Antrim Junior Hurling Championship
Davitts 1-09 Glenravel 0-12
It was a flat calm summer’s evening in west Belfast with a good dry sod underfoot; conditions perfect for good quality championship hurling. Unfortunately that is not what the spectators were served up as the hurling on display matched the great sky overhead. With little or no breeze both teams will be disappointed at their wides count over the hour, Glenravel particularly so in a first half they dominated but their shooting was nowhere near championship standard and as a result they retired to their dressing rooms a goal down at half time. The flag waving umpires were only called into action on twenty two occasions across the hour and thirteen of those were from placed balls as Conleth O’Loan (Glenravel) and Christopher Gallagher (Davitts) gave a good account in the art of free taking. The highlight of the game was undoubtedly a superb overhead pull from Anthony Rowntree just before half time; a perfect connection to an overhead ball that left Glenravel netminder Chris Quinn with no chance.
Glenravel were guaranteed qualification for the next round before the ball was thrown in and perhaps because of that they changed the team around from the what they had fielded in their previous games and in the opening minutes that proved fruitful as Conleth O’Loan (0-1) and Sean McKay (0-3) lobbed over four points with the home side responding through Colm McKee and Caoimhin Rainey with a quarter of the game gone. But then the visitors hit a barren spell as any ball into their forwards was thwarted by Davitts centre back Caoimhin Heaney sweeping up a lot of loose ball. Heaney gave a great account over the hour and his presence forced Glenravel to shoot from greater distance, though with little reward.
Indeed, in the second quarter their only scores came from Conleth O’Loan frees. It was during this period that Davitts drew level and overtook their opposition with points from Christopher Gallagher, Oskar Deevey Persson and that wonderful goal from Anthony Rowantree. Referee Chris Brown called a halt to proceedings in the first half with Davitts ahead 1-06 to 0-06 on the scoreboard.
Glenravel brought on the Donaghy brothers Daragh and Fergus at half time and they certainly made a difference as the visitors tried to get themselves back into the game. Ten minutes in the teams were all square with a couple of points from O’Loan and a fine long range effort from Daragh Donaghy. Gallagher nudged Davitts ahead from a free but that was followed by three consecutive frees for Glenravel to leave them two points to the good and seven minutes remaining. However, to their credit Davitts fought their way back into the game with two further frees from Gallagher to level things off at full time.
A draw was probably a fair result over the hour and the point secured a table topping position for Glenravel and put Davitts into the next round as well. But both teams will know they will have to improve significantly if they want to remain much longer in the competition.
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