Junior B Hurling Championship
Belfast Gaels 2-20 Loch Mór Dál gCais 4-17
Loch Mór Dál gCais held off a great challenge by Belfast Gaels to gain victory in the opening round of the Antrim Junior B Hurling Championship on Friday evening at St Agnes.
Ten minutes into the second half the men from the Loughshore were cruising to a big win as they led by twelve points. However they failed to raise a flag for the next fifteen minutes as a Philly Maguire (who ended with 1-13) and Robert Gallagher inspired a Belfast Gaels tcomeback.
Gallagher and Maguire started the comeback with goals in the 42nd and 44th minute to cut their deficit in half, before Gallagher added three points, Maguire two, and full back Ronan Carroll one to bring their side level. The smart money would have all been on the Gaels at this stage but Loch Mór Dál gCais steadied the ship in last five minute to come back with three unanswered points through Darragh Turley (2) and Bailey Graham to seal the win.
Such a scenario appeared highly unlikely in the first half as Loch Mór Dál gCais totally dominated the game. They started with a goal inside thirty seconds by Bailey Graham before adding a further five points, with just one in return from Belfast Gaels Philly Maguire. With Maguire and Gallagher started to find their range they hit four of the next six points, but Loch Mór hit back with their second goal, this time from full forward Ferdia Carson. Conor Jones hit two good long range points for the Loughshore men and they hit a purple patch which included two more Carson points and a goal from Darragh Turley to go twelve clear but with Maguire and Gallagher starting to influence things around the middle of the field Belfast Gaels hit back to trail by eight at half time.
When Ferdia Carson grabbed Loch Mór fourth goal five minutes into the second half and Darragh Turley added two more points it appeared to be plain sailing for the south west men, but their fans had to endure a fifteen minute spell of Befast Gaels dominance as they clawed their way back into the game. To their credit Loch Mór Dál gCais reacted well when the chips were really down to hit the last three points, plus it took a great save from goalkeeper Cathan ó hEireamhoín to see them over the line.
Loch Mór Dál gCais
Cathan ó hEireamhoín, Aaron Monaghan, Sean Burke, James Magorian, David McAreavey, Conor Jones, declan Phillips, Martin Braniff, Cormac Dwyer, Ruairi Bannon, Bailey Graham, Cal Burke, Michael Morgan, Ferdia Carson, Darragh Turley.
Belfast Gaels
Ciaran Mooney, Jason Kennedy, Matt Carlin, Philip Glennon, Stephen O’Hara, Adam O’Rourke, Brian Keating, Conor O’Rawe, James Halleron, Niall McGettigan, Philly Maguire, Daniel McGuigan, Kevin Grieve, Mark Caldwell, Robert Gallagher.
Referee – Darren Mullan
