Reserve Hurling Cup
Rossa 0-18 Shamrocks 0-12
A man of the match performance by wing half forward, Diarmaid Rogan inspired O’Donovan Rossa to victory over a fancied Loughgiel Shamrock’s in the Reserve Hurling Cup at Shaw’s Road on Wednesday evening.
The Shamrocks were fancied in some quarters to go all the way in this year’s competition but they came up against a determined home side who failed to read the script with Rogan leading the way and he finished with 0-6 to his credit as he covered every inch of Rossa Park.
The home side got off to a good start with Conor O’Neill and Owen May pointing them two ahead after three minutes before Loughgiel keeper, Cormac McFadden came forward to send a 70 meter free between the uprights at the other end.
Seamus Dobbin followed with another long range effort from play to close the gap to the minimum by the 9th minute and when Tiago McGarry added another to level matters it looked like the game might be swinging in favour of the visitors.
Rossa were having none of it however as corner forward, Seamus Close edged them two ahead once more from a couple of converted frees but Ben McGarry replied from a fine long range effort to close the gap to one at the end of the opening quarter.
Diarmaid Rogan began to stamp his influence on proceedings as he extended his side’s lead again but the Shamrock’s were giving as good as they got at this stage with Eoin McGarry replying immediately from a converted free.
The minutes leading up to the break belonged to Rossa however as Seamus Close, Diarmaid Rogan, Close again and Owen May struck unanswered points but Loughgiel finished on the front foot with Conor Dixon and Conor Dallas pointing at the other end to leave it 0-10 to 0-7 for the Jerimiah’s at the break.
The visitors needed a good start to the second half if they were to overturn the Rossa lead but in the event it was Conor O’Neill and Owen May who opened the scoring at the other end to move the O’Donovan’s 0- 12 to 0-7 ahead by the second minute.
Eoin McGarry finally got the North Antrim side on their way but Diarmaid Rogan was having an increasing influence on proceedings as he struck three on the bounce between the 3d and the 18th minutes and another from Conor O’Neill had the Blue & Gold in a strong position as he game entered the final quarter.
Loughgiel never gave up the chase as Seamus Dobbin pointed a ‘65’ following a great save from Eoghan O’Neill in the Rossa goals and the same player would convert a couple of late frees with McGarry on target from play but Rogan and Seamus Close replied at the other end to ensure that there would be no way back for the Shamrock’s
Rossa: 1 Eoghan O’Neill, 2 Patrick Moyes, 3 Niall Crossan, 4 Andrew McLean, 5 Conor Boyle, 6 John Kerr, 7 Daire Cunningham, 8 Ben McAuley, 19 Barry Heggarty, 10 Jim Reynolds, 11 Owen May, 12 Diarmaid Rogan, 13 Conor O’Neill, 14 Conor Rocks, 15 Seamus Close, 17 Niall Devlin
Loughgiel: 1 Cormac McFadden, 2 Conor Henry, 3 Daniel McPeake, 4 Finn Henry, 5 Pearse Patterson, 6 Seamus Dobbin, 7 Padraig Bradley, 8 Ben McGarry, 9 Connor Dixon, 10 Conor Dallas, 11 Tiago McGarry, 12 Eoin McGarry, 13 Ronan McCollum, 14 Nicolas McNaughton, 15 Danny McAuley
Referee: Colin Thompson
