Bathshack Senior Hurling Championship
Semi-Final
Dunloy 2-15 Loughgiel 0-11
Sunday 6 October
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pairc Mhuire, Bun Abhann Dalla
Dunloy sealed their place in this year’s senior hurling final with a 10 point win against their old rivals, Loughgiel. In truth, the score line perhaps flattered the Shamrocks. The Cuchullains weren’t exactly clinical in front of the target but that will matter little with the final score all that matters in a semi final as they put to rest some of the demons from 12 months previous at the same stage.
Both sides were dealt blows before the game with Dunloy giving starting berths to Caolan and Luke McFerran. A big call to give starting debuts in a match of this magnitude while the Shamrocks were without the talismanic Paul Boyle.
In a game played in atrocious conditions with the wind and rain an ever present over the hour, it was Dunloy who made light of the elements. A final look at the stats from the game will show 13 wides, just under half of those from placed ball but 12 different scorers with three of the changes made getting their name to that list makes for pleasant reading for the Cuchullains.
You can make of the stats what you will but when it comes to championship encounters of this magnitude, it comes down to desire and hunger. It’s impossible to coach and that has to come from within. It was Dunloy who showed that hunger and willingness to do what needed done right from the first whistle. They won enough of the big moments when it mattered with the goals coming at the perfect time from a Dunloy perspective. Nigel Elliott with the first after just five minutes and Keelan Molloy’s goal came with 12 minutes of the hour remaining and put daylight between the sides.
The Shamrocks will be disappointed with their showing. They never really got going and while they threatened goals at different times, they were heavily reliant on the genius of James McNaughton. The All Star nominee excelled in the first half but he’ll have been glad to hear the final whistle after a brilliant Dunloy defence kept him under wraps in the second half. They were restricted to just three points after the break with a little under half of their scores coming from placed ball while Dunloy had 2-12 from open play.
Dunloy hurled into the wind in the first half and played with that trademark style of theirs, short passes and precision. Patience was the order of the day among the mayhem of a championship battle and the Cuchullains dictated the opening 20 minutes or so of the first half. The scores were tied at one apiece when the opening major came. Luke McFerran making the break before finding Eoin O’Neill. He passed to Cunning and while his shot was superbly saved by Cormac McFadden, Nigel Elliott was on hand to bundle the sliotar over the line from close range.
A trio of frees from McNaughton came in response to scores from Luke McFerran, Cunning and O’Neill. The Cuchullains were dealt a blow with the loss of Coby Cunning 17 minutes into the game and while the Shamrocks were starting to get to the speed of the game, by the time Seaan Elliott pointed his first free of the match in the 20th minute, Dunloy were four clear.
It would be their last score for almost 15 minute however as Loughgiel looked to finally play with some of the swagger they’ve shown in recent times. Again, it was McNaughton who got them firing with a free and two from open play. Both coming from distance to leave the minimum between the sides.
The Shamrocks had a glimpse of goal in the last minute of the half when Declan McCloskey found an acre of space in front of him. He soloed through the heart of the Dunloy defence unopposed and drilled a super shot goal bound. Ryan Elliott was called into action and he was equal to the effort with a strong save. McCloskey looked to have plenty more yards to run into and on reflection, he’ll know that he could have gone further before taking his shot.
Tom McFerran and Shan McGrath traded scores in the time that remained to leave the half time score 1-6 to 0-8 in favour of the Cuchullains.
It was certainly a case of advantage Dunloy at half time. It was a strong wind and while it wasn’t exactly blowing straight into the town goals at Pairc Mhuire, it favoured the Cuchullains after the restart.
Frees from Seaan Elliott either side of Shan McGrath’s third of the match came before Dunloy had another sight of the Loughgiel goal. Kevin Molloy breaking the lines and finding Eoin O’Neill in space. His effort was blocked and while Chrissy McMahon gathered the sliotar, his effort was superbly saved by Cormac McFadden.
Rian McMullan left the minimum between the sides but that was their last score for 14 minutes and while Dunloy were wasteful in front of the target with a series of missed frees, points from Aodhan McGarry and O’Neill put them three clear before Keelan Molloy’s goal. Substitute Gabriel McTaggart providing the assist and Molloy’s finish both unorthodox and brilliant.
Loughgiel responded with McNaughton’s fifth free of the match and the seventh time he would raise a white flag with 10 minutes of the hour remaining but it would be their last score as Dunloy put further daylight between the sides down the stretch. The Shamrocks went close to goals with Ben McGarry and Declan McCloskey going for goal but the Dunloy substitutes added icing to the result. Points from Paudie Martin (two), McTaggart and Nicky McKeague in injury time left ten between the sides at the final whistle.
It was a vintage performance from this Dunloy side who rolled back the clock a couple of years and put in the type of performance that sent a message out to the rest of the county. They haven’t gone away you know. The final in two week’s time promises to be a cracker.
TEAMS
Dunloy: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Ryan McGarry, Oran Quinn; Eoin McFerran, Kevin Molloy, Tom McFerran; Paul Shiels, Seaan Elliott; Nigel Elliott, Keelan Molloy, Aodhan McGarry; Luke McFerran, Conal Cunning, Eoin O’Neill
Subs: Chrissy McMahon for C Cunning (17); Cabriel McTaggart for L McFerran (38); Paudie Martin for C McMahon (49); Nicky McKeague for N Elliott (55); Kevin McKeague for P Duffin (60+3)
Scorers: S Elliott 0-4 (3fs); N Elliott 1-00; Keelan Molloy 1-00; E O’Neill 0-2; N McKeague 0-2; P Martin 0-2; T McFerran 0-1; A McGarry 0-1; L McFerran 0-1; C Cunning 0-1; G McTaggart 0-1
Loughgiel: Cormac McFadden; Tiernan Coyle, Rory McCloskey, Caolan Blair; Ruairi McCormick, Declan McCloskey, Damon McMullan; Ben McGarry, Enda Og McGarry; Dan McCloskey, James McNaughton, Darragh Patterson; Shan McGrath, Christy McGarry, Rian McMullan
Subs: Donal McKinley for D McMullan (40); Jack McCloskey for S McGrath (46); Eoin McGarry for R McMullan (55)
Scorers: J McNaughton 0-7 (5fs); S McGrath 0-3; R McMullan 0-1
Referee: Mark O’Neill (Glen Rovers, Armoy)
TO SEE MORE OF MICHAEL CORCORAN’S PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
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