20 meter free in the first half while the excellent Eoin McGuigan was lively throughout for Chris Dornan’s side.

Things didn’t get any better for the struggling Enright Park men after the break as the home side continued to dominate and score at will and when a long range shot from Luke O’Rawe dropped to the Gort na Mona net for goal number 2 it was all over.

Further goals followed from Eoin McGuigan and Cormac Magill as Chris Dornan rang the changes and the Cushendall man will be well pleased by the form of his side this season.

Survival in the higher grade was always going to be the priority for All Saints and this win moves them onto seven points but with only three points separating second bottom and third place in the table there is a long way to go.

The new man in charge has brought a huge improvement to this All Saints team however and they are playing with a confidence and method that can only see them improve in the coming season.

All Saints: Ciaran Cassley, Dwayne McKee, Colum Neeson, Kevin Brady, Cathaoir Cunning, Luke O’ Rawe, Conor O’ Rawe, Padhraig Magill, James O’ Boyle, Cormac Magill, Eoin McGuigan, Ciaran Neeson, Damien Gillan (c), Liam Cassley, Joseph O’ Rawe Subs: Gary Miskella for Cathaoir Cunning Phil McKendry for James O’ Boyle Vincent Esler for Damien Gillan Daniel Kelly for Ciaran Neeson Archie McGreevy for Liam Cassley

All Saints Scorers: Ciaran Neeson – 1-11 (1-5f) Eoin McGuigan – 1-4 Cormac Magill – 1-2 Luke O’ Rawe – 1-0 Damien Gillan – 0-2 Liam Cassley – 0-2 Joseph O’ Rawe – 0-1 Score at half time: Ballymena 1-15 Gortnamona 0-5 Score at full time: Ballymena 4-22 Gortnamona 0-

O’Neill’s Sportswear Hurling League Division 1

Ballycaslte 0-17 Ballycran 3-18

Ballycran made the long journey to Ballycastle on Wednesday evening and came away with a ten point victory to maintain joint top spot at the top of the Division table, trailing Loughgiel on score difference, to set up a showdown with the Shamrocks at Fr Healy Park on June 4^th in the last game before the league splits.

A badly depleted Ballycastle team did well in the first half, despite gifting the visitors 2-1 in a five minute spell, but the Down men were dominant after the break and hit some fine scores on their way to victory.

With Neill McAuley rolling back the years at centre back Ballycastle started well and were 0-3 to 0-0 ahead after five minutes, the points coming from a McAuley 65, Lorcan Donnelly and Cathal Connor. Paul Sheehan got the visitors on the scoreboard with a well struck free and though Lorcan Donnelly hit back with one for the home side, Sheehan and Scott Nicholson brought Ballycran back to within a point, before Eoin McAlonan sent one over to put the Town 0-5 to 0-3 clear.

Disaster struck for the home side in a three minutes spell between the 17th and 20^th minute as they let the Down men in for two goals and a point, which brought them from one behind to six ahead, but to their credit Ballycastle battled back really well as they his six points without reply between the 21^st and 29^th minutes to draw level again. Lorcan Donnelly started the run with one from a free before Neill McAuley sent one over from distance after picking up a clever sideline ‘cut’ from Rambo McCarry. Lorcan Donnelly, who was giving the Ballycran defence a lot of problems, added two more, McCarry hit one from play before Reuben McClean brought them level, but the men from the Ards got back ahead just on half time when Scottie Nicholason sent one over from play.

Ballycastle were dealt another blow when Neill McAuley did not emerge for the second half and when Ballycran stated strongly with two points from Sheehan and a goal from James Savage it was clear they would be hard to restrain.

Ballycastle stayed in touch with two points from Lorcan Donnelly and one from Feargal McKiernan, but Ballycran were now controlling the game and they added six on the trot with Scott Nicholson and Conor Dorrian adding two apiece, while Sheehan and Ben Arthurs got the other two. Donnelly and McAlonan pulled a couple back for Ballycastle but Ballycran always had an answer and Dorrian, Nicholson and substitute David Gilliland added points to wrap up a ten point win.

BALLYCASTLE

Craoiste McAuley, Oran Kearney, Conal Colgan, Jack McGowan, James McLister, Neal McAuley, James McShane, Eoin McAlonan, Ronan McCarry, Reuben McLean, Cian Waldron, Cathal Conor, Lorcan Donnelly, Cailin O’Conor, Feargal McKiernan

Subs – Thomas McIlroy, Conor Donnelly, Oisin McAuley

BALLYCRAN

Stephen Keith, Brad Watson, Gerard Hughes, Rory Brown, Aaron Dorrian, Sean Ennis, Cormac McAlister, Liam Savage, Scott Nicholson, Conor Dorrian, Conor Woods, Philip Miskimmin, Ben Arthurs, Paul Sheehan, Jake Miskimmin

Referee – Ciaran McCloskey (Loughgiel)

O’Neills Sportswear ACHL Division 1

Loughgiel 1-23 Dunloy 0-15

Wednesday 24 May

Brendan McTaggart reports from Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel

Loughgiel maintained their 100% league record on Wednesday evening with an impressive win over old rivals Dunloy.  Eleven points separated the sides at the end of the hour with the only goal of the game in injury time from Cahal Hargan.  In the right place at the right time, Hargan fired home for the Shamrocks but their main scoring threat came from the outstanding Shan McGrath.  The inside forward finished with 11 points beside his name, six coming from open play while he, Jack and Dan McCloskey formed a dangerous forward line.  Their movement and pace created space and chances throughout and moved the Cuchullains defence to areas they could exploit. With both teams short a lot of regulars due to county commitments this Sunday against Westmeath it is hard to read much into the result, and it has to be said that the visitors suffered a bit more in this department, with the starting fifteen short nine of the team who started their All Ireland club final against Ballyhale back in January. The Shamrocks also sufferered in this department but a bit less than their visitors and they will have been delighted to maintain their 100% record They lead Ballycran on score difference and they host the Ards men at Fr Healy Park on Sunday week, a game that will be decisive in the league race.

The Cuchullains struggled in the first half against the wind and while they posed more of an attacking threat after the break, Loughgiel’s nine point half time lead rarely looked like being reeled in by the visitors.

The introduction of Chrissy McMahon gave the Dunloy attack more potency while Ryan Mort and Ronan Molloy were always a threat.  Defensively they were overworked with the Loughgiel crisp and incisive passing coupled with the movement of the Shamrocks attacking unit creating space for them to exploit.

Aodhan McGarry top scored for the Cuchullains with four of his five points coming from placed ball while Mort’s contribution of 0-3 was the most from open play for the Cuchullains.

In a first half dominated by the home side, the game lacked any real intensity or fluency for that matter.  Mistakes were prevalent in either side with the Shamrocks reaching double figures for wides in the opening 30 minutes while the number of individual errors from the Cuchullains was inordinate.  Loughgiel did force a number of telling turnovers and capitalise on any indiscretion in the Cuchullains defence and the nine point half time difference certainly didn’t flatter them.  But for the bravery of Eoghan Richmond between the sticks to stop Jack McCloskey from scoring what seemed a certain goal in the 25^th minute.

The Shamrock’s late first half rally put a fairer reflection of the first half on the scoreboard with five points coming from the 28^th minute and the injury time allowed at the end of the half.

Dunloy started the second half with more vigour and played with more decisiveness and desire, scoring five points in the opening six minutes of the half with a pair of frees from Declan McCloskey and Shan McGrath the response for the Shamrocks.  The Cuchullains couldn’t maintain that streak of scoring however to try and put any real scoreboard pressure on Hugh McCann’s side.

By the 39^th minute the nine point Loughgiel lead was restored with Tiago McGarry, Pearce Patterson and McGrath (free) finding their range before Dunloy hit four unanswered points for the first time in the match.  A brace of scores from Aodhan McGarry (one free), Chrissy McMahon and a long range free from Eamon Smyth brought them to within five of the Shamrocks.  It was as close as they would get to their sparring partners however.

The Shamrocks fired over five points unanswered, three from McGrath with one each for Donal McKinley and Declan McCloskey’s fifth point of the evening.

Dunloy continued to look for ways to penetrate an impressive Loughgiel defence and laid an aerial assault on the Shamrocks goals but scores from Smyth and Nicky McKeague (free) was all they had to show for their efforts.

The Shamrock’s margin of victory was given further gloss with their major coming in the fourth minute of injury time.  Dunloy ‘keeper Richmond looked to have cleared the danger among a crowd of players but he was dispossessed with Hargan on hand to fire the sliotar to the back of the net.

Eight from eight for the Shamrocks in the league who travel to Corrigan Park for their next match in a weeks’ time while the Cuchullains will entertain the Johnnies in their next game on 4^th June.

TEAMS

Loughgiel: Chrissy O’Connell; Tiernan Coyle, Daniel McPeake, Caolan Blair; Ben McGarry, Declan McCloskey, Damon McMullan; Ruairi McCormick, Tiago McGarry; Cahal Hargan, Donal McKinley, Pearce Patterson; Jack McCloskey, Shan McGrath, Dan McCloskey

Subs: Rian McKee for D McPeake (HT); Odhran McFadden for J McCloskey (HT); Conor Dickson for D McKinley (51); Nicholas McNaughton for Dan McCloskey (55)

Scorers: S McGrath 0-11 (5fs); Declan McCloskey 0-5 (3fs); P Patterson 0-3; C Hargan 1-00; T McGarry 0-2; D McMullan 0-1; D McKinley 0-1

Dunloy: Eoghan Richmond; Cahir McCloskey, Conor McKinley, Daire McMullan; Eamon Smyth, Kevin Molloy, Barry Scott; Tom McFerran, Ciaran Elliott; Aodhan McGarry, Gabriel McTaggart, Ronan Molloy; Ryan Mort, Anton McGrath, Nicky McKeague

Subs: Chrissy McMahon for C McCloskey (HT); Kevin McKeague for B Scott (HT); Barry McCloskey for A McGrath (46); Ciaran McQuillan for Kevin Molloy (54)

Scorers: A McGarry 0-5 (4fs); R Mort 0-3; G McTaggart 0-2; E Smyth 0-2 (2fs); Kevin Molloy 0-1; N McKeague 0-1 (1f)

Referee: Eamonn Hassan (Cloughmills)

ACHL Division 2

Clooney Gaels 6-19 Oisin Glenariffe 0-17

The Glenariffe numbers on the team sheet bore little resemblance to the starting lineup as unbeaten Oisin’s travelled to third place Clooney Gaels on Wednesday night. If the number changes were meant to confuse the Ahoghill men it quite simply didn’t work and it was Clooney manager, Hugh Dobbin who got the match ups and the tactics right.

Playing with a fresh wind on their back the home side played some superb hurling throughout the hour and had put this one to bed by half time when they led by 4-12 to 0-6, their goals coming from Ronan Graham, James O’Connell, Donal Graham and PJ O’Connell.

The expected response from the Waterfoot side in the second half never materialised and while they did add 11 points to their first half total they never looked like getting back into contention as the Gaels continued to dictate matters and added further goals from James O’Connell and Eoin Graham.

Playing up the slope and into the wind, it was previously unbeaten Oisin’s who took the lead when Alex O’Boyle pointed a second minute free but points from Ronan Graham and James O’Connell had the home side ahead with three minutes gone and it was a lead they would not again lose.

The home defence began to get on top with Dan O’Neill doing a fine job in containing Caolan O’Connor and James ‘Bobby’ Magee and Fionnbar O’Neill turning everything that came their way.

Donal Graham, PJ O’Connell, Fionnbar O’Neill with a massive point from 70 meters, James O’Connell and Eoin Graham had the home side 0-7 to 0-2 ahead after 14 minutes with both Glenariffe points coming from Alex O’Boyle frees.

Clooney Gaels were sending intelligent ball into their two man full-forward line of the O’Connell brothers, James and PJ and it was Ronan Graham who fired home his sides opening goal in the 14^th minute to open the floodgates.

James O’Connell (21 minutes), Donal Graham (23minutes) and PJ O’Connell with a deft overhead flick in the 25^th minute put their side in total control as Alex O’Boyle continued to provide his side’s only scoring threat.

O’Boyle contributed five of his side’s first half points (all frees) with their only other point of the opening half coming from Daniel Haughey.

The travelling support were probably hoping for better as the second half got underway and Glenariffe did hit the opening point from Brogan O’Connor but Clooney Gaels replied through James and PJ O’Connell and when James O’Connell drilled his shot low to the Glenariffe net in the 8^th minute they had extended their lead to 22 points.

A minute later Eoin Graham got a touch to a dropping ball to divert it past Seanan McToal for goal number six and it was an exercise of damage limitation after this for the visitors, who to their credit kept battling against impossible odds.

Caolan O’Connor, Seanie McIntosh, Kieran McKendry 0-2 and O’Connor again from a ’65 brought their total to 0-12 by the 22^nd minute but Clooney Gaels were always able to respond as James O’Connell 0-2, Eoin Graham, PJ O’Connell and James again fired over at the road end.

Oisins emptied their bench and they finished strongly with points from Brogan O’Connor, Alex O’Boyle, Patrick McIlwaine, Conor Patterson and Seanie McIntosh but it was too little, too late and it is Clooney Gael who close the gap to two points behind Cushendun, who have played a game more and tonight’s opponents Oisins, who still remain in top spot.

Clooney Gaels: 1, Francis Neeson, 7 Dan O’Neill, 3 Bobby Magee, 4 Diarmaid Graham, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Bernard Graham, 22 Ryan McPeake, 8 Eamonn Brady, 19 Owen Neeson, 10, Ronan Graham, 11 Eoin Graham, 12 Patrick Graham, 13 PJ O’Connell, 14 Donal Graham, 25 James O’Connell

Oisin Glenariffe: 1 Seanan McToal, 2 Michael Haughey, 3 Odhran Gillan, 4 Kieran McKendry, 5 Niall Murray, 6 Cathal McDonnell, 7 Kevin McDonnell, 8 Daniel Haughey, 9 aaron Cosgrove, 10 Conor Patterson, 11 Oliver Kearney, 12 Caolan O’Connor, 13 Brogan O’Connor, 14 Alex O’Boyle, 15 Patrick McIlwaine, 17 Seanie McIntosh, 16 Conor Patterson, 19 Ben O’Boyle, 20 Ciaran Black, 21 Ciaran Farrell, 23 Daniel Kearney, 24 Mairtin McAllister, 25 Ronan Leech

Referee: Ray Matthews (Rossa)