Antrim Minor Hurling League – Division 1

Ballycastle 0-19 Glenariffe Oisins 2-13

Ballycastle and Glenariffe shared the spoils in Sunday’s Minor hurling League game on the second pitch at Pairc MacUílin after a highly entertaing game. When Conor Donnelly and Cadhan Crawford hit two superb late points to edge Ballycastle ahead in injury time it appeared that the Town had grabbed the win, but there was still time for the Oisins to save the game and free taker Phelim Ward grabbed the equaliser with the last poc of the game.

With Crawford and Donnelly in top form Ballycastle had the better of the things in the early stages and they went 0-7 to 0-2 ahead, with the two top scorers grabbing two apiece and Niall McClean getting the other, while the Oisins two points came from Phelim Ward frees.

The visitors were in need of a lift and it came in the form of a goal from centre back Niall Magee who soloed out of defence, laid off a pass and got the ball back before firing low to bottom corner of the Ballycastle net, and with Ward adding two more from frees the sides were suddenly level. Ballycastle pushed on again however before the break and two more from Conor Donnelly and one from Crawford had them three ahead at the interval. 0-12 to 1-6

Matthew Donnelly increased the Ballycastle lead to four when he pointed in the second minute of the new half, but the Oisins were thrown a lifeline when Calum McIlwaine fired in a goal soon afterwards. Three points in a row followed from the Glenarife boys which put them two in front, but Conor Donnelly, Cadhan Crawford and Arden Kelly came back with points apiece to tie things up again. The late points from Donnelly and Crawford appeared to have won it for the Town with two great points but Ward tied it all up with a late free to earn his team a share of the spoils,