Antrim Hurling League – Division 3

Glenravel 1-12  Lamh Dearg 0-12

Aodh O’Loan reports from Fr Maginn Park

Con Magees Glenravel picked up their first league points when they were a goal to the good at the end of a pulsating game played in windy conditions at Fr Maginn Park on Sunday.Ahead by six points at half time the home side looked to be in control but a ten minute spell of total dominance at the start of the second half dragged Lamh Dearg right back into the game and but for wayward shooting the visitors would have been way ahead on the scoreboard.

As it was Glenravel weathered that storm and came back in the final quarter to regain a foothold on possession and see that reflected on the scoreboard as they edged home three to the good. Lamh Dearg were left wondering what could have been had they trained their sights more accurately on the goalposts over the hour.

The game was only one minute old when Mark Finneagn pointed an excellent free to give the visitors the lead for the one and only time in the game. Glenravel’s Sean McKay added a couple before Donal Martin levelled again with eleven minutes gone with both sides guilty of wayward shooting. In the second quarter McKay added two more followed by an excellent score from over on the sideline by man off the match Declan McAuley put three between the sides. Con Magees were starting to dominate at this stage and their endeavours were rewarded when Declan Traynor burst through the Lamh Dearg defence and netted from fifteen yards out to extend the home side’s lead to six points, 1-05 to 0-02. Finnegan and McKay would trade frees before a lovely score for play from Sean McKay who was proving too hot to handle for the Lamh Dearg defence. Mark Finnegan, again from a free brought us to half time with Glenravel Leading 1-07 to 0-04.

Lamh Dearg stayed out on the pitch at half time as their coach Ciaran McKernan, who had won an Antrim Junior Championship in charge of Glenravel in 2021 gave words of wisdom that certainly inspired his men. They went on to totally dominate the first ten minutes of the second half with scores from Mark Finnegan, Gerard Smyth and Adam Murray bringing the Hannahstown side back to within one point of their opponents who had not added to their scoreline from half time. Indeed, failing to get any sort of possession at all. Declan McAuley steadied the home ship with another fantastic score and when Sean McKay added to that  the home support were starting to breath again with one goal now separating the teams. Seanpaul Gibson and Adam Murray brought the visitors back to within one point with ten minutes remaining and all to play for. Conor Duffin and Donal Martin added a point apiece for both sides but as the game entered it’s final five minutes the home team wrestled back control with points from Sean McKay and Luke Laughlin sealing the deal to deliver two hard earned league points for the home side.

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