North Antrim Minor Hurling Championship – John Darragh Memorial Cup
Cuchullains 2-20 Glenariffe – Glenravel 2-11
Darragh Cup holders Dunloy booked their place in next week’s 2024 final when they beat Glenariffe-Glenravel in Friday evening’s semi-final at Pearse Park. Leading by two points at the end of a very competitive first half, the young Cuchullains started to stretch the gap when they turned to play with the breeze at their backs. The visitors gave themselves some hope when their top scorer Orrin O’Connor pulled a goal back with five minutes left to play to cut the gap back to four, but Dunloy were well on top at this stage and they sealed the win with a late Paudie Martin goal to set up a final meeting with Cushendall next weekend.
Playing against the stiff breeze in the opening half Dunloy made a great start and were 1-3 to 0-0 ahead after five minutes, the goal coming from Oisin McCamphill, while Oisin McCallin, Paudie Martin and Ryan Scott got the points. Glenariffe-Glenravel were in a spot of bother but they fought back to close the gap to a single point with two points from Peadar McDonnell and a fantastic goal from full forward Colla Ward. Three in a row from McCamphill, Richmond and McCallin pushed the Dunloy lead out to four but with Orrin O’Connor hitting five points in the lead up to half time, in reply to two by Luke McFerran and Ryan Scott to cut the gap to two by half time. Dunloy 1-10 Glenariffe-Glenravel 1-08
When Joe McKay got the first point of the new half for the visitors to leave just a point between the sides, it looked like we were in for a tight second half, but with the breeze at their backs Dunloy started to open the gap again. Two from Oisin McCallin and three from Paudie Martin, in reply to two from Orrin O’Connor, pushed the lead out to five by the midway point of the second half, but while O’Connor was the man picking off the scores for the visitors, Dunloy had a wider range of players raising the flags.
Four in a row from Richmond, Scott and Martin (2) stretched the gap to eight, and while Orrin O’Connor gave Glenariffe-Glenravel some hope with a late goal, Dunloy finished on a high and Paudie Martin put the gloss on a great individual display with a late goal.
DUNLOY
Caolan McFerrin, Cahir McMullan, Sean Og Blaney, Charlie Cunning, Ryan McClements, Ben O’Kane, Ryan McClements, Ben O’Kane, Reece Cunning, Conor Mort, Jack Martin, Ryan Scott, Luke McFerrin Aiden Richmond, Oisin McCallin, Oisin McCamphill, Padraig Martin.
Subs used – Damian Kinsella and Donnach Laverty
GLENARIFFE-GLENRAVEL
Ben Duncan, Ciaran McLaughlin, John Scullion, James Kearney, Oran McKeown, Niall Magee, Calum McIlwaine, Oran McClintock, Phelim Ward, Joe McKay, Peadar McDonnell, Orrin O’Connor, Cahir McNaughton, Colla Ward, Oisin Gillan.
Referee – Owen Elliott
