Under 21 Hurling Championship – Preliminary round
O’Donovan Rossa 0-19 Ruairi Og Cushendall 5-23
Cushendall qualified for a semi-final meeting with Ballycastle after beating Rossa in Wednesday evening’s U21 Hurling Championship preliminary round at Rossa Park. The Cushendall side were in top form and after a dominant first half display they lead by 3-15 to 0-07 at half time, the goals coming from corner forward Oisin Woodhouse, right half back Austin Birt and full forward Joseph McLaughlin.
After the change of ends the home side fared better but they could not get the goal they needed to really spark a revival and two more goals, one from left-half forward Killian McNaughton and a second goal of the game from Oisin Woodhouse kept them firmly in control.
Woodhouse got the first score of the game when he sent over a point and after Austin Birt and Joseph McLaughlin added further points Woodhouse got in for the first goal of the game. Rossa centre forward Liam McEnhill got Rossa up and running with a point but The Ruairis came back with six in a row before McEnhill interrupted the run with his second score of the game. The visitors piled on the pressure aas the first half advanced and by half time they had stretched the lead to 3-15 to 0-07, the other two goals coming from Austin Birt and Joseph McLaughlin, while McEnhill (4) and Corey Walsh got the Rossa points.
Three in a row from Rossa’s McEnhill, Dairmuid Rogan and Oisin Boyle got the home team off a better start, but goal number four soon arrived for the Ruairis through Killian McNaughton. Midfielder Corey Walsh and centre forward McEnhill kept the scoreboard ticking for Rossa and twelve points overall in the second half was a good showing, but Cushendall had always that bit extra and goal number five arrived from Killian Birt put the icing on the cake
CUSHENDALL
1. Shane coulter
2. Conor McCann
3. Sean McKay
4. Paddy Morgan
5. Diarmuid McManus
6. Callagh Mooney
7. Austin Birt
8. Aiden Campbell
9. Charlie McAuley
10. Thomas McLaughlin
11. Joe McNaughton
12. Killian McNaughton
13. Nicholas McLaughlin
14. Joseph McLaughlin
15. Oisín Woodhouse
Subs used
Mick Quinn
Stephen McAuley
Frankie McCormick
John Mitchell