Bathshack Antrim Senior Hurling Championship, Group Two
Naomh Éanna 1-22 Loughgiel Shamrocks 3-23
A goal and a point in injury time sealed victory for Loughgiel in the Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship opening round robin game at Hightown on Sunday. The Shamrocks had led all the way but when St Enda’s closed to within one score going into added time there were a few nervous fans among the Shamrocks followers.
However a point opened the gap to four and in the final minute Dan McCloskey broke through the home defence and went for goal. McCloskey’s shot was well saved by Curran in the St Enda’s goal but he could not get the ball cleared and Shan McGrath drove a ground shot to the net.
Heavy rain at the start of the game made conditions difficult but Loughgiel looked the more assured and their dominance showed on the scoreboard as Paul Boyle scooped over a point and Shan McGrath added two from frees. St Enda’s opened their account on eight minutes when Eddie O’Connor swung over a point from out on the left but Loughgiel were starting to find the target and a series of well taken points by Rian McMullan, Enda Og McGarry (a great score from out on the right wing) Jack McCloskey and Dan McCloskey saw them push 0-10 to 0-3 in front.
St Enda’s began to settle and points from Cormac Ross and Cormac Jennings kept them in touch and it looked like they would make a big breaktrough when Jennings gained possession to the left of goal, but his well struck shot was well saved by goalkeeper Chrissy O’Connell who turned it around for a 65.
Loughgiel hit back and with half time approaching they got a touch of good fortune when Enda Og McGarry’s mishit shot was turned into his own net by goalkeeper Martin Curran. Two well taken points from distance by Niall O’Connor kept the home side in touch and following the second point Loughgiel hopes received a blow when Rian McMullan received a straight red card from match referee Paddy Tumelty following an incident with St Enda’s Cormac Ross, but the Shamrocks finished the half strongly and points from McGrath and Ruairi McCormick had them 1-14 to 0-9 to the good as they headed to the changing rooms at half time.
As the players came out for the second half the rain returned but it didn’t affect the home side who made a brilliant start with five points without reply and suddenly the eight point half-time cushion was down to just three. To their credit Loughgiel reacted well and they hit the next three points through James McNaughton, Dan McCloskey and Jack McCloskey whose influence on the game was growing, and when the corner forward grabbed his team’s second goal the gap was out to a safe margin once again.
However St Enda’s were far from finished and when big Joe Maskey, now operating on the edge of the square, made a brilliant high catch before rounding his marker and firing to the net it was game on once again. St Enda’s kept battling though and when they got the gap back to three points near the end it was game on once again.
Loughgiel kept their nerve in those last few minutes and though Shan McGrath missed from a free he made up for it with a point from play before sealing it with his late goal.
NAOMH ÉANNA: M Curran; D Maguire, M McGibbon, D Maguire; E Conlon, R Bogue, C Ross (0-4, 2 frees, 2 65s); O Ó Cuinn, C Jennings (0-8, 5 frees); E O’Connor (0-2), N O’Connor (0-2), L O’Connor (0-1); J Maskey (1-2), P Curran (0-3), R Donaghy.
Subs: Ciaran McAllister for O Ó Cuinn (29), Cian O’Connor for R Bogue (HT), K Jennings for D Maguire (42), J McGoldrick for E O’Connor (52)
LOUGHGIEL: C O’Conell; O McFadden, Declan McCloskey, R McCloskey; E Og McGarry (1-1), D McMullan (0-1), C Blair; Dan McCloskey (0-2), R McCormick (0-1); C Hargan, J McNaughton (0-2, 1 free), R McMullan (0-2); J McCloskey (1-3), P Boyle (0-1), S McGrath (1-9, 0-6 frees).
Subs: D Patterson for J McNaughton (50)
REFEREE: Paddy Tumelty (Lámh Dhearg)
