All hurling fans in Antrim will tell you that the Intermediate championship is always the most exciting and most competitive of them all, but this year’s competition has surpassed itself. Sarsfields win over Con Magees, St Paul’s victory over Cushendun and Tir na nÓg’s win over Cloney Gaels has left no less than four teams sitting level on six points each in Group 2
In one of those thrilling Round 4 clashes CLG Naomh Pól staged a dramatic comeback to narrowly defeat Cushendun 3-19 to 1-22 and set themselves up to claim a place in the IHC semi-finals.
Cushendun dominated the first half, leading by five points at the break. However, Naomh Pól turned the game around in the second, spurred by impactful substitutions including young Sean Munce, whose speed and movement proved crucial. This comeback echoed their recent victory over Sarsfield’s, where young players also made a decisive difference. Naomh Pól’s spirited second-half performance secured a memorable win.
The result means the Shaw’s Road side’s final group 2 game against Tir na nOg now becomes more or less a quarter final, as does the Cloney Gaels game against Sarsfields. Whoever wins these two games will advance to the semi-final and to be honest should one or both end in draws God alone knows who will make the last four.
With Glenariffe Oisins leading Group 1 ahead of Cloughmills and Carey Faughs it appears to be straight forward. However that is not the case, for if Carey were to beat the Oisins in that final game they would join them on six points in the league standings, but would then top the group by virtue of the head to head standings.
Cloughmills, who have played all of their games, are on 4 points and if Glenariffe beat Carey then Carey and Cloughmills will both end on four, with Cloughmills leading that dual on the head to head race, by virtue of their last minute win in Carey two weeks ago. Of course if early pace setters Glenarm win their final game against pointless St Gall’s then they too would be on four points and it would come down to the score difference in the games between each other.…..answers on a postcard please.
TO SEE MORE OF MICKEY MORGAN’S PICS FROM THE CUSHENDUN V ST PAUL’S GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW