Antrim Masters push for a place in the prestigious Dr Loftus Cup semi-finals fell agonisingly short on Saturday in Tyrellpass when they lost by a couple of points in a cliffhanger of a contest. Kerry were last season’s Dr Loftus Cup runners up, but they needed to call on every ounce of their experience to see off a heroic effort by the Saffron Masters who were well in touch throughout the whole hour of an absorbing end to end battle from the first whistle to the last.
In the end it was the unerring accuracy of the Kingdom legend Sean O’Sullivan who made the difference, his individual contribution of nine points providing the platform for his team.
Antrim captain Colly Connolly won the toss and elected to play with wind advantage in the first half, but it was Kerry who made the brighter start with a goal and two points on the board before the majestic Sean Kelly strode through the heart of the kingdom defence and cooly slotted the ball to the back of the net. This score settled the Saffrons who went on to add a second goal just before half time courtesy of classy Niall Sweeney. In between two superb points from Mark Graham, one from the excellent Kevin McAllister and a brace from the outstanding Michael Herron allowed Antrim to take a marginal one point lead at the half time break.
Facing into the breeze in the second half Antrim needed to maintain a massive work rate to keep in contention as Kerry pushed four points clear at one stage, but the Saffrons never lost belief and points from the excellent Mark Graham and another inspirational score from Micko Herron reduced the deficit to just two points. The game was played right on the edge throughout and threatened to boil over several times, as Antrim pushed Kerry to their absolute limit. Numerous scoring chances presented themselves and three last ditch scoring attempts finished just on the wrong side of the posts, as the Saffrons finished the game on the front foot with most of the possession.
Antrim Masters have been a transformed team this year and the stoney silence in their dressing room after falling just short to an excellent Kerry team told its own story – this was one that got way. Just a bit more composure in front of the posts would have seen Antrim progress, a wide tally of twelve to Kerry’s five over the hour telling its own tale!
Every Antrim player rose to the occasion and were in no way overawed by either their opponents or the occasion, with impressive performances all over the pitch – a herculean effort from centre half Michael Herron particularly deserving of the Antrim man of the match verdict.
Antrim’s Michael Herron
Antrim now join Cork Mayo and Derry in the draw on Monday night in a second tier championship grouping, and with the anticipated return to action of full back Adrian Scullion, Cargin sharpshooter Kieran Close from injury and first choice midfielders Brendan Etherson and Kevin Gallagher, Antrim management and panel can look forward with increasing confidence and reflect with some pride that Antrim Masters have now closed the gap with the top performing counties in this ever growing prestigious competition.
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Cushendun Emmet’s 1-10 Tir na nÓg Randalstown 4-10
Tir na nÓg moved to the top of the Group 2 in the Intermediate Hurling Championship when they travelled to Cushendun on Saturday evening and beat the Emmett’s by three clear goals, a defeat that puts them joint top with their South West neighbours Cloney Gael. However it also deals a severe blow to Saturday’s opponents who are still looking for their first point of the campaign after their second defeat in a row. The Cushendun men are not gone yet but they must win their last three games of the round-robin section and hope other teams do them a favour by taking points of the two top teams along the way.
Tir na nÓg took the lead in the first minute when Darragh Fagn pointed from play, but the Emmet’s hit back with three in a row through Conor Bannon, Dominic McQuillan and Conlaoith McNeill to lead by two after five minutes play. The scoring dried up for the home side at this stage and by the time Callum Kilgore got their next point ten minutes later the Randalstown side had come back with three of their own, two of them from Ciaran Logan frees and the other from Fagan, his third of the game.
The second part of the opening half saw Tir na nÓg get on top, and when Eamon Og McAllister struck for their first goal on 17 minutes they began to open up a gap and when Fagan, McAllister and Logan all added points they were 1-07 to -05 ahead with time almost up in the opening half. Just before the break the home side were awarded a free thirty metres out from goal and sensing they were up against it ‘Loaf’ McNeill stepped up and fired to the ball to the net to cut the gap back to 1-05 to 1-07 at the interval.
With just two points between the sides as they came out for the second half Cushendun must have felt they were back on track, but they were dealt a double blow in the opening minutes of the new half when Darragh Fagan and Eamon Og McAllister grabbed two quick goals and Fagan also added a point to put nine between the sides.
The Emmet’s began to edge their way back with two points from Callum Kilgore, one from ‘Loaf’ McNeill and another from Conrad McDonnell. However just when it appeared they were getting themselves back into the game the Randalstown men struck for goal number four, Daniel Martin delivering the killer blown this time around.
Cushendun fought back and cut the gap a bit with three unanswered points, but the goals were the killer and they now face a very tough battle, and a few favours from other clubs, to get themselves back into the race. Their next outing is away to second placed Cloney Gaels in Ahoghill, while Tir na nOg have a home game against Sarsfields the day before.
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A 63rd minute goal from St Paul’s replacement Paul Donnelly was the decisive score in what proved to be yet another closely, and keenly contested derby against Sarsfields.
Donnelly’s late strike turned out to be the games defining score but the real star of the show was Caolan Ó Duibhfinn. The St Paul’s wing forward claimed all thirteen points for the Shaws Road men. With his teammates having an off day in front of the posts, Ó Duibhfinn showed composure and class to keep his side in the contest when for long periods it looked like the visitors were taking the points back to the Bear Pit.
The game was going to plan for Sarsfields for much of the contest, but an ugly brawl late in the game saw a straight red card to a St Paul’s official and a Sarsfields defender Niall McAlea.
McAlea was having an excellent game up until that point and was doing a superb job in front of his full back line. St Paul’s never got a sniff of goal while he was on the park. But once McAlea’s game was cut short, St Paul’s pounced for 1-3 and throw Group 2 of the Intermediate Championship wide open.
With the tie delicately poised at 0-5 a piece after 20 minutes, it was Sarsfields that took the initiative and race into a four-point lead.
Two Donal McKernan frees and efforts from play from Anthony McGarrigle and Ó Maoláin saw Sarsfields go in that break leading 0-9 to 0-5.
Backed by a stiff breeze in the second half, St Paul’s emerged for the second half with a more gusto to their play.
Two points from Ó Duibhfinn gave them the start to the half that they needed, but again, Donal McKernan was the man to keep daylight between them.
Back came St Paul’s with another Ó Duibhfinn free. Niall McKenna quickly restored Sarsfields three-point cushion, and this pattern continued until the 49th minute when Ó Duibhfinn made it a two-point game with his eleventh point of the game.
The game was then turned on its head in the 51st minute when a disputed sideline call led to a mass brawl. It was five minutes before calm was restored, and after consulting with all of his umpires, referee Colin Thompson sent Sarsfields McAlea to the line while a St Paul’s team official also saw red
McAlea’s absence left a hole in the Sarsfields defence and St Paul’s took full advantage in the third minute of additional time.
Sean Munce picked out Paul Donnelly and his cool finish past Daniel McKernan fired St Paul’s into a one-point lead.
Ó Duibhfinn then extended their lead to two with a fine effort from the right wing.
There was still time for one more Sarsfields attack.
Donal McKernan’s sideline ball dropped into the St Paul’s square, but some last ditch defending prevented the visitors from grabbing a last second goal which would have gained them victory.
Instead, St Paul’s cleared their lines and hung on to record a much-needed victory.
St Paul’s: Chris Murray, Ciaran O’Carroll, Frankie Sewell, Tiarnan Auld, Dáire Stevenson, Stephen Rooney, Thomas Duff, Mark Munce, Declan Quinn, Caolan Ó Duibhfinn (0-13 9F 1 ‘65’), Declan Chapman, Lorcán Phillips, Caolan Crossan, Patrick Doyle, Conall Duffy.
Replacements: Bairre Burns for O’Carroll (29), Sean Munce for Doyle (HT), Paul Donnelly (1-0) for Duffy (48), Conall Finnegan for Chapman (49).
Padraig Sarsfields: Daniel McKernan, Michael Johnston, Jack Daniels, Mark McCavanagh, Garry Lennon, Eoghan Rogers, Caolan McKernan, Anthony McGarrigle (0-1), Nicolas Ó Maoláin (0-3), Oisin Coleman, Daniel Smyth, Niall McKenna (0-1), Fionn Jemfrey, Niall McAlea, Donal McKernan (0-8f).
Replacements: Daniel McKernan (Snr) (0-1) for Smyth (15).
Referee: Colin Thompson (St John’s).
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Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship – Group B – Round 1
Dunloy 0-24 St John’s 0-18
Saturday 10 August
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
Dunloy opened their senior hurling championship campaign with a hard earned victory over St John’s at Pearse Park on Saturday evening. Six points might have separated the sides at the end of the hour but the Johnnies gave the home side their fill of it in a display that looked to frustrate the Cuchullains for long periods.
The home side put in a strong second half performance to pull away from St John’s and a period of just over ten minutes where they threatened to score goals at will. Some ‘cute’ defending from St John’s kept Simon Doherty’s clean sheet intact during that period of play but it saw the Cuchullains score six points unanswered, open a nine point deficit going into the closing stages and effectively take the championship points on offer.
Seaan Elliott top score for Dunloy, taking over the free taking responsibility from the injured Conal Cunning, he would finish with 0-9 beside his name. Playing in a deeper role for the majority of the game, Seaan was in the thick of the action for the Cuchullains and put in a strong performance. Keelan Molloy excelled once again and fired over seven points from play that came from a variety of angles and positions making him a nightmare to defend against.
Shea Shannon was a shining light in midfield for the Johnnies and had 0-8 by the end of the hour while Conor Johnston looked back to his impish best. Peter McCallin’s duel with Phelim Duffin was entertaining both on and off the ball. The St John’s man was a livewire and there wasn’t much room afforded from Duffin one way or another. Conal Bohill’s move into the forward line in the final quarter looked to yield some attacking joy against a solid Dunloy defence but the Johnnies had little or no sights of Ryan Elliott’s goal.
The first half was a very tactical affair, much like the contest between the two sides in the championship last year. Unbelievably, the first score didn’t come until the 8th minute of the game, Aaron Bradley knocking over for his first of three points in the opening half.
By that stage, Dunloy had hit five wides while the visitors didn’t fair much better with two efforts missing the target.
A brace of scores from the Elliott brothers, Nigel and Seaan (free) preceded two white flags by Shannon for St John’s (one free). Tactically, the Johnnies were posing a problem for Dunloy and but for some further wayward shooting, they could have extended their narrow advantage.
The Cuchullains found another gear in the second quarter and played with more fluidity. They fired over four points in five minutes from Seaan Elliott (free), Keelan Molloy (two) and Paul Shiels with a Shea Shannon free the only response for St John’s as they opened a two point lead.
Aaron Bradley’s excellent first half performance was underpinned with a further two points in the time that remained, his second a sublime score off the hurl and while Donal Carson also found his range, Dunloy finished with a flourish. Scores in the same period from Chrissy McMahon, Nicky McKeague, Seaan Elliott and Keelan Molloy ensured Dunloy would take a three point lead into the half time interval, 0-10 to 0-7.
The sides traded scores at the start of the second half, Conor Johnston and two from Shannon (one free) for the Johnnies while Eoin O’Neill and a brace from Seaan Elliott (1 ’65) found the target for Dunloy.
Conor Johnston’s second of the half in the 39th minute followed before a piece of opportunism from Stephen Tierney brought the best out of Ryan Elliott in the Dunloy goals. Shannon had sent a free to the edge of the square and while the sliotar looked to be dropping wide, Tierney managed to get his hurl to the delivery and deflect it towards the Dunloy goal. Elliott’s reflexes were a match for his effort to keep the Dunloy lead at two.
A brilliant score from Keelan Molloy in the 41st minute marked the beginning of the Cuchullains purple patch. Wide on the right, under pressure, Molloy’s effort had the Dunloy crowd purring as they watched the sliotar sail between the sticks. He would fire over another moments later, this time from fully 80 yards and while Shannon replied from a free for St John’s, by the time his side would find their range again the Dunloy lead would be extended to nine.
Seaan Elliott fired over four frees as Dunloy’s attacking play found another level. Eoin O’Neill, Seaan Elliott and Eoin O’Neill all dragged to the ground when they had a sight of the St John’s goal. Taking one for the team and understandable, as they looked to try and rein in the Cuchullains attack. Further scores followed from Keelan Molloy and substitute Aodhan McGarry as the St John’s defence looked overworked.
The Johnnies did break the Cuchullains momentum and split the uprights with three unanswered free, two from Shannon and one from substitute Oisin MacManus but the home side kept the scoreboard ticking at the other end and never looked like yielding their advantage. Nigel Elliott and substitute Padraig Martin fired over with MacManus (free) and Conor Johnston replying for Mickey Johnston’s side while Keelan Molloy took his tally to 0-7 for the evening before Enda McGurk completed the scoring deep in injury time.
Six points between the sides and the championship is off and running for both sides. Dunloy meet Rossa in Dunsilly on the 25th August in their next encounter while St John’s will face reigining champions Cushendall in Ballymena on the same day.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn; Eamon Smyth, Kevin Molloy, Ronan Molloy; Paul Shiels, Seaan Elliott; Nigel Elliott, Keelan Molloy, Eoin McFerran; Nicky McKeague, Eoin O’Neill, Chrissy McMahon
Subs: Aodhan McGarry for P Shiels (43); Deaglan Smith for C McMahon (45); Padraig Martin for N McKeague (50); Anton McGrath for E O’Neill (56)
Scorers: S Elliott 0-9 (6fs 1’65); Keelan Molloy 0-7; N Elliott 0-2; P Shiels 0-1; N McKeague 0-1; E O’Neill 0-1; C McMahon 0-1; A McGarry 0-1; P Martin 0-1
St John’s: Simon Doherty; Odhran Carleton, Ciaran Johnston, Sean Wilson; Enda McGurk, Conal Bohill, Conal Morgan; Andrew McGowan, Shea Shannon; Conor Johnston, Stephen Tierney, Darragh McGuinness; Aaron Bradley, Peter McCallin, Donal Carson
Subs: Conor Hand for C Morgan (15); Michail Dudley for P McCallin (38); Oisin MacManus for S Tierney (41); Conor McAvoy for S Wilson (45); Ruairi Galbraith for D Carson (60)
Scorers: S Shannon 0-8 (6fs); Conor Johnston 0-3; A Bradley 0-3; O MacManus 0-2 (2fs); E McGurk 0-1; D Carson 0-1
Referee: Tarlach Conway (Ballinascreen)
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A superb performance from wing half forward, Eoin Dobbin proved the difference in the end as St. Brigid’s, Cloughmills defeated visitors St. Gall’s in a keenly contested Intermediate Hurling Championship, Group 1 encounter in Cloughmills on Friday night.
The ‘Biddies’ number 12 would finish the contest with 2-10 to his name as he struck some superb scores from play and from the placed ball with his second goal coming from a penalty.
The penalty came 10 minutes from time with the side’s level when Jackson McGreevey was penalised for throwing his hurl which struck a player with the St. Gall’s number 14 receiving Red.
Dobbin fired past Kurtis McGreevey to give his side a lead they would hold onto the end as the home side finished strongly to win by six in the end with the margin of victory slightly flattering the North Antrim men.
The opening half was pretty even with the side’s level on seven occasions with Marcus Donnelly and two from Mark Napier for St. Gall’s matched by Conor Laverty, Callum McKendry and Eoin Dobbin to leave it 0-3 to 0-3 with only eight minutes gone.
With Dobbin striking a number of excellent points and Liam Kearns pointing from a free and Niall O’Neill, Marcus Donnelly and Mark Napier in fine scoring form for the visitors, it was St. Gall’s who looked like finishing the half in front when they led by the minimum after 25 minutes.
It was Eoin Dobbin who stamped his class on proceedings in the closing minutes however as he fired home an excellent goal in the 28th minute to add to two pointed frees to see his side 1-8 to 0-7 ahead at the break.
St. Gall’s goal scorer, Niall O’Neill attempts to shake of St. Brigid’s Sean McKendry
Dobbin continued his one man demolition job at the start of the second half as he pointed a second minute free and when Callum McKendry added another the Cloughmills side were six ahead and appeared to be taking control.
St. Gall’s found a response however as they came storming back through Ronan Crossen, a superb sideline cup from Jackson McGreevey and two more from Fergus Donnelly and Mark Napier to close the gap to two by the 10th minute.
Just when the Milltown side looked like getting on top, St. Brigid’s struck with a second goal and again it was that man Dobbin who did the spadework. He soloed clear on goal but was dragged back as he was about to shoot with Kurtin McGreevey saving his initial effort but James Doherty followed up to finish from close range.
St. Gall’s quite simply refused to concede defeat as they staged another come-back as they ditched their sweeper with Jackson McGreevey given a free role and Ronan Crossen pointed before Niall O’Neill struck with a goal in the 15th minute and it was back to two once more.
A couple of well struck frees from Mark Napier had it all square again for the 8th time by the 20th minute but Eoin Dobbin’s goal from the penalty spot gave St. Brigid’s back a lead they would maintain to the end.
Dobbin would add a further 0-5 from converted frees in the run in to the final whistle with Liam Kearns adding one from play and Patrick Friel and Mark Napier replying with consolation scores for the Milltown Row side.
This win puts St. Brigid’s in with a chance of qualifying from Group 1 though they face a difficult away trip to Carey Faughs before finishing their campaign at home to Oisin, Glenariffe.
St. Gall’s keeper, Kurtis McGreevey pulls off an excellent save to deny Liam Kearns
Cloughmills: 1 Gary McCollum, 2 Rian Dobbin, 3 Sean McKendry, 4 Corey Blair, 5 Johnny Duffin, 6 Ruairi Laverty, 7 Geoffery Og Laverty 8 Martin Dobbin, 9 Kevin O’Boyle, 10 James Doherty, 11 Callum McKendry, 12 Eoin Dobbin, 13 Liam Kearns, 14 Conor Laverty, 15 Reece Watt
Subs: 20 Stephen Smyth, 22, James O’Boyle, 24 Ryan Watson
St. Gall’s: 1 Kurtis McGreevey, 2 Daniel Churchill, 3 Ewan Rush, 4 Oran McIlhatton, 5 Patrick Friel, 6 Tomas O’Ciaran, 7 Ryan Irvine, 8 Jack Hopkins, 9 Fergus Donnelly, 10 Niall O’Neill, 11 Marcus Donnelly, 12 Ronan Crossen, 18 Ethan Walsh, 14 Jackson McGreevey, 15 Mark Napier.
Subs: Gregory McGreevey
Referee: Paul McSparran (Cushendun)
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