Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final
Slemish Park, Ballymena.
Glenariffe Oisins 2-14 Tir na nÓg Randalstown 0-14
Second half goals from Oliver Kearney and Orrin O’Connor were the scores that made the difference when Oisins beat Tir na nÓg in Sunday’s Intermediate Hurling semi-final at Slemish Park, Ballymena. Trailing by a point at half time (0-07 to 0-08) after having played with the aid of the strong wind, the Oisins appeared to be up against it, and when Randalstown stretched their advantage to two early in the second half the Randalstown men appeared to be getting the upper hand. However a five minutes spell of dominance which saw Seanie Tosh point a 65 and a free, on either side of a goal from Oliver Kearney turned the game on its head and despite losing a man to a red card they managed to keep Tir na nÓg at arms length to the finish.
The early stages saw the wind assisted Oisins hold a slender lead as a point from play by Oliver Kearney and three from Seanie Tosh had them 0-04 to 0-03 ahead at the end of the opening quarter, the Tir na nÓg points coming from the stick of the accurate Sean Duffin.
As the game progressed Tir na nÓg began to gain the upper hand and with points from Duffin, his brother Caoimhin and left half forward Josh Higgins thy went in at the break with a 0-07 to 0-08 advantage.
The Oisins started the second half brightly with an Oliver Kearney point but points from Sean Duffin and Aaron McNeilly gave the Whitehill side a two point lead. However the next few minutes changed the game and a point from Seanie Tosh and one from Kearney was followed by the first goal of the game, Kearney connection with a McIntosh sideline cut to send the ball to the Tir na nÓg net. McIntosh added another point just second later and suddenly there was daylight between the sides.
Sean Duffin kept Tir na nÓg in touch with two more pointed frees and Darragh Fagan added one from play but the Oisins always found an answer to keep the gap at four, though it took a couple of sharp saves from goalkeeper Paul McMullan and some last gasp defending to keep them on top. The pressure was eased in the final minute when Orrin O’Connor picked up a ball that was cleared off the Randalstown goal line and he fired it home from close range to seal the victory and set up a final meeting with Carey Faughs in two weeks’ time.
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