Leadon Timber Frame Ulster Minor Hurling Tournament
Cup Semi-Final
Glenariffe/Glenravel 2-15 Bredagh 1-16
Friday 27 December
Brendan McTaggart reports from Páirc an Déin Mhíc Loinsigh, Baile na Scrine
Glenariffe/Glenravel were pushed to the pin of their collar on Friday afternoon but held out Bredagh to reach the Ulster minor hurling final. They had two to spare over the Down champions by the end of a hugely entertaining hour of hurling that saw Callum McIlwaine put on a masterclass from midfield. The Glenariffe/Glenravel midfielder finished with seven points beside his name, all from play but he had plenty of support on the day. Orrin O’Connor shone throughout with exceptional work rate while Niall Magee and Colla Ward were superb in defence. McIlwaine’s impishly brilliant cousin Oisin Gillan and Phelim Ward grabbed the majors in either half that saw the Antrim champions have an element of control on the game throughout.
Bredagh had a greater variety of scoring with seven different names on the score sheet by the final whistle. Sean McCollum may be diminutive in stature but he was a giant throughout the hour while Luke Doran almost singlehandedly dragged his side to the brink of a stunning comeback. Eoin Browne and Sean Doyle were excellent in defence but Glenariffe/Glenravel and McIlwaine had enough, just to ensure they booked their place in the New Year’s Eve Final.
The opening goal came after eight minutes with the sides tied on three points apiece. It came through the genius of Gillan when he stole in behind Conor Dunne and raced through on the Bredagh goal. He made no mistake with his effort and when McIlwaine fired over a brace of points soon after, Glenariffe/Glenravel threatened to run away with this game.
Bredagh dug in however with McCollum and Kinney frees keeping them in touch. With the game ticking into the last minute of the first half, Bredagh were given a lifeline with their major. Luke Doran’s speculative effort over his shoulder came back off the uprights and with the sliotar bouncing loose, Shane O’Connell reacted quickest and pulled first time to the back of the net.
That goal came at the perfect time for Bredagh and while Orrin O’Connor’s fourth white flag of the half and third from placed ball put four between the sides on the stroke of half time, it was still all to play for in the second half.
With the aid of a slight breeze after the restart, Bredagh halved the Glenriffe/Glenravel deficit through Doran and McCollum. The Antrim champions looked to come out of their slumber however and opened a five point lead by the 41st minute with O’Connor and McIlwaine combining. Indeed, it took a quite brilliant piece of defending to deny Glenriffe/Glenravel a second major with John Scullion looking certain to find the back of the net but he was denied with a hungry Bredagh defence denying him space and swarmed him out.
A run of three points brought the Down men to within two once again before Glenriffe/Glenravel hit their second major and what proved to be the game defining score. It was Phelim Ward who applied the expert finish but it owed much to the work of O’Connor in the build up. Incredibly though, it would be their last score for almost ten minutes.
With seven minutes remaining and five points the difference, Bredagh refused to down tools. Scores from Doran, Finbar Blaney, Kinney (’65) and Odhran Morgan-Lyttle on the stroke of the hour had many thinking on extra time but McIlwaine had the final say when he raised his seventh white flag.
Glenariffe/Glenravel look forward to a final meeting with Erin’s Own Lavey (conquerers of Tyrone champions Eoghan Rua in the first semi-final) on New Years’ Eve with a 12pm throw in.
TEAMS:
Glenariffe/Glenravel:- Ben Duncan; Cahir McNaughton, Colla Ward, Harry Fyfe; James Kearney, Niall Magee, Oisin Mort; Callum McIlwaine (0-7), John Scullion; Eunan Harvey, Orrin O’Connor (0-6, 5 frees), Christy Leech; Michael Furey, Phelim Ward (1-1), Oisin Gillan (1-1). Subs: Joseph McKay for E Harvey (51), Oisin McKeown for J Scullion (59)
Bredagh:- Daniel Kinney (0-3, 2 frees, 1’65); Conn Quilton, Eoin Browne, Conor Dunne; Frankie Ferguson, Patrick McGarry, Sean Doyle; Pearse Loughrey, Daniel Cunningham; John Dougan (0-2), Luke Doran (0-3), Finbar Blaney (0-3); Sean McCollum (0-4, 3 frees), Shane O’Connell (1-00), Odhran Morgan-Lyttle (0-1). Subs: Tom Dougan for F Ferguson (38), Conor O’Neill for P Loughrey (43), Tomás O’Brien for D Cunningham (45), Caomhan McAnarney for C Quilton (48).
Referee: Alan Nash (Derry)
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