Casement SC Antrim Junior Hurling Championship, Group Two
Gort na Móna 1-20 St Brigid’s 1-4
Gort na Móna had too much scoring power for St Brigid’s when the sides met in round 2 of the Casement Park Social Club Junior Hurling Championship at Davitt Park on Friday evening, the Turf Lodge men having sixteen points to spare at the end.
On a dreadful evening for hurling the Gorts handled the conditions much better as they powered ahead from the start with an Aaron Hicks point. Further scores followed from Darren Boyd, Neill Henry Niall Healey and the mercurial Desi McClean as the opened a commanding 0-8 to 0-0 lead. Oisin McDonnell ( who was to end with 1-3 to his name) got St Brigid’s on the scoreboard early in the second quarter when he fired over a free, and though the right half forward was to add another from a placed ball the dominant Gorts went on to lead by 0-11 to 0-2 at the break.
A McDonnell goal early in the second half gave St Brigid’s renewed hope, but Gort na Móna continued to dominate the game with Desi McClean continuing to pull the strings. McClean was now adding point himself and when he was dragged down in the St Brigid’s penalty area top scorer Neill Henry fired home the resultant penalty to put the game beyond doubt.
The win seals a place in the knock-our stages for the Gorts and their meeting with All Saints in the final group game will decide the quarter final pairings.
GORT NA MÓNA: M Ward; J Monaghan, G McKenna, C Healy; D Hughes, P McHugh, N Gibson; Neill Henry (1-7, 1-0 penalty, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65), A Hicks (0-1); D Dixon, D Boyd (0-2, 1 free), N Healy (0-4); M McMullan (0-1), M Carlin, D McClean (0-5, 2 frees).
Subs: E Loughran for A Hicks (48), T O Cadlaigh for M Carlin (51)
ST BRIGID’S: B McGurk; M Burke, P Heaney, C Quinn; J McCarney, B Hallihan, R McDonnell; R McErlean, N Murtagh; O McDonnell (1-3, 0-3 frees), J Pardy, N Duffy; D Prenter (0-1), J McGuckian, C Lundy.
Subs: N Finnegan for M Burke (27), F Cleary for C Lundy (37), T Engman for J McGuckian (51), G Gilleece for N Duffy (56)
REFEREE: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg)
