ACHL Division 2
Shane O’Neill’s 3-14 Ahoghilll 2-17
Shane O’Neill’s Glenarm and Cloney Gaels, Ahoghill fought out an entertaining draw at Feystown on Wednesday night. The visitors made the early running and led 1-4 to 0-3 after 9 minutes but Shane O’Neill’s settled and were back on level terms by the halfway stage.
It was nip and tuck throughout the second half with the lead changing hands on several occasions but 2 late converted frees from Niall McGarel looked to have given the home side the points before James O’Connell struck an injury time equaliser for the Cloney side from a close range free.
Patrick Graham got Cloney off to the perfect start when he hammered the sliotar to the net after 30 seconds as the visitors opened up the home defence with a slick build-up right from the throw-in.
McGarel replied immediately from a pointed free and added another in the second minute to close the gap to the minimum but the Gaels responded through a James O’Connell free and points from Niall O’Connell, Patrick Graham and James O’Connell had them 1-4 to 0-2 ahead after 8 minutes.
The visitors short passing game and smart movement was causing problems for the home side but they responded through their best forward, Niall McGarel with Donal Graham firing back immediately for the Ahoghill side and Colla McDonnell and James O’Connell adding further points to moving them four ahead.
A Michael Furey point for Glenarm and another pointed McGarel free kept Shane O’Neill’s in touch and then Declan McDermott got on the end of a sharp interchange to beast Aiden Graham in the Cloney goals from close range and the sides were level.
James O’Connell from play and then from a converted free concluded the visitors first half scoring with Ciaran Magill and Niall McGarel replying for the Feystown side to leave it 1-7 to 0-10 at the short whistle.
Cloney Gaels opened the second half as they had the first with James O’Connell moving them ahead once more from a free after 4 minutes but they were rocked back on their heels when Aidan Scullion got through for Glenarm’s second goal of the evening with 9 minutes gone.
Eoin Graham and Donal Graham responded with point for the visitors as the intensity of the game increased and play swung from end to end.
The balance of play appeared to have swung decisively in the way of the home side when Declan Dermot fired home his second and Glenarm’s third goal at the end of the opening quarter and points from the same player and Niall McGarel looked to have put them in a commanding position.
To their credit Cloney Gaels found a response as James O’Connell and Ewan McGregor pointed and when the excellent Patrick Graham finished to the net with five minutes remaining they were ahead once more.
Play swung from end to end during those closing five plus minutes with Darren Hamill striking a fine long range point for the home side and Niall McGarel edging them ahead with two converted frees and Donal Graham and James O’Connell replying from that late free leaving it all square as Declan McGarry sounded his full-time whistle.
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