Antrim Hurling League – Division 2

Carey Faughs 2.23  Shamrocks 1.20

Carey bounced back from their weekend setback to Tir na nÓg with a convincing win over Loughgiel in an exciting tussle in St Patrick’s Park, Ballyvoy, on Wednesday evening. The home side were quick out “of the blocks” and within five minutes they were 1.6 to 0.2 ahead courtesy of points from, Fichra McVeigh, James Black, Calum Cane and two from Eoin Laverty, the goal coming from a long range Shay Hunter effort which deceived Mark Christie in the Shamrocks goal, with Conil McCloskey and Conor O’Mullan on the mark for the visitors. Points from Cathal Hargan and the impressive Maol Connelly kept the shamrocks in touch, but Carey stretched their lead with points from Laverty and Black before Conal McGlynn found conor mcbride who evaded the visitors defence for a well worked goal to leave Carey 2.9 to 0.5 ahead after the first quarter. The introduction of Ronan Fitzgerald seemed to ignite the Shamrocks and the gap was down to four after points from Ryan Hill, Donal McKinley, Eoin McGarry and the classy Maol Connelly.  With half time approaching the home side upped their game and further points from Conleth McKinley and Frein Laverty left the interval score 2.13 to 0.9 in the home side’s favour.

On the resumption Niall McFadden and Connelly points reduced the deficit by two, but four unanswered Carey points from laverty,  hunter and two from the excellent Calum Cane restored their nine point lead. Entering the final quarter the shamrocks made a determined effort and a goal four points from Connelly reduced the arrears to five. Despite Cane and Black pulling two points back for Carey the Loughgiel momentum was gathering pace with Damien Quinn, Fitzgerald and Connelly bringing it to a 3 point game, and very much in the balance. However driven by their captain shay hunter, the home side found another gear with McVeigh and Laverty stretching the lead to 5, a Roan McGarry point was cancelled out by 2 from Careys Conor McBride with Connelly having the flinal say with a point.

Carey:

S McGinn, D McKinley, S McBride, C McGlynn, J McBride, S Hunter, C Kane, P Butler, J Black, F McVeigh, C McKinley, C Butler E Laverty, C McBride 

Loughgiel:

M Christie, C Connelly, D McPeake, P Patterson, K McKay, S Dobbin, C McCloksey, F Henry, I Glackin, C Hargan, D McKinley, R Hill, E McGarry, M Connolly. C McMullan

Subs D Quin, R McGarry, R Fitzgerald, N McFadden