Casement Park Social Club Junior Hurling Championship – Round 2
Armoy 1-17 Rasharkin 0-16
Glen Rovers came out on top of a hard fought battle with north Antrim rivals Rasharkin in Saturday evening’s Junior Hurling Championship game in Cloughmills to set up a final day meeting with Lamh Dhearg, which will decide who goes straight through to the semi-finals.
Rasharkin, though still pointless after two games are still in contention and they will face Davitt’s in the final game to see who takes a quarter final spot.
Saturdays game was a great contest with both teams having periods of dominance, but it was a goal by Glen Rovers full forward Eamonn McCaughan midway through the second half that was to prove decisive in the end.
The sides were level on two points apiece after twelve minutes when Rasharkin appeared to be gaining the upper had as three points in two minutes from Conor McFerran, Cathair Henderson and Conor McKeever gave them a bit of breathing space. An exchange of points between Turlach McBride (Armoy) and Conor McFerran (Rasharkin) kept the gap at three but the Glen Rovers men finished the half strongly and a point from play by former Antrim defender Rocky Dillon and two from Turlach McBride frees left it all square at the short whistle.
The Amoy side went two clear early in second half as McBride and Conor Christie knocked over points but three in a row from Rasharkin through Conor McFerran (2) and Conor McKeever saw the St Mary’s men edge back in front. The pendulum then swung back in Glen Rovers favour as full forward Trevor Linton (2) and Eamon McCaughan came back with points and Conor McKeever replied with one for Rasharkin and just a point separated the sides.
The next three minutes proved decisive for Armoy as Linton added two more to his tally and Eamon McCaughan got in for a decisive goal to stretch the lead to six. Rasharkin did manage to get the gap down to four when Donagh Quigg and Conor McKeever fired over points, but that was as close as they would get and Glen Rovers held on for the win.
