Antrim Hurling League – Division 2

Oisins 3-22 Loughgiel 2nds 2-10

IN a game of twists and turns Glenariffe ended up beating Loughgiel 2nds by 3-22 to 2-10 at Waterfoot on Sunday in Division 2 of the Antrim Hurling League. When Glenariffe hit 2-1 to 0-1 in the first five minutes of the game it looked as if it was going to be one way traffic, but Loughgiel came back strongly and were just a point in arrears by the end of the opening quarter. There was little between the teams during the second quarter, and when the Oisins went in at the break with just three points to spare it was hard to predict just how the game would go. When the Shamrocks got the first point of the second half to leave just two between them it looked like we were in for a close contest, but incredibly the visitors only added one more point in the 29 minutes that remained, and it came in the final minute.

Man of the match Seanie McIntosh and centre forward, Oliver Kearney grabbed goals for the Oisins in the first five minutes, and with ‘Tosh’ adding two points they were 2-2 to 0-1 in front after seven minutes. Loughgiel hit back when Roan McGarry fired the ball to the Oisins net on eight minutes and when Ronan ‘Rosie’ Fitzgerald got goal number two they were right back in contention. The remainder of the opening half was closely fought with Oliver Kearney, Seanie ‘Tosh’ and substitute Orrin O’Connor hitting two points apiece for the Oisins and Damian Quinn, Rosie Fitzgerald, Ryan Hill, Ronan Casey and Roan McGarry all getting on the scoreboard for the Shamrocks and at the break just three points separated the teams. Oisins 2-11 Loughgiel 2-8.

When Odhran McGrath cut the gap back to two three minutes into the second half it looked like it would again be close, but the scoring dried up for the visitors and Glenariffe took over. They hit nine points without reply during that second half, Tosh getting four of them, while Oran Gillan, Niall Magee, Oliver Kearney and Brogan O’Connor got the others. Substitute Niall McFadden ended the Shamrocks drought with a point from a free before Orrin O’Connor ended it all with the only goal of the second half in the final minute.

ACHL Division 1

O’Donovan Rossa v Loughgiel Shamrocks May 5^th, 2024

Rossa 5-15 Loughgiel 2-17

On a day when marathon fever descended on a bustling Belfast city, an on form Rossa side would make Loughgiel run their own marathon in Pairc Rossa as the Shamrocks tried to shake off a depleted squad hit by injury and other engagements.

Although Loughgiel would strike into the heart of Rossa’s goal mouth within seconds of referee Mark O’Neill rolling in the sliotar, Declan McClosky’s high dropping ball would be securely caught by Rossa’s keeper, Conor Rocks but it would be quickly turned around after the puck out, and McCloskey’s second attempt would find the ball net over the bar.

On an overcast day with hardly any breeze, no side would enjoy an advantage from the elements but as Loughgiel inched their way up the scoreboard with a free from Declan McCloskey and two points from Jack McCloskey and Tiago McGarry, Rossa would pull them back with a matching free from Pearce Short and two points in play from Thomas Morgan and Eoin Trainor.

Loughgiel went through a patch of sending the sliotar wide of the mark as they aimed towards the clubhouse end, and had they have been on target, they would have neutralised Rossa’s goal from Trainor as he found the space to deliver a piercing shot from close range.

As the scores stood, Rossa 1-04 Loughgiel 0-04, both sides would settle and trade points in a spell that would see Loughgiel’s Conor O’Mullan take a hard fall to the shoulder area twenty minutes into the game, resulting in a substitution.

Rossa continued to press forward and when Thomas Morgan scooped up the sliotar out wide of the 13 metre line, he managed to cut back towards the goalmouth and sensing the closing shape of Loughgiel’s Caolan Blair, drop kicked the sliotar into the net for a half time scoreline Rossa 2.08 Loughgiel 0-08.

As the second half got underway, Rossa’s Morgan collected a high ball in the Shamrock’s half back line and wasted no time in finding McMenamin who fired past keeper McFadden into the back of the net for first of his back-to-back goals of the game.

Rossa’s Eoghan McMenamin found himself breaking through the Shamrock’s defence after collecting a low pass up onto the stick and had enough space to take a full swing on the sliotar that would find Loughgiel’s net for goal number four. Loughgiel started to mobilise in Rossa’s half and would amass 6 points from a series of careless frees, much to the vocal annoyance of Rossa’s management.

Rossa though would keep their score ticking along with points from Diarmaid Rogan until Eoin Trainor found the underside of Loughgiel’s cross bar and the awkward ricochet left McFadden with no chance, securing Rossa’s fifth and final goal of the game.

In the latter stages of the game, Loughgiel had by now worked out how to penetrate Rossa’s defence and goals from Odhran McFadden and Finn Henry closed the gap but with a three-goal difference as the clock ticked down into injury time, Rossa had the buffer to enjoy a home win in front of a delighted group of supporters in Pairc Rossa. At the final whistle, O’Donovan Rossa would enjoy a 5-15 score to Loughgiel’s 2-17.

O’Donovan Rossa – Starting panel

Conor Rocks, Oisin McVicker, Ciarán Orchin, (0-01) Niall Crossan, Declan McCartney (0-01), Christopher McGuinness, Ben McAuley, Cónall Shannon, Diarmaid Rogan (0-03), Pearce Short (0-01, 1f), Thomas Morgan (1-03), Dara Rocks, Eoghan McMenamin (2-0), Eoin Trainor (2-01), Michael Armstrong (0-04)

Loughgiel Shamrocks – Starting panel

Cormac McFadden, Tiernan Coyle, Caolán Blair, Pearce Patterson, Seamus Dobbin, Declan McCloskey (0-01, 5f), Ruairi McCormick, Tiago McGarry (0-02), Donal McKinley (0-01), Odhran McFadden (1-01), Cahal Hargan (0-02), Conor O’Mullan, Eoin McGarry (3f), Maol Connelly, Jack McCloskey (0-01)

Finn Henry (1-01)

Antrim Hurling League Division 1

Ballycastle 3-24 Ballycran 2-17

Ballycastle got back to winning ways at Pairc MacUilin on Sunday when they beat Ballycran in a high scoring and entertaining game. The home side appeared to have it all wrapped up when they went in at half time with a thirteen point lead, but the men from the Ards came out in the second half and made a real fight of it. When they closed the gap to five midway through the second half there were a few among the home support who were starting to look a little concerned. However the home side steadied the ship with a series of good points and went on to win in the end by ten.

Wearing their change of strips, as is traditional in this fixture between these two who wear the famous black and amber stripes, the opening ten minutes was score for score and they were level on four points apiece Tiernan Smyth catching the eye for the Town and Paul Sheehan for Ballycran. The game looked as if it was going to be a tight affair, but all changed in a five minute spell when Ballycastle grabbed three goals inside five minutes. Seamus McAuley got the first one after breaking through from the half forward line, Neal McAuley go the second, after the Ballycran keeper Stephen Keith had pulled off a great save to deny Tiernan Smyth, and ball broke to Neal McAuley who fired home the rebound. Goal number three came soon afterwards when Smyth broke through again and was fouled in the ‘square’ by Keith and the corner forward drilled the resultant penalty to the net.

Trailing by 0-7 to 3-11 at the start of the second half Ballycran began to make a fight of it just after the restart when the excellent Paul Sheehan fired over a point in the opening minute and when he drove a penalty to the net nine minutes later, a bit of momentum began to build. With the giant Paul Miskimmin now operating on the edge of the Ballycastle square he soon showed there was more to his game than just power as he doubled one handed overhead on a dropping ball and sent it flying between the posts. When Phelim Savage drilled in goal number two and Sheehan added another point the gap was down to just five, and with fifteen minutes left to play the victory did not seem as secure as it had appeared to be at the break.

However Ballycastle started to find the target again and with man of the match Tiernan Smith picking off a variety of scores the gap began to widen again and were good value for the ten point margin that separated the sides in the end.

ACHL Division 2

Clooney Gaels 4-17 St. Gall’s 0-17

Colla McDonnell and James O’Connell shared the goals as Clooney Gaels swept aside the challenge of visitors St. Gall’s in Ahoghill on Sunday.

The visitors matched their opponent during the opening exchanges with the scores tied at three apiece after seven minutes but slowly Clooney Gaels started to turn the screw and a goal from Colla McDonnell in the 16th minute put them in control.

The home side would go on to add two more majors before half time with James O’Connell getting his first of the evening in the 24^th minute and ‘Colla’ completing his double, just before the break.

By half time it was as good as over with the Gaels leading 3-12 to 0-8 and the home side would go on to add a further 1-9 in the second half to run out convincing winners.

Ronan Graham 0-2, Donal Graham 0-2, James O’Connell 0-4, Dan O’Neill 0-2, Colla McDonnell 0-2, Neil O’Connell and Diarmaid Graham were the Clooney Gaels first half point scorers as they moved the ball around with great pace and precision.

Ewan Rush, Cormac Sheehan, Marcas Napier 0-2, Gairech MacAdhaimh, Ronan Crossen and Gregory McGreevey were the St. Gall’s marksmen in the opening half but it looked a long way back for the Milltown side as the teams changed ends.

There would be no comeback or no letting up from the Ahoghill side as James O’Connell went on to give a demonstration of point taking and he hit his sides opening three points of the second half before firing home his second and his sides 4^th goal with 14 minutes gone.

To their credit St. Gall’s kept battling away with Gregory McGreevey, Cormac Sheehan, Aodh Mullan and Fergus Donnelly on target at the other end.

The men in Red & Black continued to add to their tally however as Ronan Graham 0-2, James O’Connell 0-2 and Noah Friel 0-2 tagged on points in the final quarter with Jackson McGreevey replying from two frees and a ‘65’ to put a better reflection on the final score-line.

This win sees Clooney Gaels climb to second place in the table with three wins from five starts, five places above St. Gall’s who have the same number of points but an inferior score difference.

The visitors were missing a few regulars on this occasion but will hope to get back to strength for the visit of St. Paul’s to Milltown in two weeks-time while the Clooney Gaels rebuilding programme looks to be well on track.

Clooney Gaels: 1 Aiden Graham, 2 Harry O’Donnell, 3 Patrick Dougan, 4 Charlie McCloskey, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 James Magee, 7 Diarmaid Graham, 8 Dan O’Neill, 9 Connor Crossey, 10 Martin Graham, 11 Ronan Graham, 12 Donal Graham, 13 Colla McDonnell, 14 Neil O’Connell, 15 James O’Connell

Subs: 17 Owen Neeson, 18 Joseph Logan, 21 Aodh Mullan, 19 Michael Martin, 22 Shea Neeson, 24 Ryan McPeake, 20 Oisin Kelly

St. Gall’s: 1 Kurtis McGreevey, 2 Oran McIlhatton, 3 Ewan Rush, 4 Daniel Churchill, 5 Gairech MacAdhaimh, 6 Jackson McGreevey, 7 Dubhalthach Ma Liam, 8 Jack Hopkins, 9 Gregory McGreevey, 10 Patrick Friel, 11 Cormac Sheehan, 12 Fergus Donnelly, 13 Ronan Crossen, 14 Niall O’Neill, 15 Marcas Napier.

Subs: 17 Aodh Mullan, 18 Michael McMullan, 20 Tom Ghee

Referee: Tarlach Conway