IHC Group 1
Rasharkin 0-16 Ahoghill 5-23
Cloney Gael maintained their place at the top of Group 1 after this comprehensive victory over South West neighbour, St Mary’s Rasharkin and have 5 points from 3 starts with their next outing against Kickham’s Creggan likely to decide who tops the group.
Their Saturday evening opponents were expected to push them hard but in truth this one was well and truly over at the halfway stage when the visitors led 3-15 to 0-8.
The home side never really got started with their resources stretched by a number of absentees and had it not been for net minder, Liam Tunney the damage could have been even greater.
Bernard Graham pointed the Ahoghill side ahead after 20 seconds and Colla McDonnell set up Donal Graham for the game’s opening goal with only two minutes gone.
The blistering pace and astute movement of the Cloney attack was opening up the Rasharkin defence as Owen Neeson, James O’Connell (0-2), Colla McDonnell, Dan O’Neill and O’Connell again moved Ahoghill 1-7 to 0-0 ahead by the 8th minute.
The pressure was relentless and O’Connell added another from a ‘65’ before Declan McKay finally opened the home side’s account with a point in the 10th minute.
McKay’s point appeared to have brought some urgency to the Dreen side and Conor McKeever pointed a ‘65’ and Donagh Quigg followed with another from play to give their side a glimmer of hope.
That hope was quickly extinguished however with Liam Tunney pulling of a couple of superb saves as the visitors tried to respond but James O’Connell added another pointed free and Conor Crossey followed from play before O’Connell set up Colla McDonnell for the Ahoghill sides second goal.
McDonnell and Fionnbar O’Neill added points before Conor McKeever pointed a long range free for the home side’s 4th point of the evening in the 19th minute.
Donagh Quigg, who was the Rasharkin outstanding attacker over the hour, added another but it only brought another decisive response from the men in Red.
James O’Connell and Dan O’Neill extended the Ahoghill lead with Conor McKeever replying from another well struck long range free but there was no stopping the Cloney juggernaut and Colla McDonnell was quickest to react after Tunney had parried a James O’Connell shot as he forced the sliotar home from close range.
Donagh Quigg from play and McKeever from another free brought the Rasharkin St. Mary’s total for the half to 0-8 but a late pointed free from the excellent O’Connell left the Ahoghill St. Mary’s on 3-15 as Paul O’Neill blew for half time.
It wouldn’t get much better for the hosts after the break but they continued to battle hard as Tunney pulled of another great stop to deny Donal Graham from the throw in before Owen Neeson pointed the visitors further ahead.
At times it looked like Donagh Quigg was fighting a one man battle in attack and he soloed through for a point in the 4th minute as Brian Og O’Neill replaced Daniel Hasson in the Rasharkin side.
Conor McMullan entered the fray for Jason McGregor in an attempt to add some urgency to the Rasharkin attack but Cloney Gaels continued to call the shots as James O’Connell added two further points from frees.
Donagh Quigg continued to provide Rasharkin’s main attacking threat and he replied with two excellent efforts at the other end but a Fionnbar O’Neill penalty conversion put the game totally out of reach with ten minutes remaining.
Quigg and McKeever kept the score board ticking but it was a matter of damage limitation at this stage and when Donal Graham half volleyed to the net for his side’s 5th major of the evening they were out of sight.
The closing minutes saw Conor McKeever and Donagh Quigg add to the Rasharkin total but the visitors continued to score at will with James O’Connell 0-2, Dan O’Neill, Ronan Graham adding to their total and Conor McKeever concluding the scoring with a late Rasharkin point.
Cloney Gaels top Group 1 with 5 points from 3 starts, a point above Kickham’s Creggan who have 4 points from 2 starts with the sides set to meet in Ahoghill on Friday the 5th September,
Rasharkin panel: 1 Liam Tunney, 2 Connor Higgins, 3 Fergus Quigg, 4 Daniel Hasson, 5 Aidan McKeever, 6 James Higgins, 7 Tiernan O’Boyle, 8 Declan McKay, 9 Connor McFerran, 10 Jason McGregor, 11 Donagh Quigg, 13 Conor McKillop, 14 Thomas McMullan, 15 Conor McKeever, 17 Brian Og O’Neill, 18 Conan McMullan, 19 Terry McGregor, 20 Connaire Donaghy, 21 Brendan Kelly.
Cloney Gaels: 1 Aiden Graham, 2 Harry O’Donnell, 3 James Magee, 4 Jack McFall, 5 Fionnbar O’Neill, 6 Diarmaid Graham, 7 Bernard Graham, 8 Daniel O’Neill, 9 Conor Crossey, 10 Eoin Graham, 11 Ronan Graham, 12 Owen Neeson, 13 Colla McDonnell, 14 Donal Graham, 28 James O’Connell,
Subs: 18 Patrick Dougan, Tom McGlone, Adam Mullan, Noel Friel
Referee: Paul O’Neill (Creggan)
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