O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division One

O’Donovan Rossa 2-21 Naomh Éanna 0-15

Rossa scored a timely win over Naomh Eanna at Shaw’s Road on Wednesday evening, running out decisive winners with twelve points to spare, which all but guarantees their place in the top half of the table when the league splits on Sunday.

The opening quarter suggested that this game could go either way and tied on six points apiece after just 13 minutes it looked to be a hard one to call.

However the Rossa Park men began to gain the upper hand and by the time referee Lorenzo McMullan blew the half time whistle it was clear they were firmly in charge as they outscored their opponents by 2-8 to 0-3, Thomas Morgan and Michael Armstrong grabbing the goals, to move their team into a 2-14 to 0-9 lead the break.  

Eleven points in arrears as they emerged for the second half it was clear that the visitors needed a strong start to the new half, and when Dara Maguire pulled a point back inside the first minute there was renewed hope for Michael McCambridge’s men. However they missed several chances to close the gap, and when Rossa started to find the range with points from Rogan and Shannon the gap out to thirteen and it was soon clear that there was no way back for the visitors. Joe Maskey and Eoin Magurie closed the gap with points, but by this stage their team were struggling against a sharp looking Rossa side who coasted home with a dozen points to spare.

Sunday sees Rossa travel to play Ballycastle, a fixture which completes the first half of the league. A win there would give them twelve points and bring them level with leaders St John, should the Johnnies happen to slip up against Loughgiel at Corrigan Park. Of course the Shamrocks would also move to joint top should they win that game, as will the winners of the Cushendall v Dunloy game in Cushendall, so it’s all to play for this weekend.  

ROSSA: C Rocks; O McVicker, C McGuinness, N Crossan; J Kerr, G Walsh (0-2f), S Shannon; C Shannon (0-1), D Rogan (0-6, 5f); R Murray (0-1), P Short (0-1), M Armstrong (1-1); D McCartney (0-3), T Morgan (1-2), E Trainor (0-4).

Subs: E McMenamin for M Armstrong (47), C Walsh for D Rogan (57), C O’Neill for R Murray (58), P Moyes for P Short (58).

NAOMH ÉANNA: M Curran; D Maguire (0-1), R Gillan, R Eager; D Magee, M McGibbon, N O’Connor (0-2); B Cormican (0-1), O Quinn; J Maskey (0-5, 4f), C O’Connor (0-1), L O’Connor (0-3); O Kennedy, O Breen, C McAllister.

Subs: E Maguire (0-1) for O Kennedy (HT), C Morgan for B Cormican (53)

REFEREE: Lorenzo McMullan (Bredagh).

ACHL Division 2

Tir na nÓg 3-12 Oisins 3-21

Glenarife Oisins came from seven points down in the early stages of the first half to win by nine in the end when they faced Tir na nÓg in the All County Hurling League Division 2 at Whitehill, on Wednesday evening.

The Randalstown side made a great start and goals from corner forwards Daryl Fagan and Joe McCormick put them in control as they lead by 2-3 to 0-2 after twelve minutes. However the visitors fought back well and inspired by man of the match Seanie ‘Tosh’ they hit back to take the lead after twenty one minutes. Tir na Óg steadied the ship and a second goal by Fagan gave them back the lead and they went in at the break with a 3-7 to 1-12 advantage.

Two more McIntosh points in the early stages of the second half edged Glenariffe back in front and when full forward Conor Kerr’s goal was followed by two points from substitute Orrin O’Connor, the momentum had shifted significantly.

Sean Duffin kept the home team in contention was a series of good points, but the Oisins were flying and Seanie McIntosh’s second goal late in the game put the icing on the cake.

Antrim ACHL Div 1

May 29th, 2024

Loughgiel 3-14 Cushendall 0-23

Pics and report by Michael Corcoran

Wednesday evening’s penultimate Antrim ACHL senior division 1 league game between Loughgiel and Cushendall had everything spectators wanted from a summer’s evening game, where the rain stayed away but the breeze was a predominant feature of the evening and would play a part in tonight’s match. Goals, high soaring points, intensity and a nail-biting finish into extra time would have everyone lining the pitch entertained to the final whistle. Fr. Healy Park was freshly cut by the robotic mowers, lined out and ready for a championship never mind a league game. The venue was a fitting tribute to the game as it could easily have passed as a round robin championship match.

Loughgiel won the toss and decided to take the roadside nets with the wind on their backs. Colum Cunning was the match referee and rolled the sliotar in promptly at 7pm.

Within the first minute of the game, Loughgiel picked up a free and Christie McGarry cruised that over Cushendall’s bar for the opening point. The Shamrocks would score four more points before Cunning blew for a heavy tackle from Loughgiel’s Daniel McPeake, leaving Neil McManus to successfully open ‘the Dalls’ score on the board. Another two points, one from a wide and play brought Cushendall to within two points of Loughgiel before Christie McGarry tucked another free over the bar. The score at this early point in the game was Loughgiel 0-06 Cushendall 0-03.

At approx. 13 minutes on the clock, Loughgiel’s Christie McGarry was busy moving with the sliotar towards the Dall’s net and a neat pass to a waiting Rian McMullan deep on the right-hand side ended in the back of Conor McAlister’s net for the first goal of the game.

Cushendall’s Francis McCurry limited the goal damage with a fine point from a narrow angle on the dugout side after a McManus offload.

Loughgiel’s Declan McCloskey took a sideline cut that found the hand of Jack McCloskey, and managing to leave his marker, Ryan McCambridge, a step behind, fired across McAlister’s net for the Shamrock’s second goal.

Cushendall responded with six more points, three of those from frees but Christie McGarry was busy at the other end with two frees and a point from Rian McMullan running in from the low side of the pitch, closed the game in the first half Loughgiel 2-09 Cushendall 0-10.

Cushendall started the second half with a straight run of seven points and six of those were from play before Maol Connelly halted the run when he received a ball from Dan McCloskey and split the Dall’s uprights.

Both sides literally traded point for point up to Loughgiel 2-14 Cushendall 0-22 when the Shamrocks were offered a chance to take the match at around 29 minutes on the clock. An intense goalmouth scramble around McAlister was diffused and cleared away, much to the relief of the Dall supporters. Neil McManus had a free at short range, which had him gambling for a goal but Declan McCloskey got his stick to the sliotar and the goal line ran out to smother any opportunity of a comeback.

Ronan McAteer pointed for the Dall, and it felt at this point the game was Cushendall’s but when Rian McMullan raced for a ball on the low side of the pitch at the road end, he slipped past his marker Liam Gillan and spotted Loughgiel’s Tiago McGarry running at pace towards the net. A perfectly placed ball into McGarry was volleyed mid-air in the 32^nd minute to draw the game as Cunning blew for time after McAlister’s puck out.

On Sunday, Cushendall play Dunloy and Loughgiel play St. John’s, currently sitting at the top of the table. There’s still life left in the league and Sunday’s last game before the league splits should prove to be entertaining if not exciting.

Scorers for Loughgiel

Christie McGarry 5f, Rian McMullan 1-01, Jack McCloskey 1-00, Maol Connolly 0-02, Declan McCloskey 0-01, James McNaughton 0-01, 3f, Tiago McGarry 1-00

Scorers for Cushendall

Joseph McLaughlin 0-03, Neil McManus 0-02, 1w, 6f, Ciaran Neeson 0-03, Dominic Delargy 0-01, Andrew Delargy 0-01, Francis McCurry 0-04, Scott Walsh 0-01, Ronan McAteer 0-01

Photos for tonight’s match can be found in the album here…

https://myalbum.com/album/tYbobn8Zkr2drL/?invite=38fa1ea9-e09b-4369-ae33-e675f2f96bdd

ACHL Division 1

Dunloy 2-18 Ballycastle 0-17

Wednesday 29 May

Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy

Second half goals from Aodhan McGarry and Ryan Mort helped Dunloy to a seven point win over Ballycastle on Wednesday evening and take the league points on offer.  The visitors led at half time by two points after an entertaining opening 30 minutes but the home side dominated the second half with the elements at their back and plying their brand of precision hurling, were comfortable winners by the full time whistle.

The Cuchullains had 10 different scorers on the evening with 1-4 of their final tally coming from placed ball.  They did hit double figures in the wides tally which will be cause for concern within their ranks but the range of scorers and passages of play will certainly have pleased Gregory O’Kane and his backroom team.

The Town were a match for Dunloy in that opening 30 minutes with the long puck out of Charlie McGarry a major source of attacking threat that yielded plenty of scores.  Ciaran Butler chipped in with three points from play in that opening half, giving the Cuchullains their fill of it while Tiernan Smyth top scored with six of his seven points coming from placed ball.

Trying to play more precise ball into their forwards in the second half, Ballycastle were getting little to no joy from a Dunloy strong Dunloy defence.  Aaron Crawford, Oran Quinn and Ronan Molloy were outstanding while the industry of Aodhan McGarry and Eoin McFerran excelled.

This one didn’t exactly start like a steam train with both sides hitting a couple of wides.  There was nothing between the sides with the scores tied at six points apiece with nine minutes of the first half remaining when the Town hit back-to-back scores for the first time in the game to eek out a half time lead.  Smyth and Butler the scorers while Rambo McCarry and Eoin McAlonan also on target.

Dunloy started the second half sharply and despite Smyth opening the scoring to extend Ballycastle’s lead to three, the Cuchullains scored four points in just three minutes with Nicky McKeague firing over a couple of frees along with a massive point from his brother Kevin and a tidy individual point from Aodhan McGarry.

The visitors stayed in touch and there was an element of luck with the home sides first goal.  Aodhan McGarry’s long free had the accuracy but not the legs to reach the target, it dropped wickedly on the edge of the square with substitute Ryan Mort giving the Ballycastle defence something to think about but the sliotar deceived Charlie in goals for the Town.

The lead remained at three as the clock ticked into injury time when Mort grabbed the Cuchuallins second major.  The home side worked the ball out of ruck and into the path of Nicky McKeague.  In front of the posts and 60 yards from goal, he would have been forgiven for taking a point but McKeague delivered a low ball into the path of Mort who made no mistake from 25 yards out with a drilled effort.

A seven point winning margin to give the Cuchullains their fifth league win out of eight this year.  They travel to Cushendall on Sunday ahead of the league split while Ballycastle host Rossa with all teams not guaranteed a top half finish.

TEAMS

Dunloy: Eoghan Richmond; Phelim Duffin, Karl O’Kane, Oran Quinn; Kevin McKeague, Conor McKinley, Ronan Molloy; Aaron Crawford, Ciaran Elliott; Eoin McFerran, Gabriel McTaggart, Aodhan McGarry; Anton McGrath, Barry Scott, Nicky McKeague

Subs: Ryan Mort for B Scott (40); Eamon Smyth for C McKinley (45); Conor Kinsella for R Molloy (53); Ciaran McQuillan for C Elliott (55); Conal Kelly for N McKeague (inj)

Scorers: A McGarry 1-2 (1-1 free); A Crawford 0-3; A McGrath 0-3; N McKeague 0-3 (3 frees); R Mort 1-00; E McFerran 0-2; G McTaggart 0-2; K McKeague 0-1; R Molloy 0-1; B Scott 0-1

Ballycastle: Ryan McGarry; Oran Kearney, James McLister, Jack McGowan; Oran Donnelly, Dermot Donnelly, Eoin McAlonan; Ronan McCarry, Ryan McCook; Joseph McToal, James McShane, Ciaran Butler; Tiernan Smyth, Lorcan Donnelly, Darrgh Kelly

Subs: Mark McClean for R McCook (34); Diarmuid McShane for C Butler (51); Reuben McClean for L Donnelly (51); Criostai McAuley for D McShane (57); Cian Baudant for O Kearney (inj)

Scorers: T Smyth 0-7 (6 frees); C Butler 0-3; R McCarry 0-2; J McToal 0-2; O Donnelly 0-1; E McAlonan 0-1; D Kelly 0-1

Referee: Ciaran McCloskey (Loughgiel)