Casement Social Club, Antrim Junior Hurling Championship Group 2
Glen Rovers, Armoy 1-18-1-15 Lámh Dhearg
Kevin Herron reports from Armoy
After the excitment of the road races on Saturday afternoon, all attention turned to the opening round of the Antrim Junior Hurling Championship in the evening as last seasons runners-up Armoy hosted Lámh Dhearg in Group 2- with the hosts just doing enough to edge out the Hannahstown men in a game that toed and froed throughout the evening.
Calum Fegan shot over the opener for the visitors, but Armoy resonded with successive Turlach McBride free’s before Daniel Murray restored parity in a busy opening to proceedings.
Lámh Dhearg hit the front again when Gerard Smyth did enough to flick the ball over on the half turn and then Adam Murray doubled his sides advantage.
The opening goal arrived after 10 minutes and it fell to Armoy when Joseph McFetridge’s close range flick on snuck in at the near post to give his side a 1-2-0-4 lead.
In reply, Odran Waldron flashed a shot over and Adam Murray landed his first free of the evening to edge the Hannahstown natives ahead again.
The sides were tied level for the fourth time when Emmet O’Hara dropped a shot over, and they would cancel each other out on two further occassions before the half was out.
The Lámh’s opened up a three-point lead with Ryan Diamond popping over twice between a second converted Adam Murray free but Armoy hit three-points on the bounce in response.
Ciaran McKenna grabbed the first, Ronan Lavelle charged forward from wing-half-back and showed composure and Turlach McBride converted his third free of the half.
Points were traded between Murray (free) and PJ McBride as the sides looked to be heading in at the interval level, however Adam Murray clipped over his fifth of the half from a free as his side held a slender 0-11-1-7 advantage at the break.
Armoy drew first blood and levelled through a Turlach McBride free six minutes after the restart.
Murray replied from the same scenario before the hosts forged ahead for the second time in proceedings.
Subsitute Trevor Linton didn’t take long to make his mark on proceedings with a fine attempt that dropped over and PJ McBride then doubled his account.
Lámh Dhearg drew level after Fionn Mervyn soloed forward and popped over and Odran Waldron then shot his side infront again approaching the midway point in the second period.
PJ McBride clipped over the leveller for his side before the hosts stole a march with Conor Christie landing a free and then adding a further from play to open up a 1-13-0-14 scoreline.
On the 53rd minute the lead changed hands for the eighth time of the evening when Conor Devlin could only partially clear a high ball towards the target and Adam Murray did enough to fire the loose ball to the net and make it 1-14-1-13.
Scores were traded in the aftermath between PJ McBride and Murray (free) but it was Armoy who held their nerve going down the home straight.
Shane Devlin tied things up for the last time and a superb free from range by Conor Chrstie had his side in the driving seat.
An error allowed PJ McBride in and he popped over his fifth score and Chrsitie added another free to seal a 1-18-1-15 win for last seasons runners-up as they bid to go one better this term.
GLEN ROVERS, ARMOY: C Devlin, C Coyles, S Devlin (0-1), L Dillon, R Lavelle (0-1), T Burns, A Devlin, K McToal, C Christie (0-4, 0-3f), PJ McBride (0-5), E O’Hara (0-1), C McKenna (0-1), J McFetrdige (1-0), C Lordan, T McBride (0-4f). Subs: T Linton (0-1).
LÁMH DHEARG: R Camlin, C Camlin, C Rafferty, T McKenna, E Stanley, P Mervyn, F Mervyn (0-1), D Martin, D Murray (0-1), O Waldron (0-2), R Diamond (0-2), A McGuigan, C Fegan (0-1), G Smyth (0-1), A Murray (1-7, 0-6f).
REFEREE: Paul McSparron (CUSHENDUN)