Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship – Quarter Final
Dunloy 1-24 Ballycastle 1-18
Sunday 22 September
Brendan McTaggart reports from Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel
With eight minutes of this tie remaining, substitute Lorcan Donnelly brought Ballycastle to the brink of causing a major upset. They had reduced Dunloy’s lead to two points and were playing like a side rejuvenated. Despite missing the services of Tiarnan Smyth, the Town were playing with championship intensity and at levels many can’t have envisaged. They were in the mood to prove to the naysayers that there is life in the black and amber.
Neal McAuley rolling back the years and playing a pivotal role for his side at full forward. Someone may need to carbon date the man. He was phenomenal for his side and had plenty of support. Seamus McAuley and Ciaran Butler causing mayhem while the work rate of Ryan McCook and Ronan McCarry in the middle third ensured Ballycastle were competitive.
Dunloy found another gear in the closing stages, however. Keelan Molloy instrumental, Seaan Elliott at his impish best in the middle of the field while Conal Cunning was relishing being back in a Dunloy shirt for the first time in this year’s hurling championship.
The Cuchullains would run out six point winners by the time referee Tarlach Conway called for time after seven minutes of injury time. Nine different scorers and 1-22 of their final tally coming from open play is impressive reading but missed goal chances and well into double figures in wides will give Gregory O’Kane and his backroom team food for thought as they prepare for a semi-final date with Loughgiel in two weeks’ time.
The Cuchullains started this one like a steam train with Cunning firing over with barely 30 seconds on the clock. Points from Paul Shiels and Aodhán McGarry came either side of a free from Conor Boyd to open Ballycastle account.
The Town thought they had the opening goal of the game in the fifth minute when Neal McAuley deflected the sliotar beyond Ryan Elliott. The green flag was raised but the Ballycastle celebrations were cut short with referee Tarlach Conway calling a square ball infringement. McAuley would fire over his first free of the match to leave the minimum between the sides. It would be their last score for 12 minutes however as Dunloy clicked into gear. A brace of points from the hugely influential Seaan Elliott (one free) came before the Cuchullains carved open two goal chances. Ballycastle ‘keeper Ryan McGarry denying first Nigel Elliott and then a quite brilliant double save to deny Cunning and Eoin O’Neill.
Scores would follow from O’Neill and Seaan Elliott to open the Dunloy lead to five before Conor Boyd split the uprights for his second of the match and briefly halt the Dunloy charge.
Butler and Keelan Molloy split the posts before Ballycastle had another sight of the Dunloy goal. Neal McAuley breaking the sliotar into the path of Seamie McAuley who pulled first day but his shot fizzed over the bar to leave three between the sides with ten minutes of the half remaining.
That deficit would remain until first half injury time with Dunloy raising the white flag through Aodhán McGarry (two) and Keelan Molloy (two) while Ballycastle had scores from Seamie McAuley, James McShane and a brace from Neal McAuley (one free). Aodhán McGarry should have scored a major in that period of time but his Ryan McGarry denied him with the goal at his mercy. The Dunloy forward would make no mistake deep in first half injury time, however. Nigel Elliott stealing possession in the middle third and finding his brother Seaan in space. The Dunloy flier sped towards the goal with the Ballycastle defence closing in, he passed to Aodhán McGarry and he fired to the back of the Ballycastle net to leave the half time score 1-12 to 0-9 in the Cuchullains favour.
Both sides were guilty of missed chances in the opening 30 plus minutes recording five wides apiece. Ballycastle missing a couple of very scoreable frees did little to help their challenge while the Cuchullains will rarely miss such goal chances again.
The second half started just like the first with Cunning splitting the uprights for his second of the match. The accuracy didn’t improve from either side though with six wides shared between them in the opening 10 minutes.
Points from James McShane and Neal McAuley (free) got the Town firing again before Cunning split the posts again. Seamie McAuley pointed for his third of the match before Ballycastle were awarded a penalty in the 45th minute. Phelim Duffin adjudged to have fouled Seamie McAuley and Ballycastle were given a lifeline. Conor Boyd stepped up to take the penalty but his shot was driven straight at Ryan Elliott in the Dunloy goals.
Another McAuley free and Ciaran Butler’s first of the second half came either side of Nigel Elliott firing over for Dunloy in the 47th minute. Butler would reduce the Dunloy lead to four points with an quite brilliant score wide on the left and under pressure. The Cuchullains responded with Seaan Elliott’s fourth of the match before Ballycastle scored their major in the 52nd minute. Mark McClean working the ball into the path of Lorcan Donnelly and he showed super composure to beat Elliott in the Dunloy goals.
With the game in the melting pot, Dunloy’s response was match winning. A brace of points from Keelan Molloy followed with the Ballycastle cheers still ringing in the ears of the players. Counting Molloy’s brace, the Cuchullains would outscore Ballycastle seven points to three after Donnelly’s goal to safely ensure their passage to the last four and a date with the Shamrocks in two weeks time.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn; Eamon Smyth, Kevin Molloy, Conor McKinley; Paul Shiels, Seaan Elliott; Nigel Elliott, Keelan Molloy, Aodhan McGarry; Eoin O’Neill, Conal Cunning, Nicky McKeague
Subs: Tom McFerran for P Shiels (44); Gabriel McTaggart for Nicky McKeague (44); Chrissy McMahon for E O’Neill (48); Eoin McFerran for E Smyth (48); Anton McGrath for Keelan Molloy (60)
Scorers: A McGarry 1-3; Keelan Molloy 0-5; S Elliott 0-5 (2fs); E O’Neill 0-3; C Cunning 0-3; N Elliott 0-2; P Shiels 0-1; C McMahon 0-1; G McTaggart 0-1
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