ACHL Division One
Dunloy 1-17 Loughgiel 1-20
Wednesday 26 June
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
There’s nothing quite like a match between north Antrim’s ‘aul firm’ to get the heart going and this one was no different. Loughgiel took the honours with three to spare over the Cuchullains in a match that had a small bit of needle, touches of brilliance and a clarry of scores.
Before we get into the nitty gritty of this hour, spare a thought for the man in black who, as the saying goes, would have needed eyes on the back of his head for this game. Incidents happening off the ball, more so as the game progressed and Tarlach Conway was a one-man team. I’m sure he would have liked to ‘phone a friend’ at some stage for a bit of assistance, he didn’t have the luxury of that lifeline in Pearce Park.
The home side for what it’s worth, showed glimpses of their best with Conal Cunning starting on the edge of the square and filling his boots, more so in the opening half while defensively they looked solid. Ryan McGarry and Kevin Molloy working in tandem to marshal the defence. Loughgiel had Shan McGrath and Jack McCloskey in the inside forward line looking sharp, giving the home side plenty to think about while Rory and Declan McCloskey were also imperious in defence but the star man from the hour was the Shamrocks midfielder, Christy McGarry. He may have just the one point beside his name by the time the final whistle came, but ‘Bickie’ was quite brilliant for Loughgiel. Sharp, quick, fleet of foot and a good hurling brain between the ears, Bickie was everything the Shamrocks would have wanted on the evening as the left Dunloy with the league points that were on offer.
It was a slow start to this game with the Shamrocks playing with the wind at their back and shooting into the Chapel goals. Maol Connolly fired over the opening score of the half while Dunloy had a brace of wides and Deaglan Smith bringing the best out of Loughgiel ‘keeper Cormac McFadden in those opening exchanges.
Coby Cunning would open the Cuchullains account with a free in the fifth minute, the Dunloy man would add three further points from placed ball along with the first goal of the game midway through the first half. Loughgiel had a two point advantage when Dunloy cut through the Loughgiel defence. Aodhan McGarry with the initial break before finding Anton McGrath. He passed to Cunning and he gave McFadden no chance with his strike.
Loughgiel’s response to Dunloy’s major was telling. They fired over four of the next five scores with Jack McCloskey (two), McGrath and Declan McCloskey (free) all finding their range with Deaglan Smith point the solitary Dunloy score in the same period.
The home side had another glimpse of the Loughgiel goal, this time it was Nigel Elliott who was denied by a diving Cormac McFadden. The sliotar looked destined for the back of the net but it was a quite brilliant stop from the Loughgiel man.
Coby Cunning reduced the Loughgiel advantage to the minimum with seven minutes of the first half remaining but the Shamrocks came back with another scoring flurry. Four points in just three minutes, three frees from Declan McCloskey and Christy McGarry stretching the Loughgeil lead to five.
A brace of scores from Coby (1 ’65) to take his tally to 1-6 for the half followed before Shan McGrath had the last say of the half to leave the half time score 0-14 to 1-7 in Loughgiel’s favour.
The home side started the second half brightly and again, had another goal chance. This time Anton McGrath with the effort but the sliotar hit the side netting. Points from Seaan Elliott and Deaglan Smith came either side of half time substitute Pearce Patterson for Loughgiel but the visitors had a huge slice of luck to give them a grip on the contest. Bickie McGarry breaking from midfield found Maol Connolly in space. His drilled effort was partially block but dipped wickedly over Ryan Elliott as the sliotar dropped into the Dunloy goal nine minutes into the second half.
The timing of the score couldn’t have been better for the Shamrocks as they looked to quell any Dunloy momentum. The Cuchullains answered with three of the next four scores however. Nigel Elliott (two) and Nicky McKeague finding their range while it was Shan McGrath with the Loughgiel response.
A brace of points from substitute Roan McGarry either side of Dunloy substitute Keelan Molloy left five between the sides midway through the second half as the home side began to turn the screw.
Points followed from Nicky McKeague, Keelan Molloy and Deaglan Smith to leave just two between the sides with five minutes remaining. The home side will look at that passage of play when they dissect this one afterwards where if they had been a small bit more clinical, they could have been at least back on terms with Loughgiel.
It was the Shamrocks who finished strongly however. Declan McCloskey fired over a brace of frees to take his tally to 0-7 for the hour with Seaan Elliott’s free the only response for the Cuchullains.
The home side laid siege on the Loughgiel defence with an aerial bombardment in the closing stages but they got no change from a tight and well organised Loughgiel defence.
The win leaves Loughgiel tied first at the top of the league on 17 points with the Ruairi Ogs with both sides one game remaining. Dunloy undoubtedly put in an improved performance from their last outing against Cushendall but they will be hoping for more in their remaining two games in Rossa and St John’s.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Aaron Crawford, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn; Eamon Smyth, Kevin Molloy, Conor McKinley; Ciaran Elliott, Aodhan McGarry; Nigel Elliott, Seaan Elliott, Nicky McKeague; Deaglan Smith, Conal Cunning, Anton McGrath
Subs: Keelan Molloy for A McGrath (42); Paul Shiels for C Cunning (52); Gabriel McTaggart for D Smith (59)
Scorers: C Cunning 1-6 (3fs 1’65); D Smith 0-3; N Elliott 0-2; Keelan Molloy 0-2; S Elliott 0-2 (1f); N McKeague 0-2
Loughgiel: Cormac McFadden; Tiernan Coyle, Rory McCloskey, Caolan Blair; Conall McCloskey, Declan McCloskey, Ruairi McCormick; Cathal Hargan, Christy McGarry; Maol Connolly, Darragh Patterson, Dan McCloskey; Jack McCloskey, Shan McGrath, Eoin McGarry
Subs: Roan McGarry for C Hargan (HT); Pearce Patterson for J McCloskey (33); Ryan McKee for C Blair (58)
Scorers: Declan McCloskey 0-7 (6fs); S McGrath 0-5 (2fs); M Connolly 1-2; J McCloskey 0-2; R McGarry 0-2; P Patterson 0-1; C McGarry 0-1
Referee: Tarlach Conway (Ballinascreen)
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