With the division 1 league title out of reach of both sides this meeting of Rossa and Dunloy at Rossa Park on Sunday was more about pride and preparation for the forthcoming Senior Hurling championship and on the evidence of this encounter the Cuchullian’s look more likely contenders.
Both sides have been hampered during the league by the number of County players they have had away on duty and the return of a number of these players has added strength and depth with Cuchullian’s buzzing throughout Sunday’s encounter.
They looked well on their way to victory when they led 1-15 to 0-9 at the halfway stage with Conall ‘Cobbie’ Cunning getting the first half goal and showing deadly accuracy from both play and frees.
The Antrim star would end the contest with 1-10 to his name with the free taking of Dermot Rogan and the contributions of Michael Armstrong, Gerard Walsh and Aidan O’Brien keeping Rossa’s hopes alive as the game went into the second half.
The visitors were in no mood to take their foot of the pedal during a second half where they showed an intensity and scoring ability that the opposition just couldn’t live with on the day.
A second goal from Nicky McKeague put the icing on a fine performance where the visitors looked to be on a mission to make up for lost time and send out a message that they will be serious contenders again when the championship comes around.
Cobbie, Kevin McKeague, Keelan Molloy, Sean Elliott, Nigel Elliott, Anton McGrath, Deaglan Smith and Nicky McKeague were in sparkling form for the Cuchullian’s who might just be running into form at the right time. Dermot Rogan 0-5, Michael Armstrong 0-2, Aidan O’Brien 0-2, Gerard Walsh 0-2, Stephen Beatty and Stephen ‘Spud’ O’Neill were best for a Rossa side who have work to do before the championship gets underway.
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Hurling League Division One
St John’s 3-14 Cushendall 2-23
Cushendall put themselves in pole position to claim the ACHL Division 1 title when they travelled to Corrigan Park on Sunday and recorded a six point win over a St. John’s side who held title aspirations themselves going into this game
Heading into the game, the Johnnies needed to win and hope that results went their way next week, but it was the Cushendall men who moved two points clear at the top following Sunday’s encounter.
Loughgiel are just two points behind with a game in hand but have an inferior score difference and would need a resounding win over Rossa next week if they are to overhaul their North Antrim rivals.
In an entertaining game of hurling that saw the hosts giving as good as they got for long periods but the visitors always looked the likelier winners and finished strongly to ensure victory.
It was St. John’s who made the brighter start however and scored the game’s first goal after just 15 seconds as Conall Bohill broke from the throw-in, and found Peter McCallin who placed Darragh McGuinness who cut in from the left to finish in style.
Oisin MacManus opened his account from a free and then Connor Hand got onto a good cross field ball to add another as the Corrigan men enjoyed a bright opening spell.
The Ruairi og’s took a time to settle as Ciaran Neeson opened their account with both teams relying on their free-takers for a spell with MacManus on target for the hosts, while McGill and Campbell replied for the visitors with that early goal separating the sides.
The lead would be wiped out in the 18th minute as Andrew Delargy got onto a long play, popped to Paddy Burke whose bouncing finish found the net.
Cushendall would push on with McGill (two), Alex Delargy and Dom Delargy finding their range in a spell in which Aaron Bradley clipped over a fine score from out on the left for the Johnnies who would have a couple of goal chances late in the half. Peter McCallin did well to get in on goal but last-ditch defending would deny him, while a piece of quick thinking late in the half saw Cormac McAllister alert to his whipped effort to divert out for a 65 that MacManus would land as Cushendall’s lead was down to two at the break, 1-11 to 1-9.
Cushendall made the stronger start to the second period with Neeson getting into a groove with a point from the left, followed by a McGill free.
But the Johnnies began to rally with the next three as Bradley fired from deep either side of placed balls from MacManus. The gap was back to three as Neeson clipped his third from an angle and McGill punishing another indiscretion, but in the space of two minutes, the Johnnies had overturned the deficit.
Firstly, Bohill was onto a long ball and played MacManus in to crack home and then, Miceál Dudley’s long delivery broke to Bohill who whipped home.
After an exchange of points, Cushendall began to eat into the gap as they mounted a charge in the final quarter as Ryan McCambridge thought he had a goal, only for his whipped effort to clear the bar, while substitute Fred Curry wasted no time in getting involved with a brace to level it up.
Momentum was with the Ruairis as Paddy Burke edged them ahead and McGill thumped over from deep and two minutes from time, it was game over as Simon Doherty opted to prevent a shot from going over, but didn’t get enough purchase on his batted effort with Andrew Delargy there to poke home.
A Conor Hand point kept the Johnnies in the hunt entering stopage time but the game was sealed as Joe McNaughton and McCambridge cracked over late points to ensure they sit on top with their league campaign over.
They must now await the outcome of next week’s final round game between Loughgiel and Rossa to see if they claim the title, but it will require a 39-point win for the Shamrocks to overhaul them.
ST JOHN’S: S Doherty; O Carleton, Ciaran Johnston, C McEvoy; J Bohill, C Morgan, M McCartin; S Wilson, C Bohill (1-0); D McGuinness (1-0), C Hand (0-3), A Bradley (0-2); P McCallin, L Heenan, O MacManus (1-9, 0-6f, 0-2 65s).
Subs: M Dudley for P McCallin (HT), D McKeogh for L Heenan (HT), J Wilson for A Bradley (51), M Darragh for J Wilson (59)
CUSHENDALL: C McAllister; Stephen Walsh, M Burke, L Scalley; Scott Walsh (0-2), E Campbell (0-1f), P Burke (1-1); Alex Delargy (0-1), F McCambridge; R McAteer, R McCambridge (0-2), D Delargy (0-1); C Neeson (0-4), P McGill (0-8, 6f), Andrew Delargy (1-0).
Subs: J McNaughton (0-1) for D Delargy (36), F McCurry (0-2) for R McAteer (46)
REFEREE: Column Cunning (Dunloy)
To see more of Bert’s pics from this game click on the link below
A late scoring burst which brought 1-4 without reply saw Glenarm snatch victory over Carey in Sunday’s Division 2 Hurling League clash at Feystown. Having lead at half time by 0-11 to 0-9 the home side lost their way a little in the second half and when visitors Carey started to gain the upper hand after the interval it looked like they might be on course for the win in this top of the table clash. However the Glenarm men found another gear in the closing stages and outscored the visitors in the final five minutes to snatch the points.
The first half was well contested with Shea Hunter hitting a series of excellent pointed free for the Carey men and Nial McGarel and Ciaran Magill on target for the home side. Points from McGarel and Dylan McLaughlin in the run in to half time gave the Shane O’Neill’s men a four point lead but Conor McBride and Shea Hunter closed the gap to just two by the short whistle.
Points from Calum Cane and Conor McBride early in the second half brought Carey level but Glenarm came back with points from McGarel and McLaughlin to move two clear again. An exchange of points by McGarel and McBride kept the sides tied at the end of the third quarter, but the visitors were starting to gain the upper hand and points from James ‘Rocket’ Black, Conor McBride (2) and Callum Cane put them four ahead with just six minutes left to play. The smart money would have been on the Faughs at this stage, but Glenarm produced a great finish to turn the game around.
McGarel started the run with a point from a close range free before corner forward Sean O’Neill struck and excellent one from play. Ciaran Magill picked up a loose clearance, which was created by a Niall McGarel block, before sending over and a minute later he drilled a low shot to the net after a mix up in the Carey defence. That all but sealed the win, but just to put the icing on the cake Darren Hamill sent over a long range point from a free to wrap it all up and keep their chances of the league title very much alive.
The two teams are due to do it all again on Wednesday evening in Carey as they play a fixture which was postponed a few weeks ago, and they are also due to meet in the championship in early August, so there is still a lot to play for in the coming weeks.
To see more pics from the Glenarm v Carey game click on the link below
Antrim Camogis have been relegated after three seasons in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior championship! A brave second half fightback, when they came from eight points down at one stage, just came up short, and they now drop back down to Intermediate level next season.
Limerick needed the win to stay up, a draw would have been good enough to see Antrim through, but a goal conceded in first half injury time saw the Ulster champions’ hopes dip.
They trailed by 2-7 to 0-6 at the turnover and, ten minutes into the second half, the visitors hadn’t made any headway with a gap of eight points between the teams.
However goals from Róisín McCormick and Annie Lynn saw them draw level at 2-11 each and they even went a point up when McCormick despatched a 53rd minute penalty.
Limerick though responded and tagged on enough scores to get over the line and stay up.
Róisín McCormick was the star of the Antrim attack and scored five of their six first half points; the other was scored by Dervla Cosgrove.
Earlier though Limerick were already 0-3 to 0-2 ahead when Caoimhe Lyons pounced on a defensive mistake to claim the first of her two goals in the 11th minute. Her second came two minutes into added time when Caoimhe Costelloe broke the tackle and found Lizanne Boylan. Boylan’s effort was well saved by Catriona Graham but Lyons was on hand to spoon the rebound into the net.
Costelloe and McCormick divided the first six points of the second half between them with only one of those from a dead ball. When Lyons made it 2-11 to 0-9 in the 42nd minute, Limerick looked safe.
However McCormick buried a goal in the 45th minute and added a point with her club-mate Annie Lynn firing home an equalising goal two minutes later. Limerick responded with points from Delea and Costelloe before Antrim earned a penalty in the 53rd minute. When McCormick’s shot hit the net, the Saffrons were a point up. But they couldn’t hold on with Costelloe pointing three successive frees to bring the game into added time with her side two up.
McCormick responded with a free that was immediately cancelled by Lyons and, despite the referee adding on nearly eight minutes, Limerick held out to gain revenge for a league defeat in Ballycastle in March. The result sends the Saffrons down to next season’s Intermediate championship.
Antrim: R McCormick 2-10, 1-0 pen, 0-6 frees, A Lynn 1-1, D Cosgrove 0-1.
Limerick: C Lyons 2-2, C Costelloe 0-9, 5 frees, O Kelleher and N Ryan 0-2 each, L Fennelly and R Delea 0-1 each
Antrim: C Graham, D Dobbin, M McKenna, C McKillop, E Coulter, E Martin, A Boyle, E Johnston, F Kelly, M Kelly, R McCormick, D Cosgrove, J McIntosh, C McArthur, C Dobbin.
Subs: A Lynn for F Kelly (35), L McNaughton for E Johnston (34), S Fyfe D Cosgrove (43)
Limerick: C Mulqueen, C Ryan, M Quaid, A Nelligan, C O’Riordan, S O’Callaghan, A Larkin, M Creamer, O Kelleher, L Fennelly, R Deale, L Boylan, N Ryan, C Lyons, C Costelloe.
Subs: S Woulfe for C Ryan (HT), M Ryan for O Kelleher (38), Á Reynolds for L Fennelly (53), N Brennan for R Delea (60 + 2).
Galway’s win over Dublin in yesterday evening’s All Ireland quarter final at Croke Park was the Westerners first championship victory over the Boys in Blue since 1934. When I heard that fact announced yesterday evening, a bell rang loud in my head, and my mind went back to a story I had written on the Saffron Gael during lockdown, four years ago this month. The story was about Hugo Carey, who played at corner back on that Galway team of ’34, who was a son of Glenravel’s Henry J Carey. Just a few weeks ago Martan Carey and his siblings were back in Glenravel to check out the Carey homestead at Killygore, Rathkenny. We called down to see the house that his grandfather left all those years ago and I took a few photos of them along with his brothers and sisters and their hosts for the day Dolores and Angela O’Loan, whose father Kieran now owns the house. Little did we think that day that just a few weeks later Galway would bridge that 90 year gap and end the run of the mighty Dubs, probably the best team in the history of the game.
Members of the Carey family outside the family homestead at Killygore Road, Rathkenny in at May of this year – L-R: Pàdhraic Ó Ciardha, ex Deputy Head TG4, Mairéad Ní Chiardha (sister) Galway, Bairbre Ní Chiardh (Milwaukee USA), Angela O’ Loan (Glenravel), Máire Ní Chiardha (Galway), Claire Carey (double first cousin) Dublin, Mártan Ó Ciardha ex Head of Sport, Raidió na Gaeltachta (An Spidéal), Tim van Wagoner (Milwaukee, USA).
This is the original story I wrote in the Saffron Gael in June 23rd 2020
Hugo Carey (left) with his father Henry, mother Margaret and brothers Joe and Pádraic
Last week I spotted a post on the Once Upon A Time in Glenravel Facebook page from Mártan Ó Ciardha from An Spidéal Co. Galway enquiring if anyone had history on his grandfather Henry J Carey who was born in Rathkenny, Glenravel in 1872. I did not know a lot about his ancestors to be honest but Mártan was soon flooded with info about his heritage from some of the many experts on the Glenravel site, and in this short time is now more or less an honourary Glenravel man.
What caught my eye was the fact that Mártan was from Spidal, Co Galway, so I messaged him to say that the local Con Magees club had spent two Easter weekends there in 1973 and ’74 in the Teach Furbo Hotel, had great memories of the place . We played a couple of challenge games both years, among the teams the seniors faced were the mighty Corofin, who have since gone on to win five All Ireland titles, including a 3-in-a-row in 2018, 19 and 20. However it has to be said that football was not the main focus of those trips for some of us.
Mártan got back right away and thanked me for getting in touch. He told me he was a dyed in the wool GAA man himself and had covered the games in Galway, working as Head of Sport at Raidió na Gaeltachta. He then dropped a real bombshell as he told me about how he felt his uncle Hugo might possibly be the first son of a Glenravel man to win an All Ireland Senior Football medal. Having worked on the team that produced the club history just four years ago I was knocked sideways by this statement. Nobody in the club had ever heard of Hugo Carey so I ask Mártan to send me on all the info he had on his famous uncle, and true to his word he sent me the following email and photographs.
Hugo Carey became the first son of a Glenravel man to win an All Ireland Senior Football medal when he lined out at corner-back for Galway in their win over Dublin in 1934.
Hugo Carey (3rd from left) on the Galway team in the pre-match parade before the 1934 All Ireland final.
Named after his grandfather Hugh, Hugo was the son of Henry J. Carey, born to Hugh Carey (b. Rathkenny 1824) and his wife Mary McGowan (b.1829). Henry J. became a member of the RIC and was posted to Carna in Connemara.
There he and his wife Margaret Berry reared a family of seven, Hugo being the middle child was born in 1908.
Hugo Carey (4th player from left on the back row) on the Galway team who beat Dublin in the 1934 All Ireland final – On Saturday Galway bridged a 90 year gap when they beat Dublin again in the championship to book a place in the semi-final
He was on the Galway teams that won the Connacht titles in 1933 and ’34, reaching the All Ireland Finals on both occasions. They were beaten by Cavan in ’33 but the following year Hugo Carey earned his All Ireland medal playing on a side that took revenge on the Brefni men in the semi-final, and then defeated Dublin (3-5, 1-9) in the final.
Within days of that win Galway headed to the USA where they played games in Boston, Jersey City, Philadelphia and in Giant’s Stadium New York, where Hugo marked Joe Stynes, noted republican and grand-uncle of the Great Jim Stynes, the only non Australian-born footballer to be awarded the Brownlow Medal.
