IHC Group 2
Tir na nOg 1-18 Oisins 2-19
Before the game in Cloney a minutes silence was immpecably observed in memory of youg Glenariffe player, Eunan Harvey who sadly passed away last week.
Only four points separated the top two in Group 2 at the end of a robust and at times tempestuous contest at the neutral venue of Cloney but in truth the score-line flattered the Whitehill side who were chasing the game from early on.
Tir na nOg were much too reliant on the free taking of Sean Duffin and while the big centre-half would finish with 1-11 to his credit for the hour, his injury time goal came with virtually the last play of the game.
Their opponents Oisins Glenariffe had a better spread of scorers and were on top for the greater part of the contest and were worthy winners of a game where a number of tackles were not for the faint hearted.
It was the Waterfoot side who made the early running in Ahoghill and after Colm Duffin fired over the opening point for Tir na nOg, they took control.
Callum McIlwaine replied immediately to square the contest and Seanie McIntosh finished to the net from close range in the 9th minute as Glenariffe sprung to life.
Orrin O’Connor added a point before Sean Duffin made his first contribution of the evening with a point in the 10th minute as Tir na nOg tried to find a response.
The same player added his second of the contest from a free to close the gap to two as the North Antrim side missed a few at the other end but David Kearney settled them with a good point and Oliver Kearney added another to move them 1-4 to 0-3 ahead at the end of the opening quarter.
Disaster then struck the Whitehill side when Sean Duffin was robbed as he attempted to clear his lines and Alex O’Boyle soloed clear before placing Daniel Kearney to finish from close range.
Duffin and O’Boyle traded points from frees and Colm Duffin cut the deficit to two once more as Conor Patterson replaced Niall Murray in the Oisin’s side and O’Boyle pointed another free with Sean Duffin replying from all of 70 meters to keep the Randalstown men in touch.
Tir na nOg were struggling to make the ball stick up front with Michael Haughey sweeping up everything that came his way and Alex O’Boyle landed another free from distance before Ciaran O’Neill became only the third Tir na nOg player to register with a point in the 27th minute.
Conor Patterson struck his first point of the evening and O’Boyle converted another free and Darragh Fagan looked to be in for a goal at the other end but lost his sliothar as he was closed down and had to settle for a kicked point.
That left it 2-9 to 0-9 for the men from the glens and they were good value for that lead with too many Tir na nOg players not performing and their dependence on the Duffin’s making life extremely difficult.
It was Colm Duffin who pointed an early second half free to close the gap to five but Oliver Kearney and Orrin O’Connor replied with points at the other end and as Glenariffe found another gear, David Kearney and Oliver Kearney again moved them 10 ahead with only 7 minutes of the new half gone.
Ciaran Logan entered the fray for the Randalstown side as the shootout between Sean Duffin and Alex O’Boyle continued but it was Oisins who were still dictating matters.
Another Orrin O’Connor point moved the Waterfoot side 11 ahead at the end of the third quarter with Colm Duffin sending a side-line cup between the uprights in reply but Sean Duffin’s radar then deserted him for a time as he was off target from distance.
Sites adjusted Duffin then landed another long range effort and substitute, Eamon Og McAllister soloed through for a good point to give their side just a glimmer of hope as Glenariffe continued to ring the changes.
Sean Duffin added yet another massive free and Darragh Fagan followed with one from play to cut the gap to six as the ‘Blues’ made one last push but Alex O’Boyle eased the pressure with their first point for 14 minutes.
Duffin had it back to six again with his 10th and 11th of the contest and the same player finally got the goal his side needed but it was too little, too late and Seanie McIntosh sealed it for Glenariffe with an injury time point.
In the end the best team won and last year’s beaten finalists will be hoping to go one better this year and on the evidence of what they produced for most of the hour, they look favourites to take the Intermediate title.
There will be some concern as to how they allowed the opposition back to within touching distance in the closing stages but undoubtedly those matters will have been addressed by the time they face Shane O’Neill’s at Pairc Ui fhearsithe on the 6th of September.
Tir na nOg will be disappointed by their overall team performance but a win at St. Gall’s would put them firmly back in the picture for a qualifying place and their fate still remains firmly in their own hands.
Tir na nOg: 1 Kevin Sheerin, 2 Brandon McLarnon, 3 Dylan McLarnon, 4 Manus Smith, 5 Ciaran O’Neill, 25 Sean Duffin, 7 Daniel Martin, 8 Conor McCamphill, 9 Emmett Murray, 10 Darragh Fagan, 11 Colm Duffin, 12 Josh Higgins, 14 Sean McKinley, 17 Ryan O’Neill, 23 Oliver McAtamney.
Subs: Eamon Og McAllister, Caomhin Duffin, Kevin McCann, Ciaran Logan, Tiernan Bonnes
Oisins Glenariffe: 1 Paul McMullan, 2 Patrick McIlwaine, 17 Michael Haughey, 3 Niall Murray, 5 David Kearney, 6 Niall Magee, 7 Calum McIlwaine, 8 Odhran Gillan, 9 Oliver Kearney, 10 Orrin O’Connor, 12 Michael O’Boyle, 13 Alex O’Boyle, 14 Seanie McIntosh, 18 Daniel Kearney.
Subs: Conor Patterson for Niall Murray, Brogan O’Connor for Daniel Kearney, James Kearney for Patrick McIlwaine, Phelim Ward
Referee: Colin Thompson
St. Mary’s Ahoghill treasurer, Paul Dougan presents a sponsorship cheque to Paddy McIlwaine during the half time interval at the Glenariffe-Tir na Nog IFC game in Cloney on Sunday. The Saffron Gael thanks St. Mary’s for their continued generous support and appeal to all clubs to make a donation and help us keep the site going
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